AIn September, Neirad wrote an article about the new gym classes here at DHS. Athletic director John Keleher told us that he hoped the classes would “provide more options and excitement for the students.” But have they been as successful as the gym teachers originally hoped? With one semester under our belts with the new classes, Neirad searched to find how well-received the new courses were by students.
The biggest goal of the installment of the new classes was to give students experience in new areas of physical activity. That has certainly been done as students are now being exposed to golf, ping-pong, pickle ball, and new weight training classes. To clarify, pickle ball involves no pickles and is more of a life-sized version of ping-pong.
“When I first heard of pickle ball, I didn’t know what to expect,” senior Mitchell Wisinski explained, “but the more we played, the better I got, and the more I began to enjoy it.” Wisinski’s only complaint was one that he shares with many other DHS students: the exercise.
“I had ping pong,” senior Russell Palmer said, “and it sucked. We had to change clothes, run laps, and do push-ups just to stand next to a table and hit a little ball.” The majority of students that dislike the new classes share Palmer’s and Wisinski’s sentiments. The overwhelming belief of students is that they should not have to change for a class such as ping-pong. “I don’t sweat when I play ping-pong,” senior Henry West agreed, “so it really is just a waste of time for us to be forced to change our clothes.”
The classes themselves have gotten rave reviews from the students and teachers alike but the way in which they have been implemented is where there seems to be a difference of opinion. “I like being able to play ping-pong in gym,” junior Caroline Macomber told Neirad, “it’s a nice way of just relaxing and having a break in my day as opposed to a class like tennis where we get all sweaty. I just wish the rules on changing clothes and doing exercise were a little less strict so we could spend more time playing and less time in the locker room and running laps.”
“I try to incorporate fitness prior to each of my lessons so students can experience firsthand that a little work goes a long way,” Coach Jared Cross explained. “My goal is for students to hopefully gain an appreciation of fitness and hopefully make it an active part of their lives for years to come. Seeing improvements each class will inspire many students to keep motivated. This will guide the students to a much healthier and happier life.”
Regardless of whether or not the fitness regimen is popular amongst the students, athletic director John Keleher confirmed it is here to stay. “We think the new classes have been very popular,” he explained. “The new curriculum will continue.”
With the new gym classes have come a mixed reaction from DHS students. In total it appears that the actual classes themselves have been successful in getting students interested in new sports. But, the exercise routine prior to actually playing may be turning the students off from these sports creating a fine line that the gym teachers must walk in order to popularize these new classes.
