Survival of the Fit

Young people in America are facing a health crisis of epidemic proportions—yet no one is taking action. Children are born as active, curious, imaginative beings with a built-in physical identity. Survival of the Fit offers a new and revelatory plan to nurture this identity and save the health of America’s youngsters. One of the keys to this plan is rebranding physical education (PE) and making it available for every child, every day, in every year of school. In addition to establishing historical references and a scientific basis for this rebranding, the author provides a downloadable template for PE classes at all school levels. He lays out a blueprint to help educators and parents bring this “PE revolution” to their school with no increase in the school budget. Sounding the alarm regarding America’s health crisis, Survival of the Fit explains how we can use existing tools, knowledge, and infrastructure to make needed changes with immediate results for every student, not just a privileged few. Everyone interested in seeing improvements in the physical, mental, and emotional health of our children will want to put this book to use.

Book Features:

• Introduces the concept of physical identity, an inborn trait that animals from octopuses to humans are born with. 
• Presents the reasoning for restoring youth competitive sports to community control even for high school students. 
• Discusses how we can win the war against bad food and addiction to two-dimensional entertainment. 
• Showcases original research, as well as comments and criticism from active educators.

Daniel Fulham O’Neill, MD, EdD, is board-certified in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, and holds a doctorate in exercise and sport psychology.

“The information and ideas provided in this book encourage the reader to think critically about physical education and its importance.”

—Teachers College Record

“Everyone interested in seeing improvements in the physical, mental, and emotional health of our children will want to put Survival of the Fit to use.”

—Sir Read a Lot

“Dr. Dan O’Neill offers a wonderful ‘manifesto’ on the sad state of our youth fitness and the problems with school physical education programs, and an urgent call for rebranding school physical education. Unlike many authors who are quick to describe societal problems but offer no solutions, O’Neill provides excellent recommendations for a more healthy next generation.”
—Leonard Zaichkowsky, performance consultant

“I cannot imagine what I would have become without spending so much of my youth outdoors. Dr. O’Neill has put a name on this: physical identity. I hope that this book will influence other young people to enjoy the world as I have.”
—Bode Miller, Olympic Gold Medalist

“Want to hear a radical idea for how to solve the lion’s share of our nation’s health ills? Get Active! Dan O’Neill offers a devastatingly simple, actionable guide to reversing our national obesity and diabetes epidemics; promoting emotional health, confidence, and improved self-esteem; and saving our country billions of dollars by promoting preventative health care.”
—Gary Hirshberg, cofounder and chief organic optimist, Stonyfield Organic

Contents (Tentative)

Acknowledgments  xi

1. Our Physical Identities: Inborn, Important, and Impaired  1
Introduction: No STEM Without Fitness 1
Physical Identity and the Primitive Brain 4
The Power of Play 5
Timing Is Everything 7
Society and Identity 8
Children and Identity 9
Uncle Sam May Not Actually Want You! 11

2. The Rise and Fall of Physical Education 15
Evidence-Based Physical Education: Why Rebranding Is Needed 15
What We Do Not Do in Our Daily Lives (Baby Boomers Take Note!) 17
What Children Do Not Do After School 18
Mother Nature to the Rescue 21
They Don’t Have Time, and It’s Dangerous 21
What We Do Not Do for Work 23
The Adulting of Youth Play 24
A System Put in Place for a Very Different Time 26
Physical Education and Interscholastic Sports 28
In Support of Organized Sports: Making It Fun for All Participants 32
Myths and Identities: Do Not Expect Too Much from a Game 35
The Athletic Lottery Winners 38
Wild Game 40
The Right Side of History 42
What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding? 43
Don’t Become What You Eat 45

3. Roadblocks to Rebranding Physical Education in Today’s Schools 47
Experience vs. Expertise 47
Federal Input for Physical Education 50
Physical Education in American Schools Today 52

4.  Removing the Roadblocks: Establishing Rebranded Physical Education 70
Mother Nature’s Last Stand 70
Money, Money Everywhere, but Not a Drop for PE 71
PE: The Only Subject That May Need Standardized Testing 72
If You Can’t Teach, Don’t Teach PE: Goal Setting for the 21st Century PE Teacher 75
Contagions You Want to Catch 78
Competitive Sports Are Sports—They Are Rarely PE 79
Lifelong Activities 80
If Exergaming Is My Only Option, Give Me Football 82
There’s No Telling Where the Money Went 83
Follow the Money 85
If You Want to Know Something, Maybe Just Ask 88
Survey Says . . . 91
Mission Statement 96

5.  Revolutionizing and Rebranding PE for Physical Identity 98
Our School Is in Motion: A Social Contagion 98
Goals for the Rebranded PE 99
Sample Curricula 115
The Revolution Starts Now (and WILL be Televised!) 165
Think Globally, Act Locally 169
Mission Statement (Reprise) 170
Letters From the Front 172
Action List for Revolutionaries 177
Time and Money 178

References 181

Index 191

About the Author 199

Dr. Daniel Fulham O'Neill describes the concept of Physical Identity as discussed in the book.