Game Changer: Phil Lawler's Crusade to Help Children by Improving Physical Education

“It’s about enabling each student to maintain a physically-active lifestyle forever. It means emphasizing fitness and wellbeing, not athleticism. It eliminates practices that humiliate students. And it assesses students on their progress in reaching personal physical activity and fitness goals. A [quality] program exposes kids to the fun and long-term benefits of movement – it’s really that simple.” —Phil Lawler

We are so proud to have played a role in bringing this book to life. Read a description of the book below and purchase the book in the PE4life Pro Shop.

Engaging and inspiring, Game Changer: Phil Lawler’s Crusade to Help Children by Improving Physical Education charts Lawler’s tireless mission to refocus physical education to a wellness-based model that encourages fitness for lifetime. Game Changer captures the passion of this legend within the field of physical education who believed that every child—regardless of athletic ability—should be given a chance to find an activity they can embrace and enjoy for a lifetime.

The renowned Dr. Kenneth Cooper of Cooper Aerobics Center names Phil Lawler the "Father of the New PE." Game Changer offers an inspiring and informative glimpse at the life of Lawler and his “New PE,” the wellness-based approach to physical education that has energized an important revolution in the world of education.

Full of ideas, tips, and strategies, Game Changer provides both the information and motivation to develop, implement, and support PE and community programs that encompass all children, not just the athletically inclined. Messages from leaders within the physical education field provide lessons learned in the development, leadership, promotion, and on-going advocacy of wellness-based PE programs.

Game Changer takes readers through Lawler’s beginnings as a “stereotypical” PE teacher and coach and his dawning realization of how physical education class can be a positive tool to encourage a lifetime of health and physical activity. As Lawler’s work received a boost from the mounting research connecting physical activity to academic and behavioral improvements, “the New PE” gained momentum nationally and abroad. Readers will be inspired by Lawler’s vision and commitment, despite his own health challenges, to improving the health and fitness of children throughout the world.

Though his battle with cancer cut short his own work, Game Changer carries the torch of Lawler’s “New PE” by providing information and tools to assist physical educators in developing more inclusive PE programs that emphasize developing, attaining, and renewing personal fitness goals across the lifespan.

A Kansas City School Extends PE Beyond the Walls of their Gymnasium

Frank Rushton Elementary “Girls and Mom’s on the Move” Program 

written by Ashley Davies, Program Support Specialist, PE4life

PE4life loves to see physical activity and education going beyond the walls of the gymnasium. Check out how a Kansas City, Kansas school and community made it happen:

In the fall of 2009, Karin Morgan and Sarah McGinty, Cardiac RN’s in the Change of Heart Program at The University of Kansas Hospital decided they wanted to bring health education and prevention of heart disease to their hospital neighbors in the Rosedale community of Kansas City, Kansas. They wanted to expose their community to the benefits of exercise in the hopes of influencing entire families and their neighborhoods. Karin and Sarah were informed of the Rosedale Healthy Kids Initiative, an advocacy organization aimed at reducing childhood obesity in the Rosedale community by promoting active lifestyles and healthy food choices. The organization directed the ladies to contact Mary Welsh, principal at Frank Rushton Elementary School in the Rosedale neighborhood.

Karin and Sarah met with Mary and other teachers from the school and explored several programs already offered in the area, as well as other options. In the end they chose the “Girls and Moms on the Move” program. The program initiated at the Minneapolis Heart Institute and is designed for mothers and daughters to get healthy, be active, and have fun together. Several meetings over the next year or so were held to organize all aspects of the program before starting it in the spring of 2011.

“Girls and Moms on the Move” is a 6-week program meeting once each week. The meetings were attended by a handful of 3^rd-5^th grade female students, teachers, community volunteers, and the principal. Each meeting began with a healthy homemade snack either donated by a local business or prepared by the volunteers. Karin and Sarah would conduct a short lesson on various health topics. Finally the group would complete a measured route, either walking or jogging at their own pace. The program culminated with the Mother’s Day 5K Walk/Run on May 8^th at Corporate Woods in Overland Park, Kansas. The program provided monetary compensation for the event entry fees for the girls and their mothers. Also, a local company donated “gently used” athletic shoes for some of the participants.

