It goes without saying that physical education is an important part of a student’s life and overall well-being.  But when a significant part of a students life already involves exercise, should a 42-minute phys ed class every other day for four school years be necessary?

At NA, as well as throughout the state of Pennsylvania, the Health and PE class is required each year of high school.  There are exceptions for some students, but they are extremely rare.

Unquestionably, fitness and healthy habits are essential for a productive life, and there is little doubt that many students can benefit from such an education.  But there are perhaps just as many student-athletes who participate in fitness activities daily outside of school and learn from their coaches the importance of healthy living.

Yet like every other student, athletes must take gym every year. While some may enjoy the class, it’s worth considering whether two years of physical education would be sufficient to provide already active students with knowledge of other methods and ways to continue being fit. Athletes could then use that knowledge after the two years of physical education to remain healthy.

Some correctly point out that simply playing a sport is not equivalent to what is learned in gym class. Various ways to stay fit and the techniques to do so are uniquely valuable lessons that the phys ed classes offer — but certainly there is a significant amount of overlap between the lifestyle of an active athlete and the daily routine of a gym class.

But much of a student’s time in gym involves constant physical activity and strengthening of the muscles, the same as what occurs in athletics. This overlap of knowledge and fitness should not be ignored.  After all, student frequently test out of classes in other subjects in which they demonstrate mastery.  Thus, the Pennsylvania Department of Education should rethink whether all the necessary information for athletes to be educated upon could fit into two years of physical education.

Being excused from a gym class for two years of a student’s high school career would create room to take more courses in areas of interest, from Astronomy and Anatomy to Philosophy and Photography.

A separate but serious concern is that, for some students, being required to take gym for four consecutive years leads to a resentment of the class, and in some cases, physical activities overall. When forced to participate in activities that may cause students anguish, they in turn may begin to associate exercise with negative experiences only. In a study recently conducted, it was found that adults who did not like gym class in high school reported disliking exercise later in their lives.

Physical education is an essential component of a student’s education, and gym class is one way to ensure that students have the necessary knowledge to become healthy and active adults. However, it’s long overdue that the state revisit the policy of requiring four years of high school gym. In the case of athletes, who have embraced the principles taught in phys ed, a change should be made.

After all, just about any serious student could list numerous courses they wish they could take but just don’t have enough room to schedule.  Two years of gym could change that.