element of physical
education offering
Cooperation a key
element of physical
education offering
By libby kesil
Staff Writer
FARRAH MAFFAI Ron Rhodes, 17, serves as the belayer as Ryan McDonough (not pictured) makes his way up the climbing wall in Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School’s wall-climbing event, part of the school’s Challenge Program.
RUMSON — The latest physical education offering at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School encourages students to work cooperatively while challenging themselves in a supportive environment.
The new Tower Platform, part of the school’s Challenge Program, was recently installed at the high school. The platform was constructed by Project Adventure, Inc., a national non-profit educational corporation, according to Bob Henne, the school’s public information officer.
The high school has used the Challenge Program, which includes both indoor and outdoor training facilities, for the past two years.
According to Henne, the high school embraced the program, which is based in part on the principles of Outward Bound, after findings in school districts across the nation showed that students and teachers benefit greatly from collaborative efforts.
Last month, six physical education teachers in the district received training on the proper use of the Vertical Playpen and Climbing Wall with Overhang, both elements of the Tower Platform, according to Henne.
The program includes "low elements," such as the smaller climbing walls in the gymnasium, which do not require the students to be secured with cables, and "high elements," which require "belaying." In belaying, students on the wall wear a harness fastened with cables while students on the ground hold onto the cables, according to Chris Lanzalotto, one of the physical education teachers certified to teach the program.
Lanzalotto said the students start on lower elements to get a feel for climbing and then move on to belaying elements.
Halloween was the first day on the platform for Lanzalotto’s class. Students, some in costume, put on harnesses and used skills taught in the gymnasium to climb the wall, while others on the ground used their belaying and knot-tying skills to ensure that a student who loses footing will not fall.
Leah Kavookjian, 17, who successfully climbed to the top of the wall on her first attempt, said, "It was a new experience. Interesting."
Other students were not ready to attempt the wall.
"I was too scared to climb the wall because it was mad high," said Marissa Murphy, 17.
For obvious safety reasons, the school requires two physical education teachers present while the students are using the platform.
"We want to have two teachers here at all times," said Henne, referring to James Wilbur, another gym teacher who was assisting students.
In addition to belayers, there are also backup belayers who hold the rope and contribute to the cooperative aspect of the program.
"The whole purpose of backup belayers is to build teamwork strategies," said Henne.