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December 14, 2011
Playing sports to fulfill physical education credits is once again an option being exercised at Skyline High School.
This alternative method of getting P.E. credits has not been used in about 10 years, though school officials say it has always been available.
Assistant Principal Jeff Rogers said that the system of giving credit for sports was a “hassle” when it was used previously but that he has been working with the rest of the administration to smooth out the problems and re-implement it.
Assistant Principal Vinnie Blye said the reason the school is now encouraging athletes to use sports to fulfill P.E. requirements is that there were not enough sections of P.E. to handle all the students who needed to take it.
The shift in attitude about credits for sports coincides with severe budget cuts, including a P.E. teacher’s position.
Students can play sports instead of taking P.E., dance, JROTC or marching band to fulfill their physical education graduation requirements, but they must adhere to several provisions.
First, students must finish the whole season of the sport they play, logging in at least 90 hours of activity for five credits or 180 hours for 10 credits.
“If you’re a dedicated athlete, 180 hours a season is no problem,” said senior Shane Sasada, a basketball and tennis player.
To meet California Education Code requirements, students wishing to play sports instead of taking P.E. also have to be physically active for at least 400 minutes over two weeks, averaging out to 40 minutes of activity a day.
Most school sports require at least this amount of time.
“I could practice for 40 minutes a day. That’s nothing,” said senior baseball player Taylor Jones.
Coaches with students earning P.E. credit must keep logs of the hours. A student who doesn’t finish a season or doesn’t log the minimum hours needed would have to retake P.E. or complete a season of another sport to earn the credits.
Supporters of this path for P.E. credits see several benefits.
“It would be really nice to have an extra class because I wanted to take a Spanish class right now,” said freshman football player Nazhee Flowers.
Freshman Fernando Hernandez said he believes that playing sports instead of taking a P.E. class is a good way for people to “get more pumped up and stay active.”
Senior basketball player Paris Davis agrees that this would be a more convenient way to earn credits, especially since it would mean athletes wouldn’t have to do “run days” in P.E.
“Running eight laps [around the track] on game days really messed up my basketball play,” Davis said.
James Salazar, a physical education teacher and baseball coach, said he believes the alternative path to P.E. credits could be beneficial as long as the program is “run correctly and appropriately according to the state Education Code framework and standards.”
Others worry that the system could hurt physical education.
“Money, no money, law, no law — any way you look at it, the erosion of P.E. programs is helping fuel the declining health of the youth of America,” said Dennis Fink, chairman of the P.E. department.
However, a district policy states that only a credentialed physical education teacher can give grades and credit.
Senior golfer Temmara Saephan has another concern.
“It’s unfair that some people who won’t put in a lot of effort should get the same amount of credits as another student who constantly strains themselves at practice,” she said.
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