The worst part of PE, especially before high school, was that I had asthma and I couldn’t keep up with the other kids. I was a fantastic kicker, but make me run? My little 9-year-old lungs couldn’t handle it. At one point, I was just kicking the ball, and someone ran for me. As I got older, though, I could appreciate the class a little more.
Starting sophomore year in high school, we had the choice between regular PE or strength training, and that was nice, and all, and I was even pretty strong. Junior year, though, we were introduced to Adventure PE. Rock climbing, canoeing, rope courses, rollerblading, and using a compass to find things in the field were so much fun. I even was in a canoe with a much larger friend, and I rowed the thing by myself, which for me, at 96 lbs, was pretty good. I even went up the rock wall in like 15 seconds or less, and it was a 50-foot wall.
Adventure PE got me out of my shell and trying things that would usually scare me, and being with my school friends made it so much better. PE doesn’t have to be running laps, doing 100 jumping jacks, and getting yelled at by a coach. It was about teamwork, patting each other on the back, rock climbing races, and being called a show off(me personally) because I could lift myself back then.
Sure, the locker room is a little awkward, but who wasn’t awkward in high school? Adventure PE just made me actually want to go to class. I hated PE as a freshman and when I was younger because I kept getting made fun of for not being able to survive a game of dodgeball. I think Adventure PE should be a required type of PE. Let kids be kids and actually enjoy school, and not dread running laps or whatever else, and be constantly reminded that they are not in shape.
Adventure PE. The best kind of PE.
