By PHIL BLUE/Executive Director for Athletics
Beginning this fall, AISD is introducing a new curriculum option for 6th graders involved in Physical Education classes with Pre-Athletic Physical Education. In addition to the regular PE class, the Pre-Athletic Physical Education curriculum is designed for students that have a strong desire to participate in the athletic programs during their middle school and high school years.
This curriculum addresses a need that was identified by the AISD middle school and high school coaches. Many students are lacking the basic fundamental skills when they enter the 7th grade, which is their first opportunity to participate in middle school athletics.
Even though teaching the fundamental skills is a major focus during middle school athletics, the lack of time to teach and master these fundamentals, in addition to all of the other components that must be taught, poses quite a challenge. The curriculum covers the fundamental skills needed in the team sports that are offered in the AISD middle schools: basketball, soccer, volleyball and football.
The goal for the 6th grade Pre-Athletic Physical Education curriculum is to provide an extensive opportunity to work on the basic skills for these sports and better prepare each prospective student-athlete for competitive athletics.
