I hate sports in school...

[Fat Man]

Also, I would like to add, there are many fun ways to get some exercise besides sports!

This is what Earl has been talking about when he mentions PE reforms, where one dose not have to be in competitive sports.

For example . . .

When I was in collage, I took a PE course in weight training. I enjoyed pumping iron and building up my muscles, and I did not have to compete with anybody else, but rather, set my own goals for self improvement.

I liked pumping iron. That was the only time in my entire life that I enjoyed a PE course.

Riding a bicycle is fun, rowing a boat is fun, hiking on a mountain trail and seeing beautiful scenery and enjoying the fresh mountain air, that is a fun way to get some exercise. I also enjoy swimming in a nice cool mountain lake.

Who wants to be out grunting with a bunch of ugly smelly monkey-boys!

If Polite24 gets off on that sort of thing, then good for him!

So, exercise does not have to involve sports, and chasing a stupid ball.

[Polite24]

Not sure if you're arguing against me, but I literally just said there are other ways to exercise besides sports.

[Sergey]

I'll live the way I want.

[tjoeltje]

I'll live the way I want.

Same here.
I hate PE lessons - I cannot understand these are still compulsory. I know everyone says they're healthy, but you can't tell me they if they cause me stress. I feel afraid when people shout at me, "COME ON, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST DO IT? YOU'RE A RETARD!" Besides that I just don't like sports. It would be the same if there would be a weekly WoW lesson - not everyone enjoys that, and it doesn't contribute to your education either.

[Earl]

There's a movement to reform P.E. with a new approach that is not centered around team sports but is actually beneficial. Instead of having sports forced upon them, the nonathletic students need to be put on exercise programs that are designed to meet their needs. Sounds to me like your school could do with a little reform of its P.E. classes.

[tjoeltje]

Yeah, that sounds good to me. But I guess that'll never happen over here in this small country.

[Polite24]

There's a movement to reform P.E. with a new approach that is not centered around team sports but is actually beneficial. Instead of having sports forced upon them, the nonathletic students need to be put on exercise programs that are designed to meet their needs. Sounds to me like your school could do with a little reform of its P.E. classes.

They had a special on this on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. The main argument against this is that we're starting to baby and coddle kids too much. What the people who are trying to reform P.E. are trying to do is make it so kids don't feel bad about themselves, and they don't feel like they lost.

The way the reformists presented it, I agree with keeping it as is. On top of the fact that the kids are being babied, now the kids who want to play team sports can't because of the reformists?

What I would be for is giving the kids a choice. Either play sports, or do things like jump rope, run, and other games or activities of that nature.

[Earl]

Hi, Polite24. I wonder if there are different views as to the way that P.E. should be reformed. Was there any spokesman for PE4Life in this program that you saw? I agree with you that when there is competition, there will be winners and losers. I don't agree with the view that everyone should be called a winner. Self-esteem is developed and earned, not given by someone else.

Considering the particular bias of HBO's Real Sports, I wonder if they would even be concerned about the needs of nonathletic kids. I doubt it. After all, what they really care about is sports, not nonathletic kids. Why would they care about nonathletic kids? I dare say that the needs of nonathletic kids and the problems that they have had to face in traditional mandatory P.E. classes probably have never even crossed their minds.

My perspective as a 59-year-old man is different from yours. Your are of my daughters' generation. The mandatory P.E. of my generation was lousy for nonathletic boys. In the P.E. classes that I took from the time I was in the 4th grade through junior high, none of the nonathletic boys were ever taught how to develop any athletic skills; yet we were still forced to play in ball games, even if we weren't interested in them. There was no mention of exercise programs for the physically unfit. I never even heard of weightlifting, which would have been great for building up my self-confidence at a time when I had none. I am not exaggerating. This is the truth. And I have talked to many other men of my generation, and they have told me the same horror stories.

Physically weak boys and overweight boys were frequently humiliatied and bullied for no constructive purpose. Perhaps those who say that we're starting to baby and coddle kids too much actually condone and defend bullying. In fact, I think many of them do. The bullying of kids in schools actually has a lot of defenders. Bullying kids does not make them stronger, especially if they have nothing to fall back on for support (which is often the case); it only makes them weaker. And I fail to see the wisdom in forcing nonathletic kids to participate in competititive team sports. What good does that do? How does that help them to be successful in life?

