Physical Education in High School

High School Physical Education in the United States has come a long way from changing into uniform t-shirts and then being graded on how well you can climb a rope. Over the past few decades, physical education in the United States has become less of a test of athleticism, and more of an initiative to get every type of student to exercise. 

This is seen a lot in Madison High School as physical education teachers are held to a high standard to keep students as active as possible in order to be as healthy as possible. At Madison, Physical Education is a four-year class required by all students. This requirement is the same for all other public schools in New Jersey. This is because of the N.J.S.A. mandate that: “ all students grades 1-12 are required to receive 150 minutes of physical activity minimum during the school week.”

At Madison, students are given the option to exercise many different ways during P.E. class. Students are given three activities to choose from, you can either go in the weight room (to lift or go on the treadmill/exercise bike), run the track outside, or lastly participate in the class game. Class games include flag football, soccer, badminton, nitroball, handball, and speedball. These options are given not only to get every student involved, but to get them involved in something they are looking forward to. According to Senior Cormac McNamara, “Gym is always more active when kids get into it and try to make it fun. It’s all about the competition with your classmates.” 

When asked what the most important part of being a Physical Education teacher was, Coach Liberto responded: “the most important thing for me is the opportunity to impact students in a positive way, if my class can inspire kids to want to stay active, my job is done.” All in all, although New Jersey has a strict physical education policy, it’s fair to say that here at Madison, students’ health is looked at as more than just a mandate.