The student news site of Peddie School

The Peddie News

The student news site of Peddie School

The Peddie News

The student news site of Peddie School

The Peddie News

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Pro: Increased Sports Requirements

By: Cailin Brown ’17
Staff Writer

When I came to Peddie as a freshman, I did what was required of all Peddie students; I joined a team sport—field hockey. Even though I was not very good, it allowed me to meet new people and pushed me out of my comfort zone. Throughout the season, I grew a lot as a teammate and a person.

This year, the Peddie administration has made a new rule saying that sophomores can only take one term of PA, and juniors and seniors can only take two terms. The remaining terms can be fulfilled by participating in either a theater production, a team sport, or managing. Many Peddie students have expressed discontent over this change in policy. I, however, welcome this rule because when students are required to do after school activities they are forced to push themselves, spend time with their peers, and become healthier. And for the most part, these students will enjoy it.

Many students argue that as upperclassman, they do not have time to balance both their challenging course load and college applications; sports and theatre are just added stresses. While it is true that the 45 minutes of PA is much shorter than the 2 hour practices and rehearsals, these practices are actually times when students can relieve stress and clear their minds. This time can be used to focus on something other than the busy school day or a long night ahead. To me, there is nothing better than a long run to help me think.

I also believe the new requirement will help students be more productive, as the longer afternoon commitment forces them to get more work done during their allotted time. The only way to learn how to manage time is to be thrown into a situation where time management is crucial. This new policy will teach students how to use time more effectively. In turn, this requirement will help Peddie students do more work with less time.

Lastly, students’ health can also benefit from afternoon commitments. Spending time outside and doing physical activities is a huge part of living a healthy life. During sports, the neurotransmitter dopamine is created , which sends messages to the brain that make one feel happy; the more dopamine produced, the better a person will feel throughout the day. The extra dopamine can even help students focus more in class and therefore improve students’ overall experience in the classroom. This requirement can therefore raise both heart rates and GPAs around the school.

Theatre and athletics can help students achieve one of Peddie’s main goals: personal growth and balance. Peddie students are expected to try new things, and this policy pushes them to achieve things they never thought they could.

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