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Post by rocketcoach on Jan 27, 2010 9:33:34 GMT -6
We have had an athletic period the last period of the day for over 12 years and this year we lost it. It was great becasue I had mostly all my guys everyday in the winter and spring. The season was fine this year without it, just got started a little late with practice and ended a little later. And we lifted well during the season.
Now! Without this class we have a few kids in a pe class that lifts but not with the discipline or intensity and a lot of kids at not coming in after school, a lot becasue of basketball practice and in the spring, baseball and track.
If you had an athletic period and lost it in the past, how did you conpensate for it. Did you see a drop-off of strength speed, confidence, success on the field? And how quickly did you see the drop-off.
A little worried here!
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Post by senatorblutarsky on Jan 27, 2010 9:44:05 GMT -6
I'd be more than a little worried.
Can you incorporate a zero hour (before school- where they receive a grade... just like any other class) to make up for this?
I tell them here, if they want me to leave, they don't need to fire me... just get rid of our weights classes and athletic period... and I'll be out of here (as Dean Wormer used to say) faster than (poop) through a goose.
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Post by superpower on Jan 27, 2010 9:47:49 GMT -6
I agree 100% with the senator!
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Post by cqmiller on Jan 27, 2010 9:50:23 GMT -6
Where we are at there is no athletic period. We gotta do it the old-fashoned way... 6 AM workouts until 7:30, then that gives them enough time to shower (which none of them do) and get to class by 8:00.
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Post by blb on Jan 27, 2010 9:51:59 GMT -6
When I took over my last job I had three strength training and conditioning classes, Techniques of Sports (basically a "football class") and team-taught 7th Hour Varsity Sports Class.
Second year Techniques was cut to one semester and I picked up a General PE, lost a STC.
Third year other teacher was cut from Varsity Sports, got another General PE, lost another STC.
Fourth year Varsity Sports was moved to 6th Hour (during school day).
This fall Varsity Sports was dropped, PE classes enrollment doubled, and they wanted me to teach two English classes.
So I retired from teaching because I could.
First two years we won 80% of our games; last three 50%.
Yes, you should be worried.
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Post by superpower on Jan 27, 2010 9:53:21 GMT -6
We don't have athletic period here either, but we do have lifting classes in the schedule and I run a zero hour (6:45-7:30) for those who can't fit a regular lifting class into their daily class schedule. The zero hour kids get a grade just as they do for any other class.
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Post by touchdowng on Jan 27, 2010 13:47:23 GMT -6
Winter / Spring lift after school
Summer - lift in the mornings
Season - Maitenance strength program 2 x's week following Mon and Wed practices.
We keep data and most of our non-starters get a bit stronger during the season (maturation and the program) while most of our full time varsity players are, at least, maintaining.
We stress a lot of flexibilty during season, too
I've never had an Athletic class.
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Post by threeback on Jan 27, 2010 15:02:25 GMT -6
When I took over my last job I had three strength training and conditioning classes, Techniques of Sports (basically a "football class") and team-taught 7th Hour Varsity Sports Class. Second year Techniques was cut to one semester and I picked up a General PE, lost a STC. Third year other teacher was cut from Varsity Sports, got another General PE, lost another STC. Fourth year Varsity Sports was moved to 6th Hour (during school day). This fall Varsity Sports was dropped, PE classes enrollment doubled, and they wanted me to teach two English classes. So I retired from teaching because I could. First two years we won 80% of our games; last three 50%. Yes, you should be worried. Excellent argument to wage when/if you have to justify your classes to higher ups. Blb, was the talent pool pretty much the same, or did you guys have one of the up/down cycles? Many times, higher-ups have a hard time grasping the importance of "football period" b/c they think all the kids are doing at that time is graba$$ing and the like, but if you have numbers to back up the importance.....makes your battle a little easier to fight. |
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Post by rocketcoach on Jan 27, 2010 15:08:51 GMT -6
Great input guys, keep it coming. I am going to fight to get it back and the more I can share with them the better! Thanks!
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Post by formrbcbuc on Jan 27, 2010 15:09:53 GMT -6
I'm a little worried as the school district is saying if we don't pass a budget override they will cut out middle school PE including their burgeoning weights program and a ton of sports, probably cut down on wieghts too...
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Post by tog on Jan 27, 2010 15:13:57 GMT -6
move?
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Post by blb on Jan 27, 2010 18:18:00 GMT -6
three, first year was best overall talent. Second year, with only four starters back had school's first undefeated season and undisputed league championship. Third and fifth years average personnel, could really have used classes for off-season development. Fourth year had bad senior class and our only losing season.
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Post by lukethadrifter on Jan 27, 2010 18:24:16 GMT -6
It would be happy trails for this old coach if the "powers that be" got rid of the athletic period. I wouldn't be able to find the door fast enough!
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Post by robinhood on Jan 28, 2010 9:03:32 GMT -6
lukethadrifter:
Why?
