On September 26th, 2023 an unlucky zero-period class was out at PE when it began to drizzle. By the end of the period, many were wet, and had to face the day damp and sticky. This experience changed the perspective on many, all in one class period.
Fallon Middle School’s zero period was in the middle of PE when an unexpected drizzle started. Most kids weren’t prepared for the rain and had to partake in their classes, which were happening on the grass. While everyone has their own opinion, there were many students with different ideas and solutions surrounding the ‘PE in the rain topic’. In the past, students have had to participate in PE during rainfall. A poll was conducted of the zero-period PE students. The responses varied from students feeling that participating in outdoor PE during rain was annoying, soggy, and horrible to refreshing, fun, and awesome. There were also a couple more impartial answers such as neutral, mixed, and unemotional.
After being asked the question, “Have you ever been in an instance where you’ve done PE in the rain,” Khloe Currier, an eighth grader at Fallon Middle School describes, “I don’t think [in] PE before, but yes in March Madness. I did run a mile in the rain, several miles actually. I did use a poncho of some sort at some time but that did not really work out, so I just ran in shorts and t-shirts.” March Madness gives students a chance to run a daily mile, instead of participating in their usual PE activities. The PE teachers have a rule during March Madness, whatever the weather should bring, the students had an obligation to run.
Since there are so many opinions on the topic, Shreya Bansal, an eighth grader at Fallon, suggests, “If it’s just light drizzling, I think we can just continue with our activities.” In terms of harder rain, Bansal stated, “I feel like we should have alternatives for activities that are inside because the probability especially in the morning,”
While many people complain about these rainy situations, Mrs. Volk explains, “But we also have to accommodate eight PE teachers, all outside, …into whatever available space.” The only available spaces now include the MPR, Gym, and designated PE portable. She adds, “I think sometimes, you have to get over the initial, ‘Oh, this is kind of uncomfortable’ at first, and then you end up having fun.” Really, what Mrs. Volk is trying to say is that people’s minds change all the time.
There are many good ideas and opinions on the ‘PE in the rain’ topic, but there isn’t a perfect solution that makes everyone happy, and there will always be those who don’t like it. Of course a way to get used to, or maybe even start liking the rain could be just to give it time.