Grinnell welcomes scholar-athletes of all majors — and especially if you’re interested in teaching, coaching, or youth activities —to join our physical education program in intramurals, indoor recreation and outdoor recreation. The program includes theory classes such as educational psychology, the organization and administration of athletics, sport theory, and coaching methods (includes ASEP and PACE certifications). Practica cover diverse sports and include instructional courses, intercollegiate sports, and performance groups.
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First-Year Tutorial
The Black Athlete: Changing 20th- and 21st-Century Society?
In fall 2020, Professor Andy Hamilton '85 taught a First-Year Tutorial topic that he's taught a couple of times before on Black athletes. With racial justice protests in 2020, the course had added resonance and "allowed our students to make social and historical connections about society of the past century and the events of 2020."
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Featured Course
Comprehensive Coaching
If you’ve participated in sports at any level, you’ve likely encountered a coach who inspired you to be a better athlete, a better team player, or a better student. “How,” you may have wondered, “did they know the right things to do?”
Students wanting to coach individual and team youth sports will find a comprehensive approach in PHE 202 Coaching Methods. It combines sports and science with elements of the social sciences to provide a solid foundation for the coaching and administration of youth programs from prekindergarten through high school.
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Alumni Story
Leading with Purpose
When Maddy Pesch ’16 stepped out of the Russell K. Osgood Pool for the final time, the 16-time medalist and swim team captain had earned seven Midwest Conference titles, several school and conference relay records, the 2016 Honor G Scholastic Award, and a nomination for NCAA Woman of the Year. She was already an all-American triathlete.
Even with all that, she didn’t envision a career in professional sports.