Promoting health, alleviating stress
Physical Education is an important aspect of learning and maturing into adults. GC&SU helps expose students to this element through Wellness cCasses every semester.
Raymond Mullis, instructor of the Intro to Mixed Martial Arts and Intro to Self Protection courses, said the courses may help students’ health.
“A lot of students are overweight, and they don’t eat healthy. I think the freshman 15 is now the freshman 20 or 30, so I think the classes are good for the students,” Mullis said. “Most people don’t exercise if they don’t have a goal or a structured time to do it in, so I think the wellness classes are good in that aspect as well.”
Thirteen different wellness classes were offered by the university this semester. Sports range from lower amounts of physical activity-such as bowling ,to activities that use higher levels of physical stress- such as weight training and aerobic dance. Other classes include scuba diving, tennis, walking, jogging, badminton and racquetball.
The courses are usually a one-hour credit and are graded on a pass or fail system. The grade does not affect students’ grade point average and most majors accept the class as an elective hour. Also, since it is not considered a quality hour it does not affect the HOPE Scholarship.
“That’s the good part,” Mullis said. “(The student) can come in and have fun. You don’t have to stress about (grades), and it’s all fun.”
Students usually take advantage of the courses. According to the GCSU CATS course listing for Spring Semester 2006, a majority of the wellness classes are filled, and many of the classes had seats added to them.
“My class holds about 40 people, and it is usually full-usually overfull-before classes even start,” said Brad Muller, assistant athletics director for public relations and instructor of the Bowling I course.
Many students enjoy a different classroom atmosphere.
“It’s fun to do something in class besides sit and take notes,” said Ryan Erwin, a junior exercise science major who is currently enrolled in the Intro to Self Protection course. “It’s been real informative, I would recommend it to every girl.”
Students outside of the physical education major are also interested in the courses.
“It’s physical hands on stuff-it’s more interesting,” said sophomore international business major Holly Chavalia.
Mullis’ major goal is to teach students something that they can use for the rest of their lives.
“When you graduate college you are going to have to deal with everyday stress. You may learn something in a wellness class, whether it’s martial arts or racquetball, that will do something to help relieve the everyday stress.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Mar 3 2006. Filed under Sports.
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