Coaches' Column

There have been a couple stories in the news lately that have really caught our attention, one of these being the alarming rate of childhood obesity. I think most of us would agree that a big contributor to this, amongst other things, is the growing amount of time that our children spend playing video games and sitting in front of the television. As a P.E. department we would love to think that this summer, given the option, our students will choose physical activities rather than other sedentary options.

Something else that has been in the news lately is a scientific study proving that exercise has a positive effect on our ability to learn in the classroom. A link to this Newsweek article can be found under the “P.E. Links” section of this website. It is titled Stronger, Faster, Smarter.

Research also suggests that those who maintain an active, healthy lifestyle as adults are those who indulge in physical activities that they enjoy. It is our belief that those given the fundamental skills (throw, catch, strike, etc.) to succeed in physical activities will achieve a greater level of enjoyment. The summer is the perfect time to hone basic skills, as the time allotted for school P.E. is simply not enough.