The average student can learn fun and easy ways to exercise. High school athletes are way past the stage of light exercising. They are not benefiting from the PE class like a non-athlete student does.
If the point of gym class is to teach students to keep their bodies in good health, then what do athletes gain from this? A high school soccer player runs about six to seven miles each game. The football team practices until six every day, whether it’s on the field practicing or in the weight room lifting. Their level of fitness cannot compare to PE class kickball, dodgeball, football, disc golf, etc.
According to sophomore Shannon Crowley, who plays soccer and softball, “athletes have practice two to three hours a day and are using that physical activity to better themselves, so it makes no sense for them to take PE class because they’re already doing more physical activity than the average person.”
Instead of filling up a period with a PE credit, student athletes could take a study if they don’t already have one. This would help them get their homework done earlier, so they aren’t rushing to do it after getting home from practice. Therefore, allowing students to turn in their best work. In the phrase student athletes, student comes first. They should be prioritizing school over sports.
For athletes with a study already built into their schedule, they could take an elective. Electives are meant to help students pursue their futures. According to the NCAA, less than two percent of high school athletes go on to play professionally. Students shouldn’t be wasting their time with gym class volleyball when they already play for the varsity team. Instead, the student could take an elective geared towards their major to get them better prepared for college, especially since the chances of pursuing a career in sports are extremely low.
Most gym class activities take place in the gym because of the cold weather, and they are beginner-level activities. This is an unnecessary strain on already hardworking student-athletes. A baseball player could be participating in the soccer unit, slip on a ball, fall, and break their arm. He would now be left unable to throw, catch, or bat. Not to mention, he can’t even participate in gym class, leaving him unable to do any physical activity, which is the opposite of what gym class is supposed to be for.
According to sophomore Molly Tharrington, who plays field hockey, wrestling, and lacrosse, breaking her ankle in gym class was a very hard time for her.
“I was in a fit of depression, I was hating my life, and I couldn’t play field hockey,” Tharrington said.
Her class was playing football in the gym, and she landed wrong while catching a ball. This injury caused her to be out for a month of field hockey, which is most of the season. She had to watch her teammates have fun on the field and play really well together while being on the bench.
I understand that this could potentially cause tensions between the school athletes and the club athletes.
According to PE teacher, Samuel Carey, “it’s important to take PE class even if you’re an athlete, and they should still have to complete the curriculum.”
However, school athletes are contributing to the school and the town, which is why they should be able to not take PE, while club athletes would still be required to. This could also encourage club athletes to participate in a school sport to complete the credit.
All students need one full credit for physical activity, or two classes of PE. A solution to this problem would be to have the students who play only one school sport be required to take only one PE class throughout high school, the 0.5 credit, and the other half of the credit would be acquired by the school sport.
Then, the students who play two or three school sports would be exempt from completing any PE classes, as they would get their full credit from those sports. Obviously, there are student-athletes who may still want to take PE, which should still be allowed if they want to, but not required.
Any student who participates in a school sport should not be required to take both PE classes since they are earning the credit by being physically educated at their games and practices.
Athletes do not gain anything from PE class that they don’t already know. Being healthy and staying in good shape is not an option for most athletes. They already know how to do that. Instead of helping them, it can hurt them: academically and physically.
