Athletics and Physical Education in Schools (APES) is a manual that was compiled by Albert Miller and Henry Elder to help teachers and coaches provide programs that are interesting and beneficial for primary school students.
Using information from authors and experts in athletics, adopting and adapting these into a form that, in all hope, will give teachers and coaches a better idea of the importance of physical education and athletics and how to introduce and develop them effectively and efficiently over the primary school years.
Every year, students are hurriedly trained to win as many gold medals and trophies as possible for their schools. This concept has brought about much disrepute, especially with the negligence of the students’ well-being.
Doing things right in the early years will help build a strong foundation for further improvement at secondary level and beyond. Teachers and parents will benefit greatly from undergoing some training in the use of the manual. The knowledge and skills they gain will help improve the quality of the physical education programs that they direct or participate in, and ensure that students get the maximum benefit from the activities.
This manual will also help in many ways to create a better balance between academic and practical subjects. It is of utmost importance to cultivate collectively the “healthy mind and body” concept, to strike a sensible balance between academic and professional excellence on the one hand, and physical activity and recreation on the other.
APES does not have all the answers to the needs of the various schools but it offers valuable information that can be implemented and examined critically for improvement.