By Amanda Estes

Staff Writer

    Video games in gym class? My first response was you’ve got to be kidding me.

    A recent article in the New York Times said schools
across the nation are implementing the video game Dance Dance
Revolution (DDR) into their physical education classes. Although, DDR
is not a typical video game in that the player jumps up and down on a
floor mat in an effort to keep up with flashing directional arrows on a
TV screen, I can’t help but marvel at how gym class has changed since I
was in school. I realize with that statement that I sound like one of
those people who preface every story with “Back when I was a kid,” but
I’ll continue on anyway.

    As I see it, there are both pros and cons to playing
a video game during a class period traditionally reserved for such
activities as basketball, volleyball, kickball, etc. Yes, the game
likely will encourage students who normally aren’t enthusiastic about
gym class to participate. I am all in favor of finding inventive ways
to get kids excited about exercising, however, I wonder if we aren’t
spoiling them a little and putting them at a disadvantage.

    I’ll admit that after elementary school, gym class
lost its appeal for me. In middle and high school, I viewed it as a
chance to get away from a desk and an opportunity to socialize.
Although I did play sports at both levels, it seemed gym class always
offered a chance to take part in sports for which I had absolutely no
applicable skill sets. Basketball and volleyball come to mind. Despite
being one of the taller students in most of my classes growing up, I
could not shoot a layup to save my life.

    I cringe when I recall my attempts to serve the ball
during middle school volleyball sessions. First calling out, “Three
serving two,” I watched as the ball sailed off to the side and landed
directly in front of my side of the net. Sometimes, I would switch
things up and the ball would go behind me. Although not my proudest
moment, I think situations like that helped me learn that everyone
can’t excel at everything and embarrassing moments are only blips in
the grand scheme of things. It’s not always easy for kids to serve a
volleyball or to step up to home plate with all eyes upon them, but
just because there is a risk of embarrassment or hurt feelings, does
that mean we should take out that scenario completely and safeguard
them with a game like DDR, where they are likely only competing against
themselves? There’s something to be said for healthy competition. For
example, it encourages kids to put in their best effort and to take
pride in the results of their hard work. Competition also inevitably
teaches kids how to handle losing.

    Working on a team is also a valuable skill that can
be reinforced in gym classes. After taking a soccer ball to the head
(hypothetical example, of course) it helps to have a teammate to
commiserate with. On the other hand, when you score a goal during a
game of floor hockey, it is also great to hear cheers from your
teammates. Being part of a team provides kids with skills they can use
on the court or in the classroom as they progress through school and
into the real world.

    Credit has to be given to all of the educators out
there who, in an increasingly sedentary society, are making a
concentrated effort to get kids moving. It’s not an easy task when
there are so many video games, TV shows and online distractions for
kids to choose from.

    By bringing video games into schools, however,
aren’t we endorsing them at some level? In the long run will kids
remember getting high scores on a video game or will they remember the
first time they swung a tennis racket in gym class and discovered a new
passion?