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Physical Education

  • Personal Fitness

    Personal Fitness
    Credit: 0.5
    Offered to grades: 9-12
    Category: Elective
    Prerequisite: None

    This introductory physical education class will focus on components of fitness, goal setting, flexibility, cardiovascular fitness, and muscular fitness. Developing a personal fitness program and a plan for life-long fitness will also be an integral part of the course.
    Students will be introduced to TRX suspension training, lifetime activities, outdoor pursuits, weight training, and body movement principles. The introduction to weight training unit will cover the fundamentals with an emphasis on form and body control. If the student passes the necessary safety standards, fitness tests, and is recommended by the instructor for advancement, this class will serve as a prerequisite for Weightlifting I class.

  • Power Yoga I

    Power Yoga I                                                                  
    Credit:  0.5                                                                           
    Offered to grades:  9-12
    Category:  Elective                                                                                                             Prerequisite:  None

    This class offers a beginning experience of the fundamental stretches and positions of Power Yoga. The goal of the class is to teach overall health, teach patience, increase flexibility and core strength, release tension, improve balance, and enhance mental control and self-awareness. Since the Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in eastern religions [Nostra Aetate, 2], the Catholic can take from them what is useful. Our goal is a Christianizing of yoga exercises in accord with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue’s “Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life.”  This course will have a special awareness of Christian prayer since these practices will be used within the framework of Christian spirituality. Each class will begin with a prayer to remind us that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19).

  • Power Yoga+

    Power Yoga +                                                                 
    Credit:  0.5                                                                           
    Offered to grades:  9-12
    Category:  Elective                                                                                       
    Prerequisite:  Power Yoga I

    This class takes a deeper look at the fundamentals of Power Yoga. Linking body movements with controlled breathing will continue to challenge students mentally and physically.  

  • Racket Sports

    Racket Sports                                                                 
    Credit:  0.5                                                                         
    Offered to grades:  11-12
    Category:  Elective                                                                                                             Prerequisite:  None

    This class is designed for students that want to concentrate their physical education time on the following sports: tennis, badminton, table tennis, and pickleball. The class will cover techniques, rules of play, and tournament play.

  • Team Sports 11-12

    Team Sports 11-12                                                        
    Credit:  0.5                                 
    Offered to grades:  11-12
    Category:  Elective
    Prerequisite:  None                                                                                                                 

    In this class, 11-12th grade students will work on skills that include throwing, striking, swinging, and kicking while emphasizing being a successful teammate and team player. A wide variety of concepts, strategies, and techniques will be taught across different units and games while fostering a competitive atmosphere to encourage sportsmanship and rule following. Activities may include, but are not limited to, variations of football and basketball, ultimate frisbee, matball, eclipse ball, floor hockey, and disc golf.

  • Team Sports 9-10

    Team Sports 9-10                                                         
    Credit:  0.5                             
    Offered to grades:  9-10
    Category:  Elective                                                                                                  Prerequisite:  None

    In this class, 9-10th grade students will work on skills that include throwing, striking, swinging, and kicking while emphasizing being a successful teammate and team player. A wide variety of concepts, strategies, and techniques will be taught across different units and games while fostering a competitive atmosphere to encourage sportsmanship and rule following. Activities may include, but are not limited to, variations of football and basketball, ultimate frisbee, matball, eclipse ball, floor hockey, and disc golf.

  • Weight Lifting I

    Weightlifting I
    Credit: 0.5
    Offered to grades: 9-12
    Category: Elective
    Prerequisite: Personal Fitness completion with required safety & fitness benchmarks or     DCHS Jr High Weights/Summer Strength & Conditioning Program

    This course will build on the foundation developed in Personal Fitness and will start to implement weight training with a barbell and focus on the BFS 6 Core Lifts. Students will be given a BFS Readiness Card to track their progress and must graduate from the
    readiness card, hitting the BFS benchmarks, as well as pass fitness tests administered throughout the course in order to be eligible
    for a Weights + class.

  • Weight Lifting+

    Weightlifting +                                                               
    Credit:  0.5                                                                         
    Offered to grades:  10-12
    Category:  Elective                                                                              
    Prerequisite:  Weightlifting I

    This is an advanced weightlifting course designed for students who have completed Weightlifting I and have graduated from the Readiness Card in that course. This class will focus primarily on strength training through Olympic-style weightlifting and challenge students to increase their understanding of weights programming and the implementation of other exercise modalities.

Department Faculty

Dowling Catholic High School

1400 Buffalo Rd.
West Des Moines, IA 50265
Main: 515-225-3000
Attendance: 515-222-1001
Dowling Catholic High School is committed to serving the Greater Des Moines Catholic community and embracing learners of all faiths. In an environment that is faithful, caring and dedicated, Dowling Catholic forms each student to become a Christ-centered leader.
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