WPAOG Parent Handbook 2020-21

26 DEVELOPING LEADERS OF CHARACTER Physical Program The mission of the Department of Physical Education is to create a cadet-centered educational environment that provides a militarily relevant and scientifically based physical development program, and instills a warrior ethos of physical and mental excellence. The Department of Physical Education develops this environment by engaging cadets in activities that promote and enhance the warrior ethos, physical fitness, psychomotor performance, and a healthy lifestyle. The Physical Program helps cadets develop physical skills, self-confidence, respect for fair play, and a commitment to maintain individual and unit physical fitness. The Physical Program includes physical education instruction, fitness assessments, and a competitive sports program. The Instructional Program is accomplished through enrollment in the Basic Instruction Program (BIP) Fundamentals of Personal Fitness, Army Fitness Development, and a variety of Lifetime Physical Activity (LPA) courses. The BIP courses consist of Survival Swimming, Boxing, Military Movement, and Combat Applications. The LPA program is designed to stimulate individual development through participation in a wide variety of physical activity classes, including rock climbing, tennis, alpine skiing, cycling, and scuba. The Competitive Sports Program requires cadets to participate in company athletics, competitive club athletics, or intercollegiate athletics. Participation in competitive sports contributes to the will to win and moral-ethical and leadership development of cadets. By providing an environment in which Army values are reinforced and the principles of fair play are promoted, cadets learn how to “win the right way,” which transfers directly to their roles as officers. Fair play initiatives focus on demonstrating respect for the rules as well as one’s opponent, coaches, officials, and teammates. The Fitness Assessment Program is designed to assess a cadet’s progress toward achieving a high level of motor and physical fitness. Cadets are required to pass the Indoor Obstacle Course Test (IOCT) during the Second Class (Cow) year. Fourth Class cadets (Plebes) are introduced to and evaluated on the IOCT as part of PE 117 Military Movement. This test is designed to monitor progress toward Physical Program goals and to motivate cadets to achieve a high level of physical fitness. In addition to the IOCT, the health-related components of fitness are assessed and embedded in the core curriculum in the Fundamentals of Personal Fitness and Army Fitness Development. The academic year Physical Program is complemented by an intense and progressive Cadet Summer Training (CST) program. The Cadet Basic Training (CBT) and Cadet Field Training (CFT) programs are designed to prepare cadets for the physical demands of cadet/military service life and the combat environment. CFT provides each cadet repeated opportunities to apply principles learned during the academic year’s physical education curriculum. Specifically, the CST programs integrate military and physical training.