Signing up for classes came sooner than you thought. Next thing you know, you’re looking at nine classes you want to take, but only eight slots. You already decided long ago that you’ll never see a lunch hour again, but the only class that you could manage to move is gym. By the 2020 to 2021 school year, moving a gym class out of your schedule could be an option. With the concept of an online gym class looming in the near future, managing your schedule could become a breeze.

An online gym class would be taken at home during the school year. Although there is no chosen site yet, most basic programs include a heart rate strap and some kind of supervision. The topic of online gym classes has been thrown around as a way for students to free up space and their schedule. To some students, gym class is seen as more of a stressor than a relief.

“I feel like a lot of people are pressured when they’re in gym classes because they don’t feel like they’re good enough and online gym would take that away,” junior Logan Murray said.

Murray had never heard of online gym until recently and could see himself enrolling in the class. Online gym is a newer concept and because of this there isn’t a high demand for the program. As other school subjects are turning to online courses the question has been raised, “Why not do the same for a gym class?” Physical Education teacher, Ernie Colombe, had conflicting feelings on the subject. Although he saw that it would be a good way to free up a schedule he also pointed out that there are multiple flaws possible in an at-home curriculum.

“The whole point of P.E. is to get the health and physical benefits of the class. So if they were to add a component of online gym, the focus would still have to be on being active. There are other factors that go into P.E. class that people don’t think about like learning how to work with others. Online gym would somehow have to incorporate that instead of just working on your own at home,” Colombe said.

An online gym class is still far away, but the influx of interest on the topic is helping to bring it to light. Sophomore Abigail Vohs has been advocating for the online program. She’s been trying to spread the word in hopes that the idea will catch on.

“I’ve told some of my friends about the class. I really hope that it will be available before I graduate. I am taking a lot of classes right now and there are still some that I wish I could fit into my schedule. Online gym seems like it would solve a lot of my problems,” Vohs said.