BEYOND BASKETBALL: THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Kara Brase worked on leg extensions in the Jackson High School weight room during fitness class.

Linda Adams discussed volleyball technique in her physical education class at Jackson High School.

Physical education these days is more than tossing students a basketball and letting them go at it for an hour.

"Lifetime fitness, people staying active throughout their lives, That is the primary goal of physical education now," said Brandon Norman, a physical education instructor at Jackson High School.

By helping students develop a favorite physical activity, PE teachers hope students will continue to enjoy that activity for the rest of their lives and maintain a healthy lifestyle in the process.

While competitive sports are still a large part of PE curriculum, there is more to it than exercise and competition.

"Basically, everyone cannot be an athlete," said Linda Adams, also a PE instructor at Jackson High. "I try to organize team sports so they can grow socially, physically and emotionally to become a well-rounded person."

The social skills students develop through working with others in a competitive atmosphere are skills students will use throughout their lives.

"PE is one of the most important places in school for working with each other as a team. In most classes you mainly work on your own," Norman said.

While both Norman and Adams do base some of a student's grade on skill at various tasks, effort and attitude are more important. Students also need to know how various activities affect their bodies and why, said Norman, who includes some physiology in his classes.

Physiological knowledge, specifically being able to identify muscle groups, is particularly needed in fitness and weight training classes. Students are instructed in various aspects including how to properly do workouts, how much recovery time is needed between activities, proper breathing and the effects of diet. Each of those aspects affects how helpful an activity will be in their physical endeavors.

In weight training, knowledge of proper techniques is vital to avoid serious injury.

"I teach them how to do their own workouts so when they go to Main Street Fitness or Universal Physique they already know how to work out properly," Norman said.

Adams, who teaches aerobics along with more traditional sports-oriented classes, said tenets preached in modern PE classes help students maintain proper diet and nutrition to keep in shape throughout their lives.

"It teaches them to carry on and not get burned out," Adams said. "They have got to go at their own pace toward a goal they can reach."