Many adolescent girls are not participating in the recommended levels of physical activity (PA) and are at risk for unhealthy lifestyles (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2008). Helping girls understand the importance of PA and giving them positive experiences in physical education classes, including fitness testing, may help to…

High school students, and particularly girls, are not very active (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006). To help girls develop the abilities to enjoy lifetime, healthy physical activity, physical educators need to provide curricula that will achieve this goal. In the process, they need to make sure they are aligned with the current…

This study evaluated the effects of Skill Teaching and Tactical approaches on skill development, game play, knowledge, and self-efficacy for 169 high- and low-skilled players of 182 beginning university Volleyball students. Three instructors each taught one Tactical and one Skill Teaching class two days a week for 16 weeks. A random coefficients…

With the advent of the Internet, and more specifically the use of email discussion groups or listservs, physical educators have a new resource to assist them in overcoming the challenges to their professional development. One such resource is the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) listserv. NASPE-L is a physical…

Physical educators are always looking for new and exciting games and activities in which students can participate. This article describes Bumball, a high-intensity game that provides the opportunity for students to use many common game skills, such as hand-eye coordination, passing to a target, running, playing defense, and getting to an open…

Attending a gym, fitness center or health club is a popular pastime of many people who wish to exercise and get in shape. Classes are offered in activities such as cardio endurance, toning, Pilates, spinning, step aerobics, core training, and kick boxing. Participants also use rooms with cardio equipment to get their own cardio workout. As many…

Teaching wellness principles in secondary physical education classes has become an important aspect of physical education as teachers work to help their students develop lifelong healthy lifestyle habits. Many schools now have a required wellness/fitness component as part of their state core requirements. Having developed their teaching skills by…

Physical educators have a responsibility to motivate students to develop personal fitness. This is a critical concept as physical education is the only part of the curriculum capable of meeting the health needs of students regarding physical activity. Current physical educators must promote fitness in ways that motivate students to engage in…