From Events to Experiences: Rethinking Athletics in PE

Over the years, I’ve seen how athletics is often delivered in schools.

𝟭𝟬𝟬𝗺. 𝗟𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝘂𝗺𝗽. 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘁 𝗣𝘂𝘁. 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘀.

Each week, a new event. A quick explanation. A few drills. Then on to the next.

By the end of the unit, students have “𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲” 𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀.

But have they really 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 anything?

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

When we reduce athletics to a series of standalone events, we miss what it’s really capable of offering.

𝗔 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.

𝗔 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁.

𝗔 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲.

Events are important, but they’re 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘂𝗺.

The real value lies in how students 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 over time.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀?

An athletics unit has the potential to deliver so much more when it’s built around core themes:

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗲𝗱 – across sprints, starts, relays

𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 – in jumping, throwing, lifting off the ground

𝗥𝗵𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗺 – in hurdling, pacing, team movement

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 – in take-offs, landings, transitions

𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 – in trying again, setting personal goals, reflecting on progress

Now we’re not just teaching a student to throw further — we’re teaching them how to 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗮𝘁, 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲.

That’s a completely different experience, and one that can shape how they approach challenges long after PE.