Teaching Kids Sportsmanship, Team Building, and Fitness

As the integration of technology into classrooms has progressed and students find new apps to use on a regular basis, the Physical Education leaders at Mendham Township Elementary School have kept a firm focus on encouraging students to be physically active and fit. The physical fitness program and two school gyms, which are in constant use, are managed by Mr. Greg Gormly and Ms. Briana Panetta. These two coaches have developed a cohesive and engaging curriculum that addresses three key areas: individual sports, team sports/team building, and fitness and nutrition.

The goal is to provide a structured environment, remove misapprehensions, encourage young students to try new sports, and have each child walk away with a feeling of emotional wellbeing. According to Ms. Panetta, games, sports, and physical exercises allow PE instructors to focus on breaking down certain elements so that a child can better understand how to move their body, engage different muscle groups, and follow rules and sequencing. “I want to engage the students in physical exercises that keep them motivated,” says Ms. Panetta. “It is important to keep their interest raised as to what may be coming next throughout the school year.” Ms. Panetta looks forward to working with each class and with every student.

Mr. Gormly explained that transitioning from individual sports to team sports allows the students to gain an understanding of the balance between collaboration and competition. It is great to play on a team and to learn how to work together. For team building, the school’s program teaches students the importance of working together as a cohesive group to reach common goals. We want students to understand that tasks are accomplished more easily through teamwork and cooperation. It is also very important to learn about sportsmanship. Win or lose, the focus is on how you played the game and how you played with your own team members and members of the opposite team. “Students need to learn these skills so they can continue their physical education on teams and in clubs outside of school,” reported Mr. Gormly. “By having the students gain an understanding of these features, they can enjoy both the social and physical aspects of the sports and continue to be active throughout their lives.”

For fitness and nutrition, students learn the benefits of staying active through physical activity and how to create and maintain healthy eating habits. A healthy and balanced diet will continue to be especially important as these children progress through middle school and grow into teenagers. Students recently created a special presentation for the school’s PE bulletin board using different healthy foods to represent the array of colors in a rainbow. Making informed and good choices can be important when choosing snacks or asking Mom and Dad what they would like included in their lunchbox. Expanding a child’s palate for healthy-packed food choices starts with creating an interest in the benefits of different food groups. By acquiring and applying this knowledge at an early age, staying physically active throughout their life should become an innate goal for these children. Both coaches share a common philosophy, “We want to give these children the encouragement to become the best student they can be! This includes helping them maintain healthy and happy minds and bodies.”