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Post by rcole on Jan 28, 2010 9:31:02 GMT -6
In 15 years I have never worked anywhere that had athletic periods. Only worked one year at one school that had weights all day that was predominately athletes. Most school I've been in offered a few sections of weights class but it was filled with people who didn't have anywhere else to go, no athletes. Actually I taught a weights class last year and there was not one student in the class who had chosen to sign up for it, they just ended up in there when they got their schedules.
The reality throughout my 15 years has been that you have off-season lifting and conditioning after school. November to May you work out 40 to 80 kids depending on the school and on the time of year (spring sports take a lot of kids). In many situations I would be alone in the weight room after school or maybe have one coach helping. Thankfully at my current school we get a lot of coaches in there after school. I would love to have an athletic period at the end of the day to have workouts and to have film study/practice early during the season. A few schools in my area have it but most don't.
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Post by superpower on Jan 28, 2010 9:39:03 GMT -6
I would love to have an athletic period at the end of the day to have workouts and to have film study/practice early during the season. A few schools in my area have it but most don't. I think this is important to consider. If most of your opponents have lifting classes and/or athletic period and you don't, it will likely be harder to compete. If most of your opponents don't have them, it may not be as important for you. |
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Post by Yash on Jan 28, 2010 9:48:48 GMT -6
Am i right in thinking that this athletic period is more of a thing in the south? Here in wisconsin I don't know of anyone who has an athletic period. We have weight lifting classes but they are not sport specific, they are open enrollment to anyone. We do everything the old fashion way here. Weights after school, sometimes before school.
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Post by blb on Jan 28, 2010 9:53:52 GMT -6
Our state association passed a rule few years ago designed to do away with "football" classes.
It stated that in courses where one MHSAA-tournament sport was taught, there now must be at least three with time equally apportioned or school could face being banned from tournament-playoffs.
Class could also include weight training and/or conditioning, First Aid-CPR, teaching officiating, etc.
Not sure all schools are in full compliance. All I want is a level playing field.
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Post by champ93 on Jan 28, 2010 20:30:29 GMT -6
Our state association passed a rule few years ago designed to do away with "football" classes. It stated that in courses where one MHSAA-tournament sport was taught, there now must be at least three with time equally apportioned or school could face being banned from tournament-playoffs. Class could also include weight training and/or conditioning, First Aid-CPR, teaching officiating, etc. Not sure all schools are in full compliance. All I want is a level playing field. The playing field is not level--not even close. Most of the teams on our schedule have the athletic period. Never had a football tech/athletic period, never will (from what I have been told.) We do have a weights class, but it is a joke. It becomes a dumping ground for counselors to place kids. Some take it only because they get to play dodgeball every Thursday. None of my assistants nor I teach PE, so we can't have a zero hour due to certification issues. We lift after school and it has served us well. We make the best of our situation. |
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Post by blb on Jan 29, 2010 7:21:27 GMT -6
I can relate, champ.
Since I retired from my last teaching job (and was told because of that I could not coach there anymore), I've taken a coaching-only job at a school that has not had a lot of success and is second smallest in division of league we're in.
We have an "Advanced PE" class that's supposed to be strength training and conditioning, but from what I've been told they mostly play games in there.
Ironically the girls' basketball coach who teaches the class is the brother of HFC at one of our rivals.
According to previous coach, only one other school we play does not have some type of STC classes during school day.
So we lift after school and will condition during the summer. We'll do the best we can with what we've got and see how we compete.
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Post by airraider on Jan 29, 2010 7:25:51 GMT -6
I think its one thing to not have one and already be in the mode of overcoming that..
but.. to have one set up and then lose it.. that just really sets your program back a good bit.
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Post by coachcb on Jan 29, 2010 7:54:41 GMT -6
I've never heard of a program losing it's athletic period, but I do know that in some schools its hard to get. They leave it up to the PE department and/or the administration and it's tough to lobby for.
From a pragmatic standpoint, our athletic period is very academically relevant; before we established it, the weight training classes were mostly composed of football players. It made sense to take 70+ kids and put them in one weight training period as it decreased the sizes of the rest of the classes.
Dumping a standard Sports Performance Weight Training class is just stupid. Honestly, allowing all of athletes in the school an opportunity to work in a class that involves programs tailored to their specific sports just makes sense. Because, as most folks know, there's a huge difference between a sports weight training class and one that's more generalized. Kid's in sports shouldn't be spending their weight room time doing 'beach-lifter' classes.
In many schools, the weight room is split up between sports weight training classes along with the general classes. The kids in sports get what they need and the kids that enjoy recreational lifting get a seperate period for themselves. PLUS, many of the freshman and sophomore weight training classes involve some time in the weight room, one way or another.
But, losing those sports specific programs can be written off as ignorance within the PE department; I know many PE teachers and education professors that think weight room time is weight room time; doing curls and bench for an hour is just a beneficial as doing cleans, squats and plyos.
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