P.E. and coaching majors host area high school students

Erskine’s Physical Education and Coaching Program hosted a group of students from Ware Shoals High School Oct. 31 for a day of games and activities designed to provide fun for the visitors and hands-on experience for Erskine students preparing for careers in physical education and coaching.

“This was a fantastic opportunity to give the physical education majors a chance to interact with exceptional needs students, not only to give back to the community but also to grow the skill sets of our future physical educators,” Assistant Professor of Physical Education Dan Corsi said.

“The students from Ware Shoals were very energetic and enthusiastic, which made the day’s events even more exciting.”

The Erskine students guided their Ware Shoals guests through basketball, tennis, lacrosse, golf, and later in the day, competitive games of kickball and flag football.

“All visiting students were included in the activities, and it was obvious that everyone was having a great time,” Corsi said. “Most impressive was how the physical education majors improvised during the activities to accommodate and engage the students.”

Once the Erskine students graduate and are teaching and coaching, “they will have to adapt physical education programs for special needs students,” Corsi said.

Corsi has arranged a number of opportunities for his students to gain experience before they are faced with teaching and coaching responsibilities. “These are skills not easily taught through lecture, but rather are best learned with hands-on experience such as the interactions students had during the Ware Shoals visit,” he said.

“Bringing local students onto campus is incorporated into the Physical Education and Coaching program because it allows for the building of relationships between Erskine and the community, enhances the abilities of the physical education majors by giving them real-life experiences, and demonstrates compassion and service to others.”