I was very pleased that your paper felt that the fitness level
of our youth was newsworthy, and that you tried to take a positive
approach to the story.
Dear Editor,
I was very pleased that your paper felt that the fitness level of our youth was newsworthy, and that you tried to take a positive approach to the story. I just want to encourage parents of elementary and junior-high-age children to do three things to help their kids be as physically and mentally fit as possible.
First, remember that at the early primary grades physical movement, play and exercise are at least as important, if not more important, to brain development as so called academic work. Many problem solving skills are learned through play and physical education activities. Think about what you did when there were five people and you wanted to play football. Or you didn’t have enough people to fill all the outfield positions in baseball. Do any of you remember a game called “pickle” played with three people? Spatial relationships are also learned through physical education activities, angles to the ball, what’s the shortest route, or forming a square, or a circle to warm up, etc.
Second, a tremendous amount of social skills are taught through games and play: leadership, how to solve an argument, learning to work together as a team, dealing with people that aren’t the same as you and learning to assess personal strengths and weaknesses.
Third, an indirect rise in positive relationships between parents and children, teachers and children and adults and children in general usually arise from the interaction that comes from physical education activities. I’m almost 42, and when I think back to my school days, without a doubt the P.E. teachers and coaches were the people who made the longest-lasting and deepest impression on me. They usually were people who set high standards and demanded that we met them, and when we didn’t they wouldn’t give up. They pushed us to a higher level, and through that battle we gained true self-esteem.
How many people in this community loved and respected Bob Mattson, Andy Hardin, Mike Robustelli, Mr. Fisher, Mrs. Barbin, Mrs. Vosbrink, Coach Cameron, or even me?
I don’t think it’s a coincidence that when mandatory physical education participation was cut back at all levels that academic achievement went with it.
Parents, as you approach the Christmas season purchase a bicycle, skateboard, basketball, football, baseball glove and try with everybody’s busy schedule to use it with your children.
Randy Logue, teacher/coach San Benito High School
