Not sure why I've been so nostalgic about my high school years lately. Maybe it's that we've lost a few classmates recently...I don't know... I do know that not everybody looks back fondly at that time in their lives, but I do. Hope you don't mind my going back.
During those years of teenage angst, I guess I fared pretty well....maybe better than many. But I had my times of not fitting in, of trying to find my niche....but it sure wasn't going to be in phys ed! Now I haven't been to a phys ed class in over 45 years -I'm sure they've changed a lot. Just think of the progress that's been made in fitness in that time!
Back in the 70's ( Oh, here she goes again!) in the school I was blessed to attend, we had phys ed every day. We would don these dorky one-piece gym suits, with our last name, emblazoned on our breast pocket....mainly so our tyrannical gym teacher could yell out the correct name when you weren't performing up to par. (My name was mentioned a few times.) We'd wear tennis shoes that we'd return to our lockers after each gym class because, back then, that's the only time you needed them.
We'd then make our way up to the gym for whatever plans "the tyrant" had. Our gym was separated by a big canvas curtain...boys' class on one side, girls on the other. I guess it was because the boys played rougher games, like dodge ball and basketball...or maybe, things were just more separate then. I just know I was grateful because of the aforementioned dorky gym suits!
I remember praying, in the beginning of the school year, that I would have phys ed during the end-of-the- day 8th period. (The things we thought important enough to pray for back then!) That meant you could go home without having to take a dreaded shower. (To this day, the smell of Right Guard deodorant brings back memories...) I always pitied the girls who had phys ed first period - many times, they'd have a kind of "drowned rat" look to take with them the rest of the day. So you get it -my priorities were misplaced and my heart was anywhere but in phys ed.
Girls' sports were woefully lagging behind boys sports back then. We had intramural games and teams for the real girl athletes. But in our gym class, we did calisthenics, some "tumbling", a little bit of volleyball and running laps. I had the athleticism of a rock and was miserable the entire time.
Now, keep in mind that "fitness" wasn't a big item on anyone's agenda back then. Our folks probably didn't own a pair of "Keds". And sweatpants hadn't been invented yet. If you rode a bike, it was to get from point A to point B....not for fitness' sake. Funny how things change.
I'm happy to report that my attitude towards fitness has changed, as well. I think that has to do with aging and wanting to prolong my life. But when I think back to my phys ed classes in high school, when a tall, doppy girl had to report to that dreaded class, the only prolonging that was in the equation was my misery.
If you're old enough to remember any of this, I hope I've jogged your memory a bit and you've thought back, fondly or not, to those days of phys ed. And if you're too young for any of this to register, hit your knees tonight and thank the Almighty!
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