Physical education and sport in

schools and colleges

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NURSERY GRADES 1-6 HIGH SCHOOL GRADES 7-12 UNIVERSITIES

ELEMENTARY
KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL JUNIOR HIGH SENIOR HIGH TEACHERS’ COLLEGES

4 YEAR HIGH SCHOOL

VOLUNTARY COMPULSORY VOLUNTARY

The organisation of sport in the
USA
• The organisation in America is
decentralised and it is organised by many
governing bodies.
• Professional sport is prominent with much
support from the public and companies.
• A great deal of sponsorship from
companies and media – the private sector
is very important.
 Federal Government

Department Department of
of Education Fish and Game

Parks and
Recreation
National Olympic Committee Commission

National Governing Bodies

Federation of the Different
of SHSAA Sports

Regional
Associations of the
Regional Conferences
Different Sports

High School College

Athletic Athletic
Associations Local
Associations
subdivisions
The historical development of sport
• Following the pattern in Europe, American
schools ignored the physical side of pupil
welfare.
• The curriculum was strictly classical, and not
until the 19th century did physical exercise,
usually Gymnastics, come to be considered an
important aspect of Education.
• Round Hill School, Massachusetts, was an early
example of adopting a ‘European School’
approach to physical education, with particular
respect for German gymnastics.
• Boys were taught to ride, skate and swim in
addition to baseball and football.
Early German Gymnastics
• In 1825 Monitoral School in Boston formally
introduced German gymnastics, including
marching, running, jumping and weight
lifting.
• Catherine Beecher’s 30-minute daily workout
of light exercise was known as Calisthenics.
• Later the Boston Normal School of
Gymnastics developed the Swedish style of
gymnastics as the way forward rather than
the German method.
• ’The word "calisthenics" comes from the
Greek words 'kallos' meaning beauty and
'thenos' meaning strength. The components
of the sport aim to achieve those physical
attributes, but the sport also influences the
emotional and social development of girls
through friendship and teamwork.’
(Girl.com.au, 2005)
• By 1885 the providing school in the public schools
was expanding, especially in the North and
expanded throughout the whole country before the
First World War.
• The trend at this time was a reduction in the use of
gymnastics and an increased interest in games.

German Gymnastics

Swedish Gymnastics British/American

Games

Growth of the popularity of games

and a decline in gymnastics
• Girls started to play basketball and football.
• As in Europe, there was opposition from
individuals who held conventional ideas.

Basketball for girls at College Smith, Massachusetts:

girls started playing in 1981, the same year as men.
• By the end of the decade and
the beginning of the 20th
century, sport increased in
popularity and high school
athletes and college stars
became prominent in the
American education system.
 Sport in high schools
• These trends still exist today, where sport
is considered more important than
physical education.
• More provision, money and staffing are
offered.
• Many games are played in front of large
audiences.
• This brings much money to the school.
• Many American school principals see Physical Education
as something that can be discarded and many local
councils agree with this.
• There is wide variation in the total curriculum time
physical education gets in the timetable in the high
schools.
• Over the last 25 years not one state has changed the
time given to physical education.
• Only the state of Illinois provides physical education for
all ages - from Grade 1 (6 years old) to Grade 12 (18
years old)
• More commonly schools have 2/3 of a 30-minute lesson
during their infant period and then complete 1 term in
the high school.
• In some states physical education is measured in terms
of minutes per week, so playtime is counted in some
schools.
• Because of this inconsistency organisations have
expressed concern.
• The National Association for Sport and Physical
Education (NASPE) notes that an individual who
participates in physical education shows 4
characteristics:
• Exhibits practical skills
• Is fit
• Takes part often
• Has the knowledge to create an exercise programme for
keeping fit throughout his/her life.
• Another organisation, the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC), claims that 50% of a physical
education lesson should include medium to high
intensity exercise.
• This has led to many lessons changing from
developing skills to improving fitness.
• In some schools the lesson has changed fully to
be long-term education on how to keep fitness
and construct programmes.
• In the past sport was part of the physical
education department, but now it has its own
department – The Department of Athletics.
• Coaches rather than teachers are employed.
• Their aim is to create a successful department,
that is, a department that wins.
• In many situations the Director of Athletics has
control over P.E. and sport.
• A head coach is employed in each sport, and
they often get more money than teachers!!!!
A simplified structure of sport and physical education in American
schools
State sport body

College head

Director of athletics

Head of coaching Head of

physical education

Coaching staff Physical

education staff

Student body
College teams ‘Varsity teams’
Physical Education Programme
The strain put on coaches
Director
of athletics
Department
players
and students

parents media

coach

State and
national supporters
athletic union

The school’s
Administrative
administrative
staff
work
Fellow coaches
Task

Compare the role of a sports

coach with the role of a
physical education teacher in
America
• Sport in American high schools is driven by
the culture it lives in – mainly one for
Winners.
• Schools gain credit and prestige from the
successess, and pupils build up scholarships –
winning profile.
• In the collegiate system athletic departments
develop future stars.
• In the high schools physical education is being
renamed Kinesiology or Movement to try and
strengthen the educational link rather than
sport.