The Physical Education Program strives to provide an opportunity for each student to develop optimum health and physical fitness for his or her age and developmental level. The department assists each student in gaining knowledge, confidence and self-esteem through physical fitness activities. The department promotes the ideals of sportsmanship and fair play. Each course is designed to respect the individual differences and skill levels for all students.
Students are required to take two semesters of Physical Development. The first semester is PD 1 and is taken during the freshman year. The second semester (PD 2, Strength and Conditioning for Competition, or Football Conditioning) is to be taken in subsequent years. Students are not restricted to two semesters of Physical Development and are encouraged to take as many classes as they desire. All electives may be repeated.
All courses are non-academic and do not count toward the total number of academic courses required in a semester.
PD 1 class is a mandatory course for all freshman students. It is designed to promote health and fitness concepts. PD 1 stresses cardio vascular training with different modalities such as dynamic range of motion warmups, aerobic workouts, and circuits. The course encompasses instruction in nutrition, physical fitness, and basic skills in various team sports and activities. Every freshman goes through a 4-week swim program highlighting swim fundamentals especially body alignment and hydrodynamic orientation in the water.
This course is designed to help students develop physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially. The experiences presented in the course are intended to develop knowledge, self-confidence, positive self-image, good sportsmanship, cooperation and ideals necessary to maintain both physical and mental health. Concepts of fitness, training and nutrition are covered.
This course emphasizes individual personal fitness and attitudes to keep students involved in the learning process and to show students that everyone can be healthy and physically fit. PD 2 is a total body fitness course designed to improve individual fitness levels. This is a medium to high intensity work out designed to increase muscle endurance and strength, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance and body composition. The students will learn the authentic Pilates mat program; different styles of yoga, including: vinyasa, power and yin; breathing and relaxation techniques; the mind-body connection; and how basic anatomy connects to each exercise or posture. Students will also be exposed to power walking, where they will build stamina and walk with proper posture and core engagement. The students will evaluate their flexibility, strength, and core connection in movements throughout this class. Students will acquire the necessary tools needed to design and implement their own wellness program. Fulfills Physical Development requirement.
Prerequisite: PD 1
This course will emphasize individual personal fitness and attitudes to keep students involved in the learning process and to show students that everyone can be healthy and physically fit. PD 2: Non-Traditional Games is a total body fitness course designed to improve individual fitness levels. This is a medium to high intensity work out designed to increase muscle endurance and strength, flexibility, cardiovascular endurance and body composition. The students will learn to use free weights, jump ropes and body weight as forms of resistance. Students will also be exposed to non-traditional games such as kinball, quidditch, speedball, ringo, cricket as well as yoga, aerobic workouts, and weight training to improve their overall conditioning. The students will evaluate their body-type and what can be done to achieve a desired fitness level. Students will acquire the necessary tools needed to design and implement their own wellness program. Fulfills Physical Development requirement.
Prerequisite: PD 1
PD 2 Team Sports is a total body fitness course designed to improve individual fitness levels through traditional and non-tradition team sports. In addition to team play, the students will learn about themselves and their body through yoga postures, fundamental biomechanics, and whole body breathing techniques that connect the mind and the body. This is a medium to high intensity work out designed to increase muscle endurance and strength, flexibility, cardio-vascular endurance and body composition. Students will experience the following psycho-social concepts in sports; emotional self-control, teamwork, poise, and cooperation. Students will actively engage in the essentials of wellness, nutrition, movement, authentic social consciousness, and rest. Fulfills Physical Development requirement.
Prerequisite: PD 1
Football Conditioning for Competition is the introductory Football Conditioning course designed to improve the core strength and cardio-vascular fitness, agility and flexibility and basic skills and concepts of students playing football. This course will focus on development of the major muscle groups through free weight training as related to sport specific movements as well as speed and agility development. The students will learn about training intensity and volume, training zones, Olympic lifting, kettle bells, plyometric training, basic speed and agility work as well as sports nutrition and use of ergogenic aids. This is a second semester course open to freshmen, sophomores, and juniors. Fulfills Physical Development requirement.
Prerequisite: PD 1 or Department Chair and Head Football Coach approval.
Football Conditioning for Competition is a course designed to improve the core strength and cardio-vascular fitness, agility and flexibility, and basic skills of students playing football. This course will focus on development of the major muscle groups through free weight training as related to sport specific movements as well as speed and agility development. The students will learn about training intensity and volume, training zones, Olympic lifting, kettle bells, plyometric training, basic speed, and agility work. Sports nutrition and appropriate body regeneration will be stressed. This is a second semester course open to sophomores and juniors. Fulfills Physical Development requirement.
Prerequisite: Football Conditioning and Head Football Coach approval.
Strength and Conditioning for Competition is a course designed to improve the core strength and cardio-vascular fitness, agility, and flexibility of students playing interscholastic sports. This course will focus on development of the major muscle groups through free weight training as related to sport specific movements as well as speed and agility development. The students will learn about training intensity and volume, training zones, Olympic lifting, kettle bells, plyometric training, basic speed and agility work, as well as, sports nutrition and use of ergogenic aids. Fulfills Physical Development requirement.
Prerequisite: PD 1 and Department Chair approval.
Advanced Strength and Conditioning for Competition is a high level sports performance class building on the principals learned in the Level 1 Course, Strength and Conditioning for Competition. Designed to improve on the techniques and performance levels its focus will remain on core strength and cardio-vascular fitness, agility, and flexibility. This course will focus on development of the major muscle groups through free weight training as related to sport specific movements as well as speed and agility development. The students will learn about training intensity and volume, training zones, Olympic lifts of Power Clean, Clean and Jerk as well as the Snatch, kettle bells, plyometric training, basic speed and agility work, as well as, sports psychology.
Prerequisite: Strength and Conditioning for Competition and Department Chair Approval.
Seniors who are enrolled in the required English, religious studies, and social studies courses, as well as three yearlong academic elective courses (yearlong visual or performing arts classes do not apply as academic electives toward this waiver), may apply for a one-semester waiver for Physical Development.
Sophomores who anticipate a full academic load of classes their senior year are encouraged to take PD in the sophomore year. Participation in an extra-curricular sport does not meet Physical Development requirements for graduation.
Department Chair
Dave Brown