Unique Physical Activity Classes to Meet College Students’ Needs

Tim Meyler and Sarah BanksCoastal Carolina University

About CCU• Midsize, southern liberal arts university• ~9000 students• ~half from out of state

– ~80 of those from mid-Atlantic/northeast

• Most students commute• 8 miles from beach / major tourist destination

– Key reasons students choose to attend

Physically Active Living Skills (PALS)

• 7 week classes – 21 contact hours• 1 s.h. credit• May take same class up to 2 times for credit• Students are not required to take any

– Hours do count towards graduation

• ~50-60 sections offered each semester– Nearly always fill, cap 15-25 = ~1000 students/sem

What Makes PALS Unique?

• Geographic Location

• Student Feedback

• Examining Other Universities

• Keeping Up With Technology

Geographic Location

• 8 miles from Atlantic Ocean

• 3 miles from Waccamaw River

• 4 hours to SC mountains

• Prior to 2008, few classes offered based on location

Student Feedback

• What types of classes to offer– In addition to new classes, which to offer

as advanced– i.e. Yoga 2

• Based on end-of-semester evaluations

• Student comments

Keeping Up With Technology

• Exergaming• Heart rate Monitors• Pedometers• Websites• Fitness Assessments

Examining Other Universities

• Extensive search of what other schools offer– i.e. Fitness through technology– Surfing – how to manage legalities, rentals,

etc. – The “odd” – Stanford offers treeclimbing

Classes• Personal Fitness through Technology• Personal Fitness Vehicles• Surfing• Sand Volleyball• Snorkeling and Kayaking• Outdoor Sampler• Ropes Course• Backpacking

Possible Additional Classes

• Water based sports– Skim boarding, Paddle boarding, Boogie

boarding

• Yard based sports– Horseshoes, Bocce ball, Yard golf, Corn

hole

Fitness Through Technology• Exergame based• Fosters intrinsic motivation

– Video games have 5 Cs

• Fitness websites– Livestrong.com

• Other technology– Tri-fit assessment, heart monitors

• Omron body composition

Personal Fitness Vehicles

• Trikkes– Three wheeled human powered vehicles

• Potential to add skateboarding

Surfing• Students must pass swim test• Can rent board as part of lab fee, or bring own• Pool practice first

– Paddling and standing techniques

• Ocean work– Techniques and etiquette

• Flexible schedule based on weather and wave conditions

• Same waiver as for most other courses

Sand Volleyball

• Court available through student affairs– Popular past time in Myrtle Beach– Intramural sand volleyball already offered

• Only one course offered, because only one court– New one ~$6-8,000

Thank you• Tim Meyler• tmeyler@coastal.edu• 843.349.4183• P.O. Box 261954• Conway, SC 29528-6054