Exercise science is a class that I have enjoyed, and would recommend to anyone. As an athlete always striving to do my best and reach the next level, I found each unit in this class had a positive impact, on me, as an athlete.
Anatomy and physiology plays a huge role in the life of an athlete. I found it interesting in this unit to learn about the different fragments of the body. I believe that learning all the major, bones, muscles, planes, and axis has had a positive impact on me. By learning these different things I am more aware as an athlete. By being more aware, I better know my body and how it moves. By having this understanding I have the potential to be a more successful athlete. This has caused me to have a new perspective on myself and my performance potential. This has the capacity to really improve my performance. Through hands-on assignment, such as building a functioning elbow joint, this concept of the body and how it moves really came to life and made sense to me. Through the anatomy and physiology unit, I have gained perspective and the ability to improve my performance.
Human performance is what I do as athlete. My performance is always in the forefront of my mind. I found the diverse subject matter within this unit to be very interesting and useful. I particularly found the section on performance enhancing drugs to be of interest. This past summer I went to track and field nationals. At this event they stressed to us the negative capacity of performance enhancing drugs. They told us that we could be tested for them at any time and disqualified if they were found in our system. At the time I found it hysterical that they were first of all telling us this (Doesn’t everyone know that?) and that they were presenting it to us, at such a young amateur age in our sports career. Through this unit I guess I have gained perspective, which, as a result, has then deepened my understanding of sport. I realized that no, everyone doesn’t realize that performance enhancing drugs are to be avoided and yes, they are very real at my age. This perspective made me rethink what athletics are about and why people do them. Through experiences in this class these ideas were just solidified in my mind. Human performance made me contemplate life as an athlete and the motive behind it.
In addition to being an athlete, I am a youth track and field coach. Our study of motor learning has enhanced my coaching skill I believe. It was interesting to learn about the developmental rate of youth and how it really differs child to child. By learning this concept and having some hands-on time with youth, I was able to learn this concept so I could then apply it to the children I coach. Through this experience and the teachings in this unit I believe my coaching skills have improved. By learning that children have different rates of development and ways to tailor physical activity to them I am a better this improved coach.
In the unit of evolution of physical activity and sport I found it most interesting to see the history of my particular discipline, track and field. The project we completed where we researched the technological advancement within our specific field was awesome. I found that learning about the advancements and history of my sport has really inspired a new sense of respect for my sport into me. Through the history of track and field I have found a deeper understanding and value within it. Seeing how far the sport has come, has inspired me to work harder and take it that much farther. Learning the history and the evolution of my discipline has been enjoyable and greatly beneficially, motivating me to work that much harder and take it that much farther.
Every day we see the relationship between our society and sport. Sport has become a huge factor of our society. Athletes and athletics are seen as important and desirable. In this unit we evaluated this relationship. I found the relationship to be really interesting. What was particularly interesting was evaluating my sport of track and field in the media. Track and field is not the most popular sport out there. I think most people would be pretty hard pressed to name one athletics athlete who isn’t Usain Bolt. Looking at this relationship has really made me ponder why this is and what place track and field has in society. It makes me wonder why track and field, a sport that has been around forever, isn’t seen in the media and on television more. Through my digital storytelling project my wonder grew even deeper after witnessing how people care about track and field when it’s in the Olympics and how it can actually bring a nation together. Why do people care during the Olympics but no other time? I honestly still don’t have an answer to these questions. This unit on sports and culture has really made me consider athletics in society and media. It has given me a broader perspective.
Exercise Science has been a class that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I have gained potential, experience, and perspective through it. It is a class I would highly recommend to any athlete.
Julie's Exercise Science 