When playing a sport all season, gym class does not seem like a necessity for athletes. Nashoba Regional High School has a policy that all students, athlete or not, have to participate in a certain number of gym classes throughout their high school career.

Teenagers who are already living an active lifestyle find it a waste of time. Athletes get hours of training after school and are already living a healthy lifestyle. Forcing them to participate in a class period of gym class with other students who may not be at their athletic ability may not be beneficial to an athlete. To most student-athletes, gym class seems pointless. They get their share of exercise after school during practice. For as long as students can remember, they have been attending a wellness class.

Growing up, gym was everyone’s favorite class because you can run around and have fun with your friends. As students get older, gym is no longer the most popular class. Students do not look forward to changing in the middle of their day to exercise and get sweaty. The idea of gym classes in schools is primarily to lead students into a healthier lifestyle and cut down on the number of obese children.

Nashoba junior and student-athlete, Hanna Drugge, states, “If an athlete is in season they should not have to go to gym class because they could get hurt and they need the time as a study to work on homework, due to their limited time after school.”

To an athlete, the worst thing that could happen is getting hurt in gym class on the day of a big game. For students that may not get as much exercise as others, gym class would be a great opportunity to quicken reflexes and keep them quick on their feet. To a gym teacher, all students should have to take gym class, no matter the situation.

To gym class teacher, Ms. McNamara, gym is an important aspect to all of students high school studies. She adds, “Yes, I do think that athletes should participate in physical education and wellness because we do a lot more things than just sports. At the junior and senior level, we do RAD and a lot of other classes that do a lot more than just sports. Team sports is our only elective that focuses only on sports. We do team building activities, we have done CPR and first aid, there are a lot of things that we do. To think that a kid who just plays soccer can get out of wellness I think that’s just ridiculous.”

Looking only at the sports aspect of gym class, it may seem like a waste to athletes who partake in strenuous practices everyday after school. When taking into account all of the other possibilities of gym class, it may seem worth it. There are a lot of gym classes offered that involve little activity and improve other talents than just athleticism.