The program was tremendously successful! Check out what some of the participants had to say:

Karin- “I feel the program was a great success! I think it sparked an interest in physical activity for the girls, their moms, and even some of the teachers.”

Sarah- “Many of the moms said they felt empowered and very proud in completing the 5K race. We hope to continue the program in both the fall and the spring.”

Participating Mother- “My daughter is choosing activity time over TV.”

3^rd Grade Girl- “I really liked the race!”

Another Participating Mother- “It is something I would never have done on my own. I like it and would do it again!”

Principal- “It was a great opportunity for girls and their moms to spend some quality time together, engaged in productive activity.”

5^th Grade Girl- “Since the program started, I finish my homework and go out and run.”

PE Teacher- “I enjoyed seeing the girls in a different atmosphere, outside of class time, and getting to know them better.”

Classroom Teacher- “I enjoyed seeing the girls doing an activity with their mothers.”

PE4life would like to congratulate all the organizers, volunteers and participants of the Frank Rushton Girls and Moms on the Move program- YOU ROCK!  To get more information on this program you can email info@mhif.org or call 612/863-3979.

We encourage you to extend PE beyond the walls of the gymnasium and to get your students, parents, school and community active and healthy- be a catalyst for change!

PE4life's Board Chairman Inducted into Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame

Congratulations to Jim Baugh, Board Chairman and founder of PE4life, for being inducted into the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame this week! 

Check out Jim's impressive bio below or read the article in entirety. 

Jim Baugh
Wilson Sporting Goods Co.
Jim Baugh and the sport of tennis will forever be linked. Baugh’s passion for the sport was demonstrated in successes at Wilson Sporting Goods Co. and earlier in his career, at Prince Manufacturing. But tennis was just part of this energetic leader’s passion.

His vision for improving the health and fitness of American children became reality through PE4life. He also helped raise nearly $500 million in federal grants for schools through the Carol M. White Physical Education Program, known in the industry as the PEP Program.

After a brief stint as a sales rep for Converse, Baugh joined Prince (1977-83) during a time when that company ranked as the No. 1 tennis racquet brand in the U.S. He served as national sales manager and manager of dealer relations. As vice president of sales and marketing, Prince grew from $6 million to $60 million in sales.

Baugh joined Wilson in 1987 as general manager of Wilson Racquet Sports until 1996, when he was named president of Wilson Sporting Goods (1996-2003). At Wilson Racquet Sports, the company’s share jumped from 14% to more than 50%, and the company launched breakthrough technologies with three racquets and footwear.

As president, Baugh led a very profitable $1 billion global company. He developed a uniform branding and marketing approach for all divisions. He also served on the strategic board of Wilson’s parent company, Amer, overlooking Atomic, Suunto and recommending the acquisition of Precor.

While at Wilson, Baugh joined the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA) board of directors, a position he still holds. It was through SGMA that PE4life was founded, dedicated to rebuilding quality physical education programs in our nation’s schools.

After leaving Wilson, Baugh served as president of the Tennis Industry Association and as a board member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA). He helped launch grassroots programs that turned around a decline in participation and saw a 23% increase in play occasions.

Baugh lives in Jupiter, Fla. and consults with various companies and associations in the sporting goods and leisure industry.

About the Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame

The Sporting Goods Industry Hall of Fame was created to honor the pioneers, innovators and leaders who built the sporting sporting goods industry and to help recognize and encourage excellence within the sporting goods industry. Many sporting goods retailers, dealers and manufacturers felt there was a need for leaders in the sporting goods industry to be recognized by their peers. To provide this recognition, the SPORTING GOODS INDUSTRY HALL OF FAME was created in 1955.

Jim joined other big names in the Hall of Fame from companies like NIKE, Inc.; Dick's Sporting Goods; Converse, Inc.; Cabela's and many others.

To learn more about the National Sporting Goods Association, click here. 

Congratulations, Jim!