Elisa Gonzales has been coaching PE at Willow Bend for nine years. She said before COVID-19 she would elect captains for each class, and they would be interactive with stop watches, whistles, and other equipment. She said she felt that this gave the students ownership of the PE class. However, this year she had to reinvent how to conduct PE to keep kids safe and healthy.

“We had to really think about how we can give them a job, still incorporate these things without the kids touching everything,” said Gonzales.

Gonzales said this year to keep things competitive and fun, she divides each class into smaller groups. Each group is categorized by color and has a staggered seating chart within their group, so they are distanced. During each PE class period, the groups are given points based on how well they are following rules. Whichever group has the most points at the end of that class period then becomes the new captain group for the next day.

“This will keep them only touching things with their team, only using things within their team,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales also added hooks, spaced apart, along the walls of the gym. When the students are exercising, they place their mask on a hook. This keeps the masks in a clean space and prevents them from getting mixed up.

“I just wanted to be overly prepared,” Gonzales said. “I thought the kids will come with masks but where are they going to put them?”

Gonzales and Vining said they are still trying to make PE fun and as normal as possible for the students. They said the kids have jumped in and adjusted well to new changes, even the younger kids who did not get a full year of PE last school year.

At the end of each PE class, both coaches sanitize all supplies used, as well as all mask hooks and when students come in from being outside, each of them uses sanitizer.

“My goals are to keep class fun,” Gonzales said, “but to also keep the kids safe.”