This month we are delighted to have Dr. Roy Clumpner write our Editorial. Dr. Clumpner is retiring this year after teaching for 30 years at Western Washington University. We asked Roy to share advice for achieving success in teaching and coaching.

We are also grateful to Dr. LeaAnn Tyson Martin, from the Department of PEHR at WWU for introducing Dr. Clumpner. We hope you all enjoy reading Dr. Clumpner's 'reflections.'

commentary by Dr. Clumpner

Set the stage on day one of school, that when students come into your gym, there is a set routine and that we have things to accomplish. Smile, but be businesslike. For the upper levels, a white board with daily instructions as to what students are to do when they enter your gym will save you time and energy.

	A picture is worth 1,000 words & KISS (Keep it simple stupid). We all talk too much, especially at the middle and high school level. Introduce the activity/skill by demonstrating, then explaining, the activity (KISS), followed by a demonstration of what you want them to do.
	Train yourself to despise inactivity. Look for students waiting, and re-adjust the activity so that at least 70% are active.
	Dress as a professional. Would you expect your doctor to greet you at an appointment wearing just a "T" shirt? Closer to our field, how about Tiger Woods? He is a professional and dresses like one. Wear a golf or collared shirt and take pride in being a professional and you may change someone’s mind about our field. What you wear does have an impact on those you come into contact with. While I’m at it, get the baseball cap off you and your students.
	Educate! Ask yourself every day "What can students do at the end of this class that they couldn't do before because of my teaching?" These should be your objectives. What do students look like on the last day of your unit vs. the first day of your unit? If there is no difference, why should you be paid? Are you measuring anything to show that you make a difference? If not, why not? Is there any teaching going on in your strength training class after the first couple of days? If not, why not? The purpose of the class is not to get kids "Bigger, Better, Stronger" for the after school teams, but to expose them to an assortment of programs and techniques so they will know how to create the program that best fits them throughout their lives. Are you making students knowledgeable and critical consumers of movement and health? Do they know what they are putting in their bodies from a nutritional standpoint? Can they discriminate between running shoes that are not appropriate, those that are reasonably priced and appropriate, and those that are "rip-off’s?" It is our job to make our students critical consumers of health and fitness.
	If nothing else, get your kids in shape so they know what it means to be in shape. If someone doesn't know what it feels like, they will never miss it and will more than likely never want to exert themselves to get in shape.

	Develop a research plan, which will demonstrate that you are on a steady designed path. The 1-1-1 rule works well: Have one article being reviewed, one article you are working on, and one article in the early formative stages in your mind. Pick an area of expertise and develop it, rather than being a dabbler in a variety of research topics and a master of none.
	Help the Chair of the department by always responding promptly to requests.
	Avoid isolation. Be part of the faculty, or you may not be part of the faculty when you want tenure.
	When you work in the Department, try to elevate the group and don't worry about whether you get credit. What goes around will come around. You are only as good as the program you are involved in, so if you elevate that program you will elevate yourself.
	Look at your program and ask yourself, "When students leave our program, what will they look like? What will they be able to do? Can they only regurgitate information? Are they problem solvers? Can they work well with others in groups? Can they express themselves orally before a group and in the written word? When they graduate, have they a clear idea of what their professional and personal mission in life is? Do they even know what it means to be a professional? Can they discriminate between what is scientific accurate information versus opinion? Do they know where to find information that is credible and done by professionals in the field, or do they just surf the net? If they do, how do you know? Where is this being taught, and how do you know they have acquired those skills?"

