For Coach Rob, Physical Education is about much more than sports. It’s an opportunity for students to explore, take risks, build relationships, and discover what they’re capable of.
Now in his third year at Saklan, Coach Rob teaches PE to students in Kindergarten through eighth grade, giving him the unique opportunity to work with students throughout nearly their entire Saklan journey.
Coach Rob draws much of his approach to teaching from his own interests and experiences. Sport, wellness, travel, culture, and exploring new places have always been important parts of his life.
“I try to bring that same sense of curiosity and adventure into PE,” he shares. “I want students to experience new games, sports, challenges, and ways of working with people that they might not always choose on their own.”
For Coach Rob, movement can be a powerful vehicle for learning not just about physical skills, but about ourselves and the world around us.
Learning Through Play
Coach Rob sees play as an essential part of learning.
“Play gives kids the opportunity to explore, problem-solve, communicate, compete, take risks, fail safely, and try again,” he explains. “I don’t see play as something separate from learning. I think it’s one of the ways kids learn best.”
His goal is to create an environment where students can be present, challenge themselves, try new things, and most importantly, enjoy moving.
One of the most rewarding parts of teaching PE is watching students discover that they don’t have to fit a particular definition of an “athlete” to find success.
Coach Rob especially enjoys seeing a student who may not initially consider themselves athletic or have much interest in sports find an activity they genuinely enjoy. That might be a sport, a game, running, an adventure, a team challenge, or simply realizing they can accomplish something they didn’t think they could do.
“I want every student to understand that there is more than one way to be successful in Physical Education,” he says.
Be Willing to Try
If Coach Rob could offer his students one piece of advice, it would be simple: Be willing to try.
“You don’t have to be the best at everything. Be present, give your best effort, try something new, and be willing to be uncomfortable sometimes. That’s usually where growth starts.”
Ultimately, Coach Rob hopes students remember his classes not simply for the games they played or the skills they learned, but for how they felt while learning.
“I hope they remember that we played. We explored. We competed. We laughed. We tried things we weren’t always good at. And we learned how to work with different people.”
More than anything, he hopes students leave PE with healthy habits, healthy relationships, and the confidence to step into whatever comes next.
