Many students know the feeling of not wanting to go to PE. However, at HHS, all students are required to take both PE 9 in eighth grade and PE 10, which generally takes place their sophomore year. Half of PE 10 is a regular physical education course, and the other half is Drivers Education. All students that participate in extracurricular sports, whether JV or varsity, should not be required to take PE classes in school, although Drivers Ed should still be a requirement. 

Student athletes put so much time and effort into their sport outside of school. Why should they be required to take a class in which they exercise more than they already do? This could cause students to be excessively tired and not be able to put their all into practice after school, therefore affecting their teammates and games as well. Having to get through a long, stressful day of school and then go to a hard practice every day of the week can become incredibly draining. Adding a PE class on top of that, where students have to exercise more, could potentially turn out to have the opposite effect and become unhealthy. Simply put, students need rest. 

Additionally, many of the activities or games that are commonly played are not necessary to actually improve at any sport. In regular PE classes students, participate in a game most days, but do fitness testing on other days. The games often are simply meant to pass time. The fitness tests include tests such as the pacer, sit-ups and push-ups. There are VA Standards that boys and girls must reach to pass. Boys standards are often higher than girls. The standards are split by age and gender. They are inaccurate, as all students are different and their abilities are not simply based on if they’re a boy or a girl. Also, students in sports may inevitably pass more easily than students not in a sport. 

In contrast, some students who play a sport do enjoy taking a PE class. It can be a nice break in-between classes; however, others don’t. The students that want to take a class, such as PE, should have the opportunity to take one. However, they could also now have room in their schedule to take another elective in which they could add some physical activity into their day. Some examples of these may be Sports and Games or Weightlifting. 

Not taking PE sophomore year opens up a place for another elective. There is an endless list of electives offered at HHS. Some options are a language such as Spanish or French, Art, Newsstreak or JROTC. 

A necessary part of sophomore year PE is Drivers Ed. Many students that are about to be able to drive don’t have the opportunity to practice as much as other students do and this is a vital part of getting their license. Not only is the class required by the state to get your license, but it also presents students with a free, easy class that teaches them the rules of the road and allows them to get some practice in. 

Student athletes have to carry their practice clothes and supplies around with them throughout the day as well. If they are also in a PE class, they now have to carry around a change of clothes for PE and practice. This is more of a hassle than it already is. With students usually not using their lockers, this may become too much to keep track of everyday. Personally, I have experienced the struggle of carrying a backpack, lunchbox, a change of clothes for practice and a change of clothes for PE. Because I have so much, I have often lost bags of clothes or even my lunch. This could easily be avoided if PE was not required. 

Student athletes should not be required to take PE their sophomore year. They give so much time to their sport and exercise so often that taking a PE class as well may become overwhelming.