COPPERAS COVE, TX (April 5, 2022)—The feeling of ancient Rome was in the air as Fairview/Miss Jewell Elementary fifth graders entered the gymnasium, turned in to a coliseum, ready with tools to welcome its gladiators for training and matches in their very own gladiator events. Physical education teacher, Ruth Bryan, designed the Fairview/Miss Jewell Gladiator Games.
“We are working on skills such as running, dodging, pivoting, pivot-step-pivot, and others,” Bryan said. “There are a lot of skills building on each other to help with teamwork and learning to work together toward a common goal.”
Paraprofessional Joey Jesus pushed students to their potential as he encouraged and was literally with them every step of the way. Student Allyssa Robinson was ready to give up when Jesus encouraged her to keep moving forward to achieve her goal.
“I got some help with running from Coach Jesus when I was getting a little tired,” Robinson said. “He really helped me. When I didn’t think I could make it anymore, he was beside me the rest of the way.”
Physical education in schools captures all students, not just those who want to be active, and Bryan and Jesus used the Gladiator Games to get all students moving. Students did warmups of planking, pushups and modified pushups, jogging, and running around the gym to get ready for the Fairview/Miss Jewell Gladiator Pit. Students used soft hand balls and noodles to wage war against their opponents.
“It was fun getting to run around and tag others and throw balls at them,” student Dante Jones said. “They didn’t really hurt, but it sort of made you mad because then you were out and there was nothing you could do about it. You just had to go stand in the outer circle and wait to see who the winner is going to be.”
It was the final dual between students Isabella Maldonado-Colon and Bradley Bennett in the gladiator pit that led to the ultimate gladiator.
“I am very competitive, and I was doing pretty good until every time I threw the ball, the other guy would not throw it back. He just kept it,” Maldonado-Colon said. “I had to use all my skills and strength against (Bennett), but he finally got me.”
Getting kids to move helps strengthen and stimulate their brains according to a study by Harvard University. Exercise builds brain cells and improves academics. Just by elevating the heart rate, a person’s mood is lifted, stress decreases, intellect is sharpened, and functioning improves.
“I had to think about my strategies and what I was going to do next,” Bennett said. “Isabella really kind of made it hard for me because she is fast, and I was thinking she might beat me.”
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RESOURCE BOX:
Physical education prepares children to be physically and mentally active, fit, and healthy on into adulthood. Here are some of the many benefits children receive from a quality PE program.
- Improved physical fitness
- Skill and motor skills development
- Provides regular, healthful physical activity
- Teaches self-discipline
- Facilitates development of student responsibility for health and fitness
- Influence moral development, leadership, cooperate with others
- Stress reduction – an outlet for releasing tension and anxiety
- Strengthened peer relationships
- Physical education can improve self-confidence and self-esteem
- Respect - PE helps you respect your body, classmates, and teammates
- Experience in setting goals
- Improved academics
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