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Reflection Essay
Sydney Taylor
PHYE 160-C01W
Taylor 2
Sydney Taylor
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
"Job Settings." National Athletic Trainers' Association. 2015. Web. 05 May 2016.
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