Watching and reading about the up and coming Olympic Games is a highly relevant and enjoyable way to apply your understanding to the VCE Physical Education coursework. Let’s face facts though… it can also make for a great excuse to avoid study. For some great tips on how to stop the Olympics from completing overrunning your VCE study and life in general check out these tips.

As part of network with other fellow VCE PE teachers run by Rob Malpeli (and Mark Corrie for Year 11 PE) I regularly receive information and content related to the VCE PE coursework. Just last week I received a “heads up” about a program which ran on

ABC’s Catalyst program on the Olympics – the winning edge, doping for gold and blade runners.

The content covers areas such as:

1. Bio-mechanics, video analysis and improving performance
2. Acclimatisating to the conditions athletes will experience in Beijing
3. Drug use in sport – including steroids, blood doping, epo and gene doping
4. Drug testing and ethical consideration of drug use in athletes.
5. Plus performance enhancing equipment used by athletes with a disability and much more…

This is just one example of the great information that is available for you to help your understanding and application of the PE course. Others include radio broadcasts (1116 SEN on the AM dial is a good one), newspaper and other print media.

When watching or reading about the Olympics try to watch some of the lesser known sports (if they get coverage) and try to analyse what energy systems are being used and why? An emerging trend over the last few exams has been to ask questions on lesser known sports which forces students to not only carefully analyse the data that is presented but also apply their understanding of energy systems, components of fitness to this lesser known sport or activity.

Other things to observe when watching the Olympics is:

1. How have athletes been able to acclimitise for the conditions in Beijing?

2. What recovery methods should athletes be using between events such as heats and finals, and over subsequent days?

3. What fitness components are most important for an athlete in your selected sport?

4. What nutrition and hydration practices would be employed by athletes in certain activities?

The wider you can extend and practice your application of your analysis skills the better your performance on sacs and and the end of year VCE PE exam.


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