unique physical activity classes to meet college students’ needs tim meyler and sarah banks...

Unique Physical Activity Classes to Meet College Students’ Needs

Tim Meyler and Sarah BanksCoastal Carolina University

About CCU• Midsize, southern liberal arts university• ~9000 students• ~half from out of state

– ~80 of those from mid-Atlantic/northeast

• Most students commute• 8 miles from beach / major tourist destination

– Key reasons students choose to attend

Physically Active Living Skills (PALS)

• 7 week classes – 21 contact hours• 1 s.h. credit• May take same class up to 2 times for credit• Students are not required to take any

– Hours do count towards graduation

• ~50-60 sections offered each semester– Nearly always fill, cap 15-25 = ~1000 students/sem

What Makes PALS Unique?

• Geographic Location

• Student Feedback

• Examining Other Universities

• Keeping Up With Technology

Geographic Location

• 8 miles from Atlantic Ocean

• 3 miles from Waccamaw River

• 4 hours to SC mountains

• Prior to 2008, few classes offered based on location

Student Feedback

• What types of classes to offer– In addition to new classes, which to offer

as advanced– i.e. Yoga 2

• Based on end-of-semester evaluations

• Student comments

Keeping Up With Technology

• Exergaming• Heart rate Monitors• Pedometers• Websites• Fitness Assessments

Examining Other Universities

• Extensive search of what other schools offer– i.e. Fitness through technology– Surfing – how to manage legalities, rentals,

etc. – The “odd” – Stanford offers treeclimbing

Classes• Personal Fitness through Technology• Personal Fitness Vehicles• Surfing• Sand Volleyball• Snorkeling and Kayaking• Outdoor Sampler• Ropes Course• Backpacking

Possible Additional Classes

• Water based sports– Skim boarding, Paddle boarding, Boogie

boarding

• Yard based sports– Horseshoes, Bocce ball, Yard golf, Corn

hole

Fitness Through Technology• Exergame based• Fosters intrinsic motivation

– Video games have 5 Cs

• Fitness websites– Livestrong.com

• Other technology– Tri-fit assessment, heart monitors

• Omron body composition

Personal Fitness Vehicles

• Trikkes– Three wheeled human powered vehicles

• Potential to add skateboarding

Surfing• Students must pass swim test• Can rent board as part of lab fee, or bring own• Pool practice first

– Paddling and standing techniques

• Ocean work– Techniques and etiquette

• Flexible schedule based on weather and wave conditions

• Same waiver as for most other courses

Sand Volleyball

• Court available through student affairs– Popular past time in Myrtle Beach– Intramural sand volleyball already offered

• Only one course offered, because only one court– New one ~$6-8,000

Thank you• Tim Meyler• tmeyler@coastal.edu• 843.349.4183• P.O. Box 261954• Conway, SC 29528-6054