HDS physical education classes and sports teams work collaboratively to develop our student-athletes. Because our students develop skills and interests at different rates, certain PE classes and team practices center around individual skill development. Practices and classes are organized and supervised to ensure safety first and learning second. Allowing each student to experience a sense of accomplishment is important, as is helping them understand that we cannot be successful at every activity/sport. We can help our students learn to deal with a lack of success and losing by seeing these opportunities as areas for growth, not failures. Confident students know how to handle winning and losing.
Pre-K and Kindergarten
Students at this age level are exploring a variety of locomotor and non-locomotor movements as they learn to safely share space and equipment with others. They explore social interaction through physical activities.
First and Second Grades
Students perform more locomotor and non-locomotor movements at different speeds with and without equipment. They practice transferring body weight and maintaining balance. HDS teaches rules of the game and sport-specific skills, as students begin to make decisions about physical activities that bring confidence and those that are a challenge.
Third and Fourth Grades
PE classes at this grade level not only concentrate on skills from prior grades but introduce more of the basic rules of popular games. Students perform multiple combinations of locomotor and non-locomotor movements with different equipment, speeds, and levels of skill. Competitive skills are further developed as we introduce higher-level drills. Participation is a major component of game competition, giving students a chance to play and win/lose with good sportsmanship. As students become more aware of differences among classmates in physical development, maturation, and varying skill levels they practice providing encouragement and positive feedback.
Fifth and Sixth Grades
Students apply different combinations of movement and skills in game-like situations. Lifetime sports (i.e., running) are introduced along with health topics about dealing with the total person and how we should take care of our bodies and minds. Commitment and dedication are important in the development of fifth and sixth graders as many become more serious about sports and physical activities. Competition and athletic events are a big part of the growth process at this age level. Skills and training are more intentional and directed toward game competitions. As a result, practices are more intense and expectations are higher.
Seventh and Eighth Grades
As students have more opportunities to participate in physical activities, they develop preferences according to interests and skills. Competition and winning become more of a focal point at this age, preparing students for high school athletics. Hancock athletes should be ready for the increasing demands that high school programs require. They should know how to win and lose with good sportsmanship and understand the commitment it takes to be successful. Making the team and receiving playing time are earned, not given. Students who are committed to a sport should be tenaciously working and practicing, improving their skill sets which will in turn increase their playing time and ability to contribute to the individual/team outcome. Student-athletes who excel and continue to have a strong work ethic will be given more opportunities at the high school level.