Reflection Essay Wood 1

Everyone Can Accomplish

Jamison Wood
Professor John Hughes
PHYE 160 Introduction to Physical Education
Online Course: Spring, 2012









Everyone can Accomplish
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Sitting next to her, I found myself sharing the same emotion as she was, as she read her
results on the sheet of paper in front of her. She was reading her results of success, and this
illustrated her personal strength that she could make a change for the better. This lady that I was
engaging with was trying to reverse the pain and embarrassment she had caused herself over the
years by hiding her emotion behind sweet and salty treats. This lady wanted her husband to look
at her like he did when they first met, and how he looked at younger, thinner women now. This
women was finding her inner beauty and was ready to show her strength that came along with it;
physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Many people have judgments about others who work so hard in the gym, trying to
improve themselves. Many call it vanity and ego. However, I know from self-experience and the
raw emotion of someone elses experience that its more than a self image. My professional
philosophy and development have been highly influenced by historical practices, philosophies,
trends, and professional opportunities in physical education. As a result, I have set goals for my
future as a professional.
Historical Practices, Philosophies, and Trends
Within the past century and a half, the art of fitness has blossomed into what it is today.
The Greeks influenced gymnastics and created sport that is still used today. The Romans
emphasized military training to develop obedience, discipline, and physical power which also is
used today in our services and military. Over time, fitness and physical education evolved into a
masculine trend, viewed was aggressive and respectable, excluding females from the role.
It wasnt until the 19
th
century that females were slowly starting to have their own
department of sport. After years of rules, struggles, changes, and laws, women now have almost
equal rights to sport and fitness. The male body is naturally stronger, so women will naturally
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have to continue to prove their own. However, the progression of womens ability and right to
compete at a fair level has influenced my personal philosophy.
I know and believe the body itself is a strong machine, and man and woman can conquer
any physical activity if they train right, train hard, and have the drive, passion, and motivation.
As a trainer and coach for my profession, I will never let a student or team member have the
mindset that he or she cannot achieve his or her physical fitness or sport goal.
Changing Philosophies in Physical Education, Fitness, and Sport
Masculinity-Femininity ideals of the past were a high stereotype. Men were suppose to be
aggressive, tough, and physical, while women maintained narrow roles and were submissive and
pure. I am thankful that I grew up in a time period where as a female, opportunity to be athletic
and physical were available. Today, more men are in touch with their feminine side and
sensitivity, while more women have strength and leadership than in the past. However, today,
both can maintain a strong physic and work in an area of physical education and athletics in an
equal manner.
A philosophy from the past that is compatible with my own is Muscular Christianity.
This promotes that sport does have moral benefits. It has lesson and practices that can teach a
great deal. Mental and religious purposes are sustained through physical education and fitness,
and can lead a life of positive influence. This relates to my own philosophy because I believe that
sport and fitness create a large amount of opportunity and teach lessons that cant be taught
elsewhere. Its a passion and a personal feeling of positive energies, and similar to religion,
people depend on it.
Past Experiences in Physical Education, Fitness, and Sport
All through my junior high and high school years, I was a year-round athlete, competing
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in multiple sports and events. Thats what motivated me to school every day, so I could practice
and play with my team that following evening. Thats where my passion for sport began. I
enjoyed sharing the wins and successes with my teammates and coaches. Now that I am
interested in the fitness industry as a profession, I feel as a trainer and coach, I can share those
same experience with clients and players, as I not only help, but lead them to success.
My best experience is the feeling of accomplishment, especially when I personally didnt
think I had what it took to finish the game, the race, the mile, or the drill. However, someone
else, either a teammate, coach, family, or friend, always did have the faith in me, and that
motivated me to better myself. I wish to be that extrinsic motivation for someone else. On the
other hand, my worse fitness experience so far has been losing my drive, giving up on my
strength physically and emotionally, and harming my body by not properly taking care of myself.
Thee years ago, fresh out of high school and on my own, I found myself caught up in what my
body should look like, comparing myself to the celebrities, and forgetting that healthy and very
skinny are not the same thing. That is what I find to be vanity and ego.
After learning, experiencing, and growing, I am where I am today, because I want to help
people that have felt negatively the way I have in the past. I want to help prevent people from
making bad choices that affect their health. There are so many positive outcomes of health and
sport, and I want to teach the healthy and beneficial way to feel good about ones self in a
physical and self-rewarding manner.
Professional Opportunities
To obtain a degree in Sports Management, the possibilities are endless as far as where to
take a career. However, when I narrow my choices down to being a personal trainer and an
athletic coach, one distinct word comes to mind: Leadership. To be a leader, one has to have
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confidence, knowledge, communication skill, personality traits, patience, organization skill, time
management, and handle high-stress situations. These are a few, but very important traits to
obtain. I feel that I am on the right path to possessing all these qualities.
What I dont have, I will accumulate in my last years in college, and my first years in my
profession. Every day is a chance to learn. This semester, I am learning how to be a teacher, how
to be organized and have creative lesson plans, how to analyze components of physical
education, and how to enjoy my time while doing it all. I will practice these skill continually,
improving what I can teach to others over time.
Professional Goals
As a professional, I hope to accomplish all that I have expressed in this essay. I want to
continue helping people reach personal goals, as well as reaching my own. Others and myself
deserve to have the feeling of accomplishment. Im going into this field for my profession
because I feel it has a very positive and healthy outcome, and thats how I want to lead my life.
My number one short-term goal is to finish my schooling here at CSI and learn as much as I can
about my profession. I want to continue to train clients and over the summer start coaching a
team for recreation.
My long-term goal is maintain my health status to be a role model, hopefully compete in
a figure competition, and overall continue my schooling at a university. While Im young, I want
to enjoy the hands-on livelihood. In time, an athletic director or team manger may be in my
calling. For now, I plan to follow my passion and learn as I go.
One day, as a leader, trainer, coach and teacher, I hope to share the knowledge and
experience that I have to help make others, whether they are young, old, married, single, male, or
female, lead a happier, healthier, stronger life.
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References

Siedentop, D. (2009). Introduction to physical education, fitness, and sport (7th edition).
NY: McGraw-Hill.