P.E. Update: January 2026

I believe my job is to help students find joy in exercise and learn how to be healthy individuals.  While naturally athletic students will often find their own path to fitness, others need extra support to get there.

The students I work to reach most are those who struggle with sports - students who are often chosen last on a team, who don't get passed to in a game, or who might lack the confidence to even attempt an athletic pursuit.  These students are at risk for a sedentary lifestyle in adulthood, and I look for creative ways to get them excited about being physically active.

Take basketball, for instance, which students recently finished in P.E. I find that most students fall into one of two categories. They either enjoy the game for what it is, or they absolutely hate it. The latter reaction often stems from a dislike of the aggressive nature of the sport, with the stealing of the ball and the close physical contact, For some students, this can be overwhelming.

To reach those students, I introduce a game called “Sideline Basketball.”  Here are some basic rules for playing this game:

• There are three teams, randomly selected using the Team Shake app on my tablet.
• Two teams play against each other on the court, while the third team is spread out evenly along both sidelines.
• The two teams playing each other must pass to a sideline player at least once before they are allowed to score.
• The sideline player must pass the ball back to the team that passed it to them or to another sideline player.
• The players on the court are not allowed to guard or steal a ball from the sideline players.

The game is played so that all players have a chance to rotate and be a sideline player.

Once we've rotated through all three teams,  I circle up the students and play a regular game - but with the option for any student to be a permanent sideline player.

Typically, about 30% of the players choose to be sideline players. They love being in that role for two reasons. First, there isn’t the pressure of the ball being stolen from them.  Second (and most important), they get passed to and included in the game. This builds their confidence and ensures they feel like part of the team.

Looking back at previous units in P.E., both the speedball and volleyball units were played outside, where students did warm ups and partner drills to work on skills in the game as usual. But to keep the emphasis on enjoying physical activity, all students had the option to do a “walk and talk” around the field rather than play in the game.

Finding and developing innovative ways to keep students excited about being active is always on my radar, and is an important part of my P.E. philosophy.