The Busch Academic, Athletic Academy has a new high-tech
physical education unit that utilizes a follow-along aerobics
video. Kids learn moves in everything from kick-boxing to
yoga.
There's even one segment called a "boot camp workout,"
with a drill sergeant's cadence like those used to train
military recruits.
Twelve-year-old Amir Karadzic said he liked Hop Sports
curriculum because it is a "more varied workout" than other
PE classes.
"I play sports with my friends and I need to be fit," the
7th grader said.
He said he also needs to be fit for other sports such as
karate and running. He said he takes karate lessons three
times a week.
Ms. Leigh Anne Smith is one of the PE teachers at the "magnet"
middle school in south St. Louis City. She said she used
the "totally technology-based" curriculum for the first
time last spring.
She said she taught a 4-week unit last spring but probably
will expand it into a 6-week session this year. Busch AAA,
with its emphasis on athletics as well as academics, has
PE classes five-days-a-week.
She said the Hop Sports programming is designed to help
kids achieve an improved level of general fitness.
While the video instructor leads the class with pictures
projected on the wall, kids follow the moves. They each
have an individual mat that is marked to show where they
put their feet and hands in step with the video.
This format looks a lot like the rhythm-based Dance, Dance
Revolution video game in some electronic arcades. In that
game, kids try to match the moves as the music continually
get faster and faster.
Ms. Smith said the Hop Sports programming also can be
speeded up as the kids get more proficient in their moves.
Twelve-year-old Crystal Lovings said she improved her physical
fitness while following the Hop Sports routines.
"I learned how to do crunches. I'm even getting a 'six-pack,'"
she said. She was referring to her more-defined abdominal
muscles in her stomach area.
Like many of the students at Busch AAA, Crystal said she
participates in a number of other physical activities beyond
the PE classes.
"I run the 440 and the mile-relay and play floor hockey
and volleyball," she said.
She added, "I also run after school in my home neighborhood."
She said she also liked the idea that the video curriculum
had more than one instructor. That meant that each different
move was demonstrated by someone with skills in that activity.
Fourteen-year-old Alexandria Palank termed the Hop Sports
curriculum as "terrific." She said it helped her become
more athletic and limber.
She said it also helped her in her efforts to lose some
weight.
Twelve-year-old Elvir Kulovac said he liked the demonstrations
of kick-boxing and karate the best. "I liked the fighting
part," he said.
"There were a lot of different exercises demonstrated,"
he said.
He said he liked the sit-up demonstrations. He said, in
a school physical fitness test at the end of last year,
he was able to do 63 sit-ups in one minute.
Ms. Smith said all kids at Busch AAA are given a fitness
pre-test at the beginning of each year and then another
at the end of the school year.
Elvir said he was able to improve his scores in all of
the exercises last year.
He also said he had a long-term goal in getting fit. "If
you get and stay fit, you can live longer," Elvir said.
The Hop Sports program and equipment was donated to the
Saint Louis Public Schools by St. Louis Rams linebacker
Chris Draft. Ms. Smith said the total cost was $20,000.
That included the computer, the projector, speakers as
well as such equipment as the floor mats, physio-balls,
"hop-sticks" and jump ropes. The "hop-sticks" are foam sticks
that kids use to practice fencing, batting and hockey.
Ms. Smith said, "There's even a built-in heart defibillator
in case there is a medical emergency during a workout."
Mr. Rob Lescher said the SLPS got the Hop Sports equipment
last February.
He said the school system is looking for funding in order
to buy two more sets so that more schools can make use of
this high-tech equipment. Busch AAA lets other schools use
the equipment when it isn't in use at the school.
"But, we'd like to have more equipment so it could be assigned
to schools in different zones in the system," he said.
Ms. Smith said she got "high student participation" during
the Hop Sports workouts. She said, "That included more participation
among students who don't usually like to take part in PE
workouts."
She said the fact that the workouts aren't sport-specific
might account for that higher participation. "Also, the
kids have to pay attention to the pictures on the wall,"
she said.
She said that directed attention cuts down on the time
the more fit kids can spend on checking out those that can't
do the exercises as well.
