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Reflection Essay

Sydney Taylor

Professor Jaime Tigue

PHYE 160-C01W
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Sydney Taylor

Professor Jaime Tigue

PHYE 160- C01W

May 2, 2016

Reflection Essay

Physical education is a rapidly evolving field, and it has been changing for centuries. As

future members of the field of physical education, we will be able to influence and affect how

our field continues to grow and develop. It is up to us to gain knowledge to teach and show

proper practices, ethics, and prepare the way for future members of the field. This essay will

show different aspects of our field, ranging from the historic practices and beliefs, to changing

opportunities and future professional opportunities.

Historical Practices, Philosophies, and Trends

Physical education is not a new field. Variations of physical education have been seen to

as far back as people of the prehistoric times, and ancient cultures such as Greece, China and

Rome (Freeman, 2015). It was relatively simple until the time of ancient Greece, when physical

education and sport seemed to really blossom. The most obvious form of physical education and

sport is the Olympics. For the time, the Olympics were the epitome of sport. They were a

spectacle of the human body and what it could accomplish. The Olympics could be considered

the beginning of sport for entertainment.

Physical education continued to evolve and develop through the centuries leading up to

early European times, and it eventually made its way to the Americas. In colonial times,
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education shifted towards more practical learning, such as reading and writing. Physical

education began to grow and flourish as secondary schools became more prevalent. As time

turned to the 20th century, physical education and sport grew to become closer to what we have

today. It took a major turn with World War II. People began to realize that our soldiers were not

physically prepared, and the government took steps to improve the health and fitness of the

people. The next major turn was the appearance of Title IX in the 1970s. This caused physical

education and sport to become non exclusionary, and transformed it into what we know today

(Freeman, 2015).

Athletic training however, was not recognized as an allied health profession until 1990,

even though it had been around for many decades. Athletic trainers can be seen as early as the

Olympic games in the early 20th century. When football became a large sport in the United States,

the need for athletic trainers was realized, and the National Athletic Trainers Association was

formed in the 1950s (Jenkins, 2015).

Physical education has been developing for centuries, and I want to continue to be part of

that development. Since athletic training is a relatively new profession, I look forward to the

future where I can help with the development of athletic training.

Changing philosophies in Physical Education, Fitness, and Sport

The field of athletic training witnesses a lot of the same philosophy dilemmas as does the

entire field of physical education. One of the largest issues is ethics in sport. Just like an athlete

or a coach, athletic trainers are at the front lines of potential ethical and moral issues. I think one

of the biggest potential issues is the use of performance enhancing drugs. Should it be the

responsibility of the athletic trainer to report suspected drug use even if it will hurt the success of
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the team? Another issue is the treatment of injury. It seems that more and more often if an athlete

gets injured, the first thought of both the coach and the athlete is to get back to play as soon as

possible, even if it risks further injury. One of the responsibilities of the athletic trainer is to

make sure the athlete is 100% healthy before going back to play, even if both the athlete and

coach are pushing to put the athlete back into the game.

I believe that ethics are immensely important in the field of physical education. I think it

should be up to the athletic trainer to report suspected drug use, and to stick to their knowledge

and not be pressured by a coach or athlete to put the athlete back into play if they are not 100%

healthy. I believe that if everyone tried to improve their ethics and morals, the world of physical

education and sport would be much more honorable, and not one with a shady underbelly.

Past Experiences in Physical Education, Fitness, and Sport

I can think of two distinct experiences in physical education, fitness, or sport that I

thoroughly enjoyed. When I entered high school I had never played sports. So when the spring of

my freshman year rolled around I decided I would try tennis. I wound up making the team

regardless of the fact I had never played before, and I ended up being quite good. I loved the

experience! I had awesome coaches that really strived to teach me and help me become better,

and I loved being part of a team. I played freshman and sophomore year, but I had to quit junior

year because I missed too much school, and that has become one of my biggest regrets.

Starting sophomore year of high school, one of my very good friends and I became

water girls for the football team. This is one of my favorite experiences from high school. I

love football, so being on the field was an amazing experience. I loved feeling like I was part of

the football team, even though I couldnt play.

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One of my worst experiences in physical education came in junior high. The PE teacher

was a very strict woman, and she made us take written tests for each section that we learned in

class. I remember hating this, and as a result, I never tried very hard in this class. Looking back, I

wish I would have tried more and made it more fun.

Each of these experiences have contributed to my professional development, most

notably, being a water girl. This experience opened my eyes to my potential future as an athletic

trainer, and it made me extremely excited to be able to work with athletes in the future.

Professional Opportunities

My field of interest, athletic training, has many job opportunities, the most obvious being

working with athletes. Athletic trainers can be found in high school, college, and professional

settings, as well as youth sports. They can work in the sports setting, as well as in clinics, and

physicians offices. However, the range of professional opportunities for athletic trainers does not

end with sports. More jobs are emerging with performing arts like dance and music, occupational

health, law enforcement and public safety, and the military (National Athletic Trainers

Association). The military is growing in its need for athletic trainers, and it is a setting where I

want to be able to take my skills.

A specific set of skills is vital to the success of any athletic trainer. Some of these skills

include emergency care, treatment of injuries, and clinical evaluation and diagnosis. Athletic

trainers must also continue to further their education and learn more about the field of athletic

training. These skills are necessary to maintain certification for athletic training.

I possess a couple of the required skills, but I must continue my education to further my

knowledge and utilize these skills. My education at the college level will prepare me for a career
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in athletic training and it will give me the skills and qualities necessary to be an exceptional

professional. I know that learning and gaining knowledge will allow me to be a good

professional, and I intend on working to the best of my abilities to become the best professional I

can be.

Professional Goals

As I prepare for my future in the career of athletic training, I think it is important to set

goals for myself. As far as short term goals go, I intend on graduating from CSI in one more year

with my associates degree in athletic training. From there I plan on transferring to Weber State to

pursue my bachelors degree and potentially obtain a masters degree in athletic training. As far

as long term goals are concerned, I want to utilize my skills by working with a football team. I

want to start my career with athletics, but I would also like to take my skills further and work

with the military. Wherever I go with my career, I know that I want to continue to learn and gain

knowledge. I want to do my part to help shape the field of athletic training and physical

education.

The field of physical education, fitness, and sport, is growing quickly and I look forward

to being part of it. I hope that I will be able to make an impact on the field of athletic training and

make a difference. By having the knowledge of the history of my field, and continuing to learn

and develop skills, I will be able to become a quality professional in the field of athletic training.

Works Cited
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Freeman, William Hardin. Physical Education, Exercise, and Sport Science in a Changing

Society. Burlington, MA.: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2015. Print.

Jenkins, Alexis. "The History of Athletic Training." LIVESTRONG.COM.

LIVESTRONG.COM, 06 Nov. 2015. Web. 03 May 2016.

"Job Settings." National Athletic Trainers' Association. 2015. Web. 05 May 2016.
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