#Fitness November 20

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Last week I went to visit Southside Ashpole Elementary School to share thoughts on leadership with their administrative leaders.

Dr. Kenneth Bowen the Director of Southside Ashpole School

One of the things I learned about this school is they offer physical education five days a week to all students. That is not the national norm and it is sad.

Southside Ashpole School believes in FITNESS. I got to interact with a class that was excited as they were headed to the gym. One student told me we got to “PE everyday”.

Here is a blog post on the school and Director Dr. Kenneth Bowen written by my friend Josh Whitley

Children at Southside Ashpole headed to the gym to work on FITNESS

As a someone who has two college degrees in Health and Physical Education I was excited to learn that the school was committed to FITNESS.

I even discussed with the School’s Director the possibility of exploring The Presidential Youth Fitness Program

Physical education helps to develop motor skills, body awareness, social interaction and cognitive development. Physical education also promotes health habits that students can carry on throughout their lives.

Due to an obsession in this country with standardized test scores (No Child Left Behind) many schools are cutting back on physical education and recess under the mistaken belief that kids need more desk time to improve test scores.

FITNESS is important and it has had to take a back seat at way too many schools across the country. FITNESS is a powerful medicine and it seems to be appreciated for adults by health care professionals. Yet when it comes to children too many policy makers and education leaders have forgotten the power of teaching children life and health lessons. Putting it simply, a commitment to FITNESS conditions a child to be more active and healthy adults.

Here are some articles that are sobering:

https://slate.com/human-interest/2016/04/most-states-are-shortchanging-kids-on-physical-education-study-finds.html

https://www.heart.org/idc/groups/public/@wcm/@adv/documents/downloadable/ucm_476157.pdf

Coach4aday

My purpose in life is to coach. I am a former collegiate basketball coach, director of athletics, and chief of staff. I worked at four NCAA Division I & II universities during my career. At each campus I learned timeless lessons on teamwork and leadership. Today my passion is coaching others on what it takes to lead, serve, and succeed.

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