Department of Physical Education

Antecedents

Physical Education has been a required part of the Academy program from inception. Initially organized under the Commandant of Cadets, it moved to the Athletic Department in 1959. The authorization in 2000 of a position for a Permanent Professor for Physical Education further solidified the program.

Department Heads 1954–1957 Lt Col W.C. McGlothin Jr. 1957–1960 Lt Col Casimir J. Myslinski 1960–1962 Lt Col James F. Frakes 1962–1967 Lt Col John S. Sparks Jr. 1967–1970 Col Charles W. Oliver 1970–1971 Lt Col Anthony R. Cillo 1971–1974 Col Oliver 1975–1977 Col Robert K. Strickland 1977–1980 Col Don L. Peterson 1981–1983 Col Richelieu N. Johnson 1983–1984 Col Edwin R. Cliatt 1984–1987 Col Michael P. Blaisdell 1988–1993 Col Richard A. Wolf 1993–1996 Col Gerald V. Boesche 1996–1997 Mr Jeffery N. Heidmous 1997–2001 Col Laurence A Fariss 2001–2010 Col William P. Walker 2010–2014 Mr George Nelson 2014–2015 Lt Col Brandon K. Doan 2015–2017 Lt Col Sean Tiernan 2017– Col Maiya D. Anderson		Permanent Professors Billy Walker Maiya Anderson

The Department Today:

Physical Education (PE) is an integral part of the Academy’s curriculum and critical to cadets developing the Academy Institutional Outcomes. The department offers required and elective PE courses in a program designed to expose cadets to a wide variety of physical skills. Additionally, the department oversees programs in cadet fitness, intramural sports, and intercollegiate boxing. Cadets take physical fitness tests each semester to measure overall strength and conditioning. Proficiency is required in both the Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and the Aerobic Fitness Test (AFT). Scores on the PFT, AFT, and PE class grades go into calculating a cadet’s Physical Education Average (PEA). Every member of the Cadet Wing participates in intramural, club, or intercollegiate sports; more than 3,000 cadets participate in 10 different intramural programs, which include team sports such as basketball, soccer, and ultimate frisbee.

Curriculum:

The department offers 24 Physical Education courses composed of 6 core courses and 18 elective courses.

Core Courses: Cadets are required to take a total of 10 PE Courses, including 6 core courses and 4 electives. The core courses include fitness principles, boxing, swimming, water survival, and combative arts. The electives include both individual and team sports.

Noteworthy:

Historically, the Physical Education Department managed all gym facilities, weight rooms, and the Human Performance Laboratory. Although no longer strictly part of the Department, the Lab applies sports science principles to improve Academy athletic teams and individual cadet performance. Coaches, cadet athletes, and cadets receive specific physiological information by way of testing, research, training, and education. The Lab also provides subject-matter expertise on the Air Force fitness program and other aspects of human performance, offering scientific data through research and exercise science principles. As a result, the Lab offers a venue for cadet researchers and qualified interns to complete independent study research in the fields of exercise physiology, psychology, nutrition, biology, biochemistry, and biomechanics. The intercollegiate boxing program falls under the purview of the Physical Education Department. The USAFA Boxing Team competes very successfully in the annual regional and national tournaments hosted by the National Collegiate Boxing Association. The boxing coaching staff is instrumental in the development and delivery of the core PE boxing curriculum which became a gender-neutral course in 2016.