The future of PE, now

In response to last week’s two-part column “The future of PE,” one of the country’s most respected sports training institutions reached out to The STAR to share how they have evolved in the time of pandemic. They have managed to adapt to the various challenges posed by quarantine, social distancing and disallowing minors to go outside, and have transformed into an effective, viable, positive influence on the health of our children.

The Bert Lozada Swim School (BLSS) was founded by the late Remberto Lozada, former national swimmer and coach, in 1956. Lozada compiled everything he had learned from all the programs he had seen around the world in decades of swimming and coaching. Among the athletes he was able to qualify for the Olympics were Ryan Papa and Eric Buhain. When Lozada was national coach in the 1991 Southeast Asian Games, the Philippine swimming team achieved outstanding results, with Buhain and Akiko Thomson being hailed the outstanding athletes of the Games. Lozada innovated in teaching methods for children to help them overcome their fear of the water. In 2002, BLSS was incorporated, and was soon teaching tens of thousands of children and competitive swimmers in 56 venues all over the country. They have produced Olympians, SEA Games medallists and national athletes.

“I agree with you that PE should be a subject and should have the same weight as Math and English,” says Angelo Lozada, who, along with his brother Anthony, took over BLSS when their father Bert passed away. “I just hope all parents and school officials realize how beneficial fitness is to their children and students.”

Changing with the times, the Lozadas established the Bert Lozada Fitness Intelligence Training (BFIT) in July. The goal is to get children to engage in at least 60 minutes of fun physical activity with their friends and classmates every day, entirely online. Although coronavirus cannot survive in chlorinated water, youth are still prohibited from leaving their homes, and gatherings are still not allowed. The Lozadas aligned their exercises with the curricula of the Department of Education.

The children are first assessed individually to avoid giving them exercises that are too demanding for them. Not everyone is at the same fitness level. They are then divided into three levels: kindergarten to Grade 3, Grades 4 to 6, and Grades 7 to 12. Each encompasses a different set of growth spurts and physiological development. The sessions include group-level appropriate games once a week before the end of each class to keep them fun. Students are also paired off so that they can have interaction and socialization among the participants. Classes are done entirely via Zoom.

Exercise has so many positive effects on growing children. Physical activity releases endorphins that make one feel better and help regulate a child’s moods. Increased circulation and stimulation of the muscles promotes growth, which in turn aids increased intelligence. Children who exercise have better appetites and sleep better. It also gives them something to look forward to every day, and adds structure and routine to their lives. All this is a great help to parents who are now hard-pressed to find something for their children to do every day.

“Ever since we pivoted from teaching and coaching swimming to offering online PE to homeschoolers, it has been our passion to make fitness a life skill specially right now that kids are stuck at home and are not able to be as active as before,” Lozada continues. “Parents have been so happy and they see the improvement in their children’s attitude.”

Classes are held early so that participants may still spend time chatting with their classmates. This adds engagement and excites the children, as they have a regular “play date” with their peers. The Lozadas also conduct polls and question and answer sessions with parents and children to further improve the BFIT program.

If you’ve been a parent, you would know how challenging quarantine has been. Children were designed to keep moving, keep learning, keep growing. Without regular physical activity, they will be more prone to living a sedentary lifestyle, which will adversely impact their longevity and productivity. The more families get involved in programs like BFIT, the better off we all will be.