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“We would do it differently, or it wouldn’t be worth doing.” That was the attitude that permeated every effort and initiative of Rockbridge Academy’s founding families. This included PE—physical education. The phrase is almost redundant, as if education itself is ever apart from the body. Certainly that was the understanding of our founding families, who determined to provide an integrated education, a classical, christian education which would affirm Colossians 1:17: that all of life was created through Christ and is held together and sustained by Him.

The Scriptures are rife with analogies of the how the body informs the mind and vice versa (Mark 12:30, Prov. 3:7-8, James 3:2, to list a few). In a fallen world that continually tries to dis-integrate what God has integrated, it may seem radical to affirm, as the vision for Rockbridge PE does, that, “God is Sovereign to mysteriously work in the physical world and produce spiritual results.  This is most evident in the physical death of the God-man, incarnate to bring about spiritual redemption and new life. Since God has seen fit to integrate the material and the immaterial, the visible and the invisible, we should strive to teach our children that God is glorified in how they use their bodies, as well as their minds and spirits.”

God is glorified when we are good stewards of our physical bodies.  In a classical and Christ-centered school, children should be taught how to move skillfully, how to play strategically, and how to exercise consistently and expressively.  Our goal in physically educating our children should be that they would be like David, the poet-warrior, who ‘danced before the Lord with all his might’” (II Sam. 6:14).

A little further along in our PE curriculum it reads, “According to the Westminster Catechism, ‘The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ This enjoyment includes physical pleasures such as rolling down a grassy hill, running an invigorating five miles, playing a game of tag, or walking as a family after dinner, all while caring for all aspects of the body. God is glorified when we are good stewards of our physical bodies.  In a classical and Christ-centered school, children should be taught how to move skillfully, how to play strategically, and how to exercise consistently and expressively.  Our goal in physically educating our children should be that they would be like David, the poet-warrior, who ‘danced before the Lord with all his might’” (II Sam. 6:14).

Did you catch that? These words are written in Rockbridge Academy’s PE curriculum? Reading over these pages again recently, I was reminded of the beautiful vision that was set before me 21 years ago, when Donna Griffith, co-author of this curriculum, PE teacher at the time, and Rockbridge Academy's first Athletic Director, invited me to apply to teach PE at Rockbridge. In that moment, I had no idea how God would use me, only that I was being invited to participate in a distinctive, counter-cultural movement called, “Classical Christian Education,” and one that I had already decided I wanted for my own children.  

Donna Griffith mentored me in those days, along with Amy Marshall (who was recognized in the last Benedictio for reaching her 25-year milestone at Rockbridge). Donna’s background and training was in PE, and she had been a college athlete, so when she envisioned PE and athletics from a godly perspective, she knew exactly what they would be distinguished from. PE at Rockbridge would be taught from the Trivium—those three particular stages of development that align so clearly with the growth and development of each child. Her description reads, “Physical Education in the Grammar school helps students become proficient in basic movement skills. In Dialectic, the children refine the skills learned in grammar school and apply them while playing a variety of individual, dual, and team sports.  Students also receive instruction in strategies and rules. In Rhetoric, the students continue perfecting their skills in a variety of sports while learning about strategy.” In a recent phone call, Donna recollected that, “This idea was very unique to our school, [the idea that] the playing field is to PE what the chemistry lab is to chemistry.” Children’s knowledge and understanding are used to put on a beautiful display—whether that is exploration and discovery in a lab, in making music or art, in giving a thesis speech, or playing in an athletic competition. Donna went even further in describing this vision as “whimsical,” the desire for our children to have “beautiful coordination” and “majestic and lovely” movement. Whimsy? Yes, of course! When our children fully realize a godly vision in any endeavor, it brings joy—whimsy—the foretaste of Heaven.

Amy Marshall, who taught upper school PE for several years in those early days, may have had this notion in mind when she decided to teach her students ballroom dancing! Most of what she remembers from teaching in those early years was that, “We were aiming at skills acquisition, training men and women according to their frame, being earnest about shaping our 'earthen vessel' to serve God well, and so on.” But it was the ballroom dancing unit that quickly spilled over from her PE students to the rest of the student body. Soon non-PE upper school students were streaming into the gym. Ballroom dancing gave way to swing dancing, and learning that ultimately led to a performance in the Rockbridge Academy Variety Show. And it started with the fun, the delight, of movement in PE class!

If you have read this far, I hope you are encouraged, even inspired by the vision that informs your child’s physical education and athletic participation at Rockbridge Academy. But, I would be remiss if I didn’t elaborate on one additional distinctive. Our PE vision goes on to say that, “Physical education is unique in the opportunities it provides for character development. Physical activities and competition often trigger emotions that aren’t exhibited in the classroom.”

Physical education is unique in the opportunities it provides for character development. Physical activities and competition often trigger emotions that aren’t exhibited in the classroom.

That description sounds a lot like an idea often attributed to Plato suggesting that, "You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” (You can google the quote later for an interesting read on its disputed origin, but I think the essence of the meaning has been accurately preserved.) I can affirm this sentiment from first-hand experience! A game of dodgeball—or basketball, or soccer, or tag or "Sharks and Minnows”—brings out emotions seldom seen during a spelling test or classroom discussion.

So that, “The physical educator has the privilege of teaching the children what God has to say about their emotions and how they should respond to those emotions. The goal of the classical and Christ¬ centered physical education program is to have students exhibit self-control and humility as they play to the best of their God-given ability.”

 The goal of the classical and Christ-centered physical education program is to have students exhibit self-control and humility as they play to the best of their God-given ability.

This kind of training, this shaping of character, becomes evangelistic. Our athletic handbook states, “While winning is valued, at Rockbridge Academy, the overriding emphasis is on building the Christian character of our student athletes…Sportsmanship, teamwork, fair play, and the value of hard work are valuable life lessons that can be learned through  competitive athletic participation. [Athletic] games afford an opportunity for Rockbridge athletes to act as ambassadors for Christ..[to] show respect and appreciation for our opponents, officials, and coaches.” Of course, for, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us.” 2 Cor. 5:20. This is always our first and most important objective as Christians in any endeavor we pursue.

Sportsmanship, teamwork, fair play, and the value of hard work are valuable life lessons that can be learned through competitive athletic participation. [Athletic] games afford an opportunity for Rockbridge athletes to act as ambassadors for Christ...[to] show respect and appreciation for our opponents, officials, and coaches.

Where this vision takes hold of each student, and is brought to fruition by the Holy Spirit, our graduates, whether in a professional stadium, in a collegiate competition, on the neighborhood pickle ball court, or any other area of play, will look very different indeed. Ok, let’s play! 

Melanie Kaiss has taught PE at Rockbridge Academy since 2004. She began teaching when her oldest child was in second grade. All four of her children have since graduated from Rockbridge (Classes of 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2024). Over the last 21 years, Melanie has taught PE at every grade level, been assistant to the Athletic Director, coached girls soccer and lacrosse, and run numerous Discovery Summer camps for five years running. Melanie’s husband, Stephen, joined the Rockbridge board shortly after she began teaching. He became a permanent board member and continues to serve today.