Athletics in the schools: Making choices

Not everyone likes to sweat, kids included. But do school physical education programs offer enough choice to motivate even the most sedentary children to be active? We need to make certain.

What are the benefits of physical activity for children?

The benefits of physical activity for children have been reported repeatedly in the media and academic literature. Physical, psychological, and sociological benefits include cardio-respiratory fitness, bone health, muscle strength, improved mood and self-esteem, and learning goal setting and how to be a team player. Research has found that higher physical activity levels in childhood may contribute towards adults being more physically active. Even though young children may not appreciate this future value of physical activity, adults who are more physically active reap numerous health benefits that contribute to quality of life and wellness. It is therefore important that we expose children to a large variety of enjoyable activities to encourage continued involvement and lifelong participation in physical activity.

What helps to determine if children are physically active?

Several researchers have tried to determine what factors influence children’s involvement in physical activity. Believing in one’s capabilities; the intention to be active; parent support; direct help from parents; support from significant others; program or facility access; opportunities for activity; and time outdoors. The influence of significant others is important for establishing positive physical activities in children. Parents and teachers can enhance children’s enjoyment of physical activity by providing a safe environment for this activity.

Are kids today physically active enough?

National guidelines recommend that young people participate in 20 or more minutes of vigorous physical activity on three or more days each week. But some researchers have found that only about two-thirds of adolescent students in Ontario met this recommendation over a five year period. They also found that activity levels declined for females and Grade 11 students over the same period. Other Canadian researchers found that children’s physical activity decreased between the ages of nine and 18. After school hours that were once devoted to romping outside are now filled by television shows and video games. Increasing amounts of nightly homework, jobs, and family responsibilities also decrease the amount of time available for physical activity.

One reason for the drop in physical activity levels during the high school years is a shift in priorities and preferences. Mandatory physical education is only required until Grade nine. After Grade nine students may choose whether or not to enroll in physical education (phys. ed.) class. Required classes and prerequisite courses for post-secondary school often receive a higher priority than phys. ed. Some students prefer not to get sweaty, dislike the phys. ed. curriculum, or are uncomfortable with co-educational phys. ed. classes. Mr. Marios Tenentes, Head of Athletics and Physical Education at Nelson A. Boylen Collegiate Institute in North York, has suggested that phys. ed. should be mandatory to Grade 12 so students, particularly those who tend to be sedentary, will stick with it. Youth who are not physically active in school are not compensating with increased after-school activities. This means we must help children attain an appreciation for and commitment to physical activity when they are young. We need to offer enjoyable physical education opportunities and activities that are accessible to all students.

What does the physical education curriculum look like?

The Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance and the Canadian Medical Association recommend that Canadian children participate in 30 minutes of compulsory physical education per day. Prior to Grade nine, Ontario children are encouraged to take part in daily physical education. The content of these classes follows the Ontario curriculum and is implemented by both classroom teachers and physical education specialists.

Physical education curricula have been criticized for concentrating on traditional competitive sports rather than alternative, less competitive activities. However, in recent years, there has been a trend to include more fitness components such as weight-lifting and cardio-training activities in phys. ed. curriculums. In addition, researchers have recommended that teachers include more nontraditional physical activities, such as hiking and jogging that encourage lifelong participation. They have also recommended less competitive, individual activities, such as biking and fitness training that focus on individual mastery of skills and achievement. These recommendations stem from findings that some children do not enjoy phys. ed. classes due to their competitive nature, their lack of success in skill achievement, and the negative peer interaction that can take place. Perhaps not surprisingly, students who do not participate in organized sports enjoy phys. ed. less. At the same time, it has been shown that among Grade six, seven, and eight students, the majority had strong interests in basketball, bicycling, roller-skating, soccer, swimming and volleyball. Taken together, these findings support the reduction of competitive activities and increase in non-competitive and individual skill-based activities in phys. ed. curricula.

Sex differences should also be considered in developing phys. ed. curricula. Girls and boys tend to enjoy different sports in the phys. ed. curriculum. For example, while girls have a preference for noncompetitive or individual activities, boys often prefer more traditional competitive team sports. This may be influenced by opportunity for participation and perceptions. When girls have more opportunity for team sports, their participation in sports such as basketball and softball increases. Middle school students have opinions about which activities should be offered as co-educational classes. When designing a phys. ed. curriculum, taking sex, type of activity, and mixed versus single sex classes into consideration could increase enjoyment and participation.

It’s all about choice

The ultimate goals of a phys. ed. curriculum are to get all kids active enough to gain health benefits, and to keep them active at that level for a lifetime. To achieve these goals we need to give students enough choices to accommodate their needs and preferences. Age, sex, size, ethnicity, and personality all influence preferences for different activities and for how and when these activities should be carried out. Lack of financial resources and facilities, and difficulties providing supervision limit schools in providing access to a broad range of physical activities. However, physical educators need be aware that alternative ways to engage children in the current physical education curriculum have been implemented with success. For example, the sport education model supports involving children in all aspects of the sporting environment including activities such as training student referees. Other physical education classes have reduced team sizes and offered varied levels of competition during game play to increase enjoyment and active participation. As parents, it is essential to realize that your encouragement, involvement, and example have a tremendous influence on your child’s beliefs about the importance of physical activity. Encourage the schools to give children increased choices and opportunities and encourage your children to engage in physical activity with you.