Students try unconventional snowboarding, skiing, handball PE courses
Colleen Evans
Issue date: 1/31/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 2 next >
Physical education requirements are nothing new to Washington and Lee students. The options are endless, and almost any sport is available, from beginning to intermediate levels. Most students, however, are unaware of a number of unique PE course offerings - some of which allow students to venture away from campus. These include taking ice skating, skiing, or snowboarding classes at The Homestead Resort, biking around the county, or engaging in an unusual class here on campus.
Senior Caroline Simonson took ice-skating at The Homestead, located about an hour away, with several classmates this past fall. According to Simonson, "Ice skating isn't your everyday PE. It's a great excuse to venture to the Homestead during the cold winter months. Make a day trip of it. Plus, who needs another Badminton or Aerobic Swimming class? It's a whole new world on ice: a chance to see your friends make huge fools of themselves!"
Homestead expert instructors teach all classes, but grades are assigned by Jan Hathorn, Assistant Director of Athletics. Grades are determined by level of skill and improvement from the first lesson to the last. All classes at the Homestead allow you schedule them yourself, and students can take as many lessons as they choose each time they go. 6 lessons are required to complete the class.
Hathorn noted that the importance of having a physical education requirement is to fit in with the idea of a liberal arts education. "Lots of classes that we offer you can do for the rest of your lives", she explained. The unique classes W&L offers allow students "exposure to things that help you to be more well-rounded."
Also worthy of noting is the change that will take place when the general education requirements are adjusted soon. After the change, students will only have to take four PE requirements instead of five.
Love to bike? A fantastic way to tour Rockbridge County is from the seat of a mountain bike with other students and PE instructor Rolf Piranian. Piranian warns that the Mountain Biking class requires hard work, but students are exposed to much of the area on first-rate outings. Students must provide their own bikes but, according to Piranian, the prevalence of bikers in the area makes it easy to borrow one if needed.
Senior Caroline Simonson took ice-skating at The Homestead, located about an hour away, with several classmates this past fall. According to Simonson, "Ice skating isn't your everyday PE. It's a great excuse to venture to the Homestead during the cold winter months. Make a day trip of it. Plus, who needs another Badminton or Aerobic Swimming class? It's a whole new world on ice: a chance to see your friends make huge fools of themselves!"
Homestead expert instructors teach all classes, but grades are assigned by Jan Hathorn, Assistant Director of Athletics. Grades are determined by level of skill and improvement from the first lesson to the last. All classes at the Homestead allow you schedule them yourself, and students can take as many lessons as they choose each time they go. 6 lessons are required to complete the class.
Hathorn noted that the importance of having a physical education requirement is to fit in with the idea of a liberal arts education. "Lots of classes that we offer you can do for the rest of your lives", she explained. The unique classes W&L offers allow students "exposure to things that help you to be more well-rounded."
Also worthy of noting is the change that will take place when the general education requirements are adjusted soon. After the change, students will only have to take four PE requirements instead of five.
Love to bike? A fantastic way to tour Rockbridge County is from the seat of a mountain bike with other students and PE instructor Rolf Piranian. Piranian warns that the Mountain Biking class requires hard work, but students are exposed to much of the area on first-rate outings. Students must provide their own bikes but, according to Piranian, the prevalence of bikers in the area makes it easy to borrow one if needed.
Be the first to comment on this story