Even physically handicapped boys were forced to take P.E., which defies common sense. For example, both Fat Man and Greencom were forced to take P.E., even though Fat Man could not even run and could walk only with a limp and even though Greencom was born with an eye defect that left him without depth perception. Fat Man and Greencom grew up in different states, which shows that this stupid policy of forcing the physically handicapped to take P.E. was nationwide. This is amazing to me. Both were bullied by athletic classmates in their P.E. classes, despite the fact that they were physically handicapped; and I'm sure this went on for years. You would think that they would at least have been given a pass simply because they were physically handicapped and therefore could not even begin to do well in any sport. Is it any wonder that they became prejudiced against athletes?

I do believe that the traditional sports-centered P.E. classes should be kept as an elective for the athletic kids and other kids who want to try out for sports. It's not necessary to make traditional P.E. mandatory in order to have a winning football or basketball team. Those who want to play those sports don't need to be forced to take P.E.

The PE4Life program (which you-all no doubt are getting sick and tired of hearing me plug ) actually provides physical activities for all students. I know I've said this before; but I actually got very little exercise in mandatory P.E. I did experience a lot of anxiety and humiliation, though; and over the years that I was forced to take P.E., I received no attention from any of the P.E. teachers or coaches, although they knew that I needed help. And as I've also said before, I get more exercise in a single workout session at my health club than I ever did in a single year of junior-high P.E.; and the sad fact is that I'm not exaggerating.

I don't think you and I have a major disagreement here. I think we're actually in agreement. You say that you favor giving kids a choice. What you need to understand is that historically kids have not been given a choice. You also need to understand that nonathletic kids, especially those who are physically weak or overweight, fear P.E. classes because they know what is in store for them. They know that they will be humiliated or even bullied. If I sound a little heated (which I don't mean to be), just remember that I'm speaking from my own personal experience and what I've been told by other nonathletic men.

The needs of the nonathletic kids must not be disregarded, as they have been for generations in this country. If the humiliation and bullying continues to be imposed upon nonathletic kids while the hypocritical claim is made by those who support mandatory P.E. that they want these kids to be physically fit (when what they really want to do is just promote sports because that's all they really care about), then there will continue to be teenagers and adults who support this website and subscribe to views that you don't like or find to be offensive.

[Polite24]

Good post, I don't think anything else really needs to be said.

I think we're in agreement. If a kid doesn't like sports, he should have a choice, and if a kid likes sports, then they should be able to play them.

P.E. and health classes are the most lazily put together classes there are, even today. I understand fully how important english, math, science, and social studies are. However, not nearly enough emphasis is put on exercise and health. Just getting good exercise 4-5 times a week and not eating horribly can cause you to lead a lot healthier lifestyle, and in the end most likely live longer. Obviously there's no guarantees, but yeah. Look at Jack Lalanne.

[Earl]

Thank you. Your compliment is much appreciated. No argument here.

[Sergey]

I had 1 P.E. one time a week, I'm glad =D. Oh and the coach knew my hate so I did most of it less! Yay. Oh and I don't get the exercise I need. Plus I went swimming yesterday.

[Earl]

Sergey, I wouldn't dream of imposing anything upon you. All I've been saying is that if all students are going to be required to take P.E. (which definitely is the trend these days), sensible (as opposed to mindless) reform is far to be preferred to no reform at all (which is what the old guard wants).

[greencom]

Thank you. Your compliment is much appreciated. No argument here.

Earl and Polite24,
Both of you made a couple of great posts in my opinion. I am very impressed by Earl's explanation of why Fatman and I feel the way we do and by Polite24's tolerant, understanding.

Greencom

[mvol5974]

I hate sports in school for a few different reasons. First, in most schools if you don't follow the school teams and live for the sporting events you are deemed an outcast which is absurd. You are going to outcast someone because they don't hold an interest in the same thing you do? Second, star athletes seem to get special treatment in schools, they are passed through classes and grades are changed so they can continue to play sports because for some reason the school bases their image and what they are about on their sports teams. Finally, I don't know about others but the schools I went to you were pretty much pressured into joining a team of some kind and even if you discovered you didn't like it and quit your life was made miserable by everyone. Schools are about learning and sports should not hold anywhere near the value they do in the education system.

[Ray]

I hate sports in school for a few different reasons. First, in most schools if you don't follow the school teams and live for the sporting events you are deemed an outcast which is absurd. You are going to outcast someone because they don't hold an interest in the same thing you do?

I agree. There is nothing more surreal than school hallways being crowded with people all dressed in yellow and purple. And all of them staring at you because you're not <gasp> wearing yellow OR purple! Rebel!