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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Shenika, age 9, East Palo Alto
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“Last year, I didn't want to play soccer because I didn't know how, and I got tired if I ran even a little bit. Then the coaches at The Boys and Girls Clubs taught me how to kick and guard and support other people. It was hard work, but I liked it, and now I can run for a really long time without getting tired. My mom is happy that I want to go to sleep early at night because I want to have the energy to play soccer the next day.
I am a pretty good player now. I play guard, which is a very important position, because I keep the other team from scoring. Next year, I am going to play in a real soccer league. The coolest thing is that we have 23 people in my house and even though I am one of the littlest, I am the best soccer player!"
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Remember when you were a child? You probably went to gym class several times a week during school. Perhaps you lived near a nice playground, or ran around on the lawn playing informal games of Tag or SPUD or Running Bases with the other kids in your neighborhood. Maybe you participated in an organized sports program like Little League.
Sadly, these outlets for recreation and sport simply do not exist for many kids who live on the Peninsula. Safe neighborhood playgrounds are few and far between, and organized athletic programs are sometimes limited to those who are already skilled athletes and those who can afford fees and uniforms. Budget cuts have forced cutbacks in school gym programs. Regular teachers, untrained in teaching sports and athletic skills, are expected to teach PE in addition to their regular academic classes. Schools are built without gyms, and the gyms that do exist are too small or ill-equipped to handle the student population.
BGCP recognizes the lack of athletic opportunities for the children in our community, and has created a variety of positive athletic experiences that prepare children for life on and off the field. All of our members, regardless of skill level, can participate in a variety of sports programs headed by trained coaches. Local schools use our gyms for PE classes during school hours. The children in our community are now happily playing, learning, and growing with our Open Gym play, League Play, and LifeSkills classes.
BGCP OFFERINGS
OPEN GYM
OPEN GYM is a time for play. Lightly structured activities allow the kids to have fun with the basic elements of fitness and athletics: running, jumping, and throwing. Some of the games we play are:
• Tag
• Dodge ball
• Playground time
• Rope Skipping
• Double Dutch
• Running Bases
• Capture the Flag
• Shark |
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LEAGUE PLAY
LEAGUE PLAY creates an environment for positive competition. In highly structured practices, members learn how to play sports like:
• Basketball
• Indoor soccer
• Flag Football
• Floor hockey
• Volleyball
• Wiffleball
• Golf |
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LIFE SKILLS TRAINING
LIFE SKILLS TRAINING teaches young people how to transition the positive lessons they learn from play to sport to life. The Coaches and Mentors who lead the classes teach the children the importance of :
• Academics
• Nutrition
• Exercise
• Accountability
• Goal setting |
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Overall, the Physical Education Program teaches kids valuable lessons that extend far beyond the athletic field:
• Teamwork
• Sportsmanship
• Leadership
• Patience
• Dealing with adversity and emotions
• Commitment
• Accountability
• Responsibility
• Goal setting
• Self confidence
• Relationships with caring adults
• Connections
• Friendships
• Giving back JOIN US
As you can see, the BGCP Physical Education Program is about more than sports. It’s about life. Here are some ways you can get involved:
VOLUNTEER
DONATE
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