	First of all, don't take yourself so seriously. It is just a game. Keep it in perspective. If the pressure is too much and you aren't really enjoying it, try going to a lower level where it usually is more child & student centered.
	Put the "Fun" back in the sport. Make sure every practice has a fun element built into it.
	Play them all! You are only as good as your bench, and if they seldom get to play, the morale will drop. Emphasize to your starters how important these people are to the group. If they improve and push the starters the starters will improve, thereby raising the level of the team. If you are a good coach then you can raise their level of play. Instill in the second stringers the belief that they will be playing, and follow through by inserting them whenever you can. They'll understand if they don't play in close games, but not in those games where the final outcome is obvious.
	Teach sportsmanship! They will remember this long after their playing days are over. Kids are watching you as a role model every second. If you show disrespect for an opponent, another coach or an official, they will mimic you when they have their own children. Not only teach sportsmanship to your kids, but teach your spectators what sportsmanship is. Insert a note in each program about proper behavior. Have the game announcer explain the proper behavior expected and how to act, "Let's cheer both teams tonight as they display their prowess…If you see a fantastic shot, go ahead a cheer the shot even though it was your opponent, because if you don't have an opponent, you don't have a game." Show sportsmanship during and after games by speaking to coaches and players on the opposing team, and congratulating great plays.
	Be respected by the other coaches in the league and the officials. Keep your whining to yourself. Respect officials, and go out of your way to thank them after the game. If you did not agree with all their calls, tell them after the game in a very professional manner. Save your whining during games for when you really need the call. It will then mean something to the officials; that is, if they respect you and know that you very seldom criticize them in a game they will respect your criticism, and when you really need a call they just might give it to you.
	Give the kids a break! Look at their development long term; life not just the season. Kids today are burning out and hating the sport and/or incurring overuse injuries like never before. What is the rush? Let them be kids once in a while. Why are they at camps every week in the summer? Can't they get away from it for just a couple of weeks and just hang out at the lake, etc? Work on getting the other coaches in your league to agree on some time off for all of you. It will save your team, your own family, and you.

continued top of next column

Michael Dumin is this publication's technology section editor. Michael discusses reflecting and reviewing your year, as well as things you may want to update, a new search engine, and some new hardware for biofeedback..

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...on Being a Professional Physical Educator

In closing, I have a few final thoughts on our profession. First, I truly believe you are a role model to these kids whether you want to be or not. This recently came to my attention when, out of the blue, I got an email from a student I had in a Physical Education class for one year while teaching in a DOD high school in Japan in 1969. The last time I saw him was in 1969: 35+ years ago. He wrote me telling me how much of an influence I had on him as a teacher and a coach, and that all the kids looked up to me as the dad they didn't have at the time (many of their dads were in Vietnam).

He remembered how we used to do Cooper's 12 minute run every day, and that to this day he stayed in shape. I was oblivious to the role I was playing, being only 27 at the time. He went on to play football at the Naval Academy, became a Commander of an air squadron, and eventually was assigned to Vice President George Bush as the Naval Attaché.

The point to be made is whether you like it or not, you are a role model and must assume this professional responsibility. A second point I would like to make is that you need to understand that our field of Physical Education will probably continue to be looked down upon as not as important as subjects deemed more cerebral. It will always be a battle for you to convince others the importance of movement.

In addition, understand that there are just some people who hate to move; absolutely hate to move. Sadly, many of these people are in power positions in education, as classroom teachers or as administrators. At times it may be necessary to focus just on your own classes, and gain your enjoyment from seeing them succeed. If you aren't enjoying yourself, get out of the profession.

Third: Set the bar high and your students and athletes will reach that level. The same holds true in grading. To me, an "A" is "Excellent" and means just that, and a "C" is Average. There are more "Average" people out there than "Excellent" one's and your final grades should reflect that.

Finally, stretch yourself and think out of the box. Your career path will go in many directions during your professional life. Opportunities will appear which will make you hesitate to go out of your comfort zone and go into new areas. Grab those opportunities, as there will only be a few. It might be, as it was for me, the opportunity to teach overseas. Trust me, you will never regret it! You are only on this earth once and a lifetime is short. Squeeze as many experiences as you can out of your time here, and you’ll live a complete life.

It has been very thought provoking to reflect on my professional career. I have had a wonderful experience and have enjoyed every minute of it; especially being with college students. They are so refreshing and optimistic. If I had to do it all over again, I would go into this field again. I am a player, a mover. It perplexes me to no end that few value the field I have chosen. When asked what I do, I proudly say, "I am a Professor of Physical Education," and watch as a perplexing look comes across their face as if to say "Now why would anyone want to do that?" I smile and don’t say anything because I know later in life, when they are incapacitated due to physical inactivity, the light bulb will go on and they will then respect my chosen profession. It will be late in life and too late to do much about it, but the respect for what we do will come. Be well!

Roy A. Clumpner Ph.D., Professor
Department of Physical Education, Health and Recreation
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

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