These are a list of links to other useful Physical Education websites.

EUROPEAN VIRTUAL SCHOOL

http://www.eun.org/eun.org2/eun/en/vs-physicaleducation/entry_page.cfm?id_area=31

The Virtual School is a branch of the European SchoolNet and the Physical Education areaa contains information relevant to P.E. Teachers throughout Europe.

 

IRISH SPORTS COUNCIL

http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie

 

HILLARY COMMISSION

http://www.hillarysport.org.nz

 

BRITISH P.E. ASSOCIATION

http://www.pea.uk.com

 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION DIGEST
http://www.pedigest.com/

This is an excellent and informative site which will be particularly useful to all P.E. Teachers. It contains a wealth of resource material which can be used, with a little modification, for any typical P.E. lesson in an Irish school. To use it's own description it is is a "36-page quarterly magazine that provides the latest ideas, tips, coaching cues and research on sports, fitness and physical education topics from around the world - condensed into brief, easy-to-understand articles." The current issue can even be downloaded in its entirety online. Also contains a links page with many useful links. Well worth a look!

BENNY GOODSPORT
http://www.bennygoodsport.com/

This site will be of particular interest to children who have an interest in living a healthy lifestyle and wish to find out about exercise and health in a fun and entertaining manner. The "Benny Goodsport" of the title is a clown and he enjoys making learning about exercise enjoyable. Among his useful games are "ExerChores" "Food Pyramid Challenge" and "Fitness and Activities Crossword Puzzles". This is a really well designed site and is very easy to navigate through. The tasks are entertaining and at the same time interesting and will keep 8 to 15 year-olds entertained for hours.

ONLINE DIGITAL FITNESS SOLUTIONS
http://www.odfs.com/info.htm

This is a commercial site although the links to "Smoking", "Alcohol", "Diet" etc. on the first page are very useful because of the fact that they give brief, accurate, to-the-point information about the effects that these have on health. This page may be useful to P.E. Teachers as a "quick guide" or reference though the material is by no means too technical for teenagers who should also find it interesting and informative. Navigation is quite easy and, though many of the links are only useful if you own one of the company's products, there is still more than enough material there for the casual browser.

LIFELINES - QUITTING SMOKING
http://www.lifelines.com/

This is the homepage of the "Lifelines" site and following the "Smoking" link yields a wealth of useful information for anyone who is determined to "kick the habit" once and for all. Topics dealt with include: "What does smoking do to your health?", "Why should I quit?", "How do I help my teenager quit?" and a chart to help each individual calculate what is the best method to adopt to help them quit once and for all. Very thorough, very well researched site with plenty of relevant, useful information for all smokers and non-smokers alike. Also well worth checking out on the same site is the "Heart Disease" link especially the "Twelve Dangerous Myths about Heart Disease" link. The information here is strictly factual and it helps to explode some of the common myths about heart disease.

SPORTFIT
http://www.sportfit.com/sportfitglossary/

This site contains information which is of a slightly technical nature and thus may be useful to P.E. Teachers as well as professionals involved in the health and leisure industry. The "glossary" section contains a pop-down menu which gives excellent explanations and information regarding a selection of exercise related concepts. These range from the basic such as "active flexibility" and "sound training principles" to the more technical dealing with "PNF Stretching" and "percentage of max VO2. Not for the amateur or casual browser but well worth a look for the professional involved in exercise and fitness.

KIDS SOCCER DRILLS
http://www.qtm.net/~ayso574/drills.htm

This site contains a series of Soccer drills very suited to beginner or very young Soccer players. The contributions are all from various Soccer coaches and there are many interesting ideas which can be adapted to suit an older age group or pupils with a better skill level. The diagrams are of very basic quality however, but the information in text format is sufficient to give P.E. Teachers and Soccer coaches alike plenty of ideas.

PHYS SELF-ANALYSIS
http://www.self.com/

This is a site that contains many useful fitness "calculators" that have a strong emphasis on nutrition. All you have to do is enter some basic data (your height, weight etc.) and the calculators give you some very useful information about your physical make-up. The "Fit-or-Fat" link for example will give you information on your "Health Risk", "Body Mass Index", "Fat Percentage" and "Ideal Weight" all from inputting a few pieces of information. It also provides detailed explanationa of what these concepts mean and the lifestyle implications of each one. The site is very attractively laid out and navigation is trouble-free. An excellent site for all to enjoy.

ILLUSTRATED GUIDE ON USING A COMPASS
http://www.uio.no/~kjetikj/compass/lesson1.html

This site should be useful to all those interested in Orienteering or Adventure Sports as it contains useful, yet basic, information on how to use a compass. It gives details on how to use a compass correctly and how to avoid common pitfalls. It is quite basic - suitable for Junior Cycle pupils. The homepage contains links to other sites and navigation is easy even if the site isn't the most attractive looking on the web.

THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE
http://www.olympic.org/index.html

It's no surprise to find that the IOC Website looks a bit special. It is a fantastic looking site with a wealth of information on just about anything you want to know about the Games, past and present. Navigation is hassle-free and among the more interesting links are the "No Doping" link and the "Olympic Museum". It also has a counter telling you how many days to go before the start of the next games. Well worth a look.

THE ANCIENT OLYMPIC GAMES VIRTUAL MUSEUM
http://devlab.cs.dartmouth.edu/olympic/

This sit is not part of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) Website yet it still provides a fascinating look into what the Ancient Games were like and provides a stark contrast to today's games. The site contains a wealth of information on the history, background, rules and activities that governed the Ancient Games. Of particular interest are the "The Myths Surrounding the Olympic Games" link and the "Contests" link, the latter of which gives detailed information on each of the activities that made up the Ancient Games. Navigation is not totally hassle-free yet the site is easy enough to get around as long as you keep returning to the "Lobby" area of the "Virtual Museum". Worth checking out especially for anyone interested in Athletics.

THE NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
http://www.nba.com/

This has to be the ultimate site for anyone interested in Basketball with the most up-to-date information on everything that's happening in the NBA. There is a seemingly endless supply of information about all of the teams and all of the players in the NBA. There are video clips of the top players in action as well as still photos. Particularly interesting is the link at the bottom-right of the homepage to "Fantasy Games". This link allows you to create your own fantasy NBA team (you are given $30 million to spend), give them a name and chart their progress from week to week. There is even a league table showing how the best fantasy teams are performing. It's a fantastic site, well worth checking out especially if you're a lover of Basketball.

HEALTHGATE
http://bewell.healthgate.com/

This site contains a wealth of health-related information which would be useful to anyone involved in physical activity, either as a coach or a competitor. The "Sports & Fitness" link along the left hand bar takes you to a page with a lot of very useful information on Sports Injuries among other things. There is a search engine where you can find information on a wide variety of injuries and information is then given on the probable causes of the injury as well as the most appropriate treatment. At the bottom-left of the homepage there is a "Health Calculators" link which brings you to an interesting section that estimates, among other things, the number of calories burned off by various forms of physical activity. An excellent, well laid-out site in which navigation is trouble-free.

THE GAELIC ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION
http://www.gaa.ie/

The G.A.A. have really embraced the technological age here with a Website that looks as good as any on the Web. It contains a host of useful information about everything that is happening in the Gaelic Games world. There are links to all aspects of life within the G.A.A as well as an opportunity to make a "virtual" visit to the G.A.A. museum and look at a 360° photoview of Croke Park. Excellent site with no navigation problems.

NETFIT
http://www.netfit.co.uk/netfit.htm

This is an excellent site for those interested in almost any aspect of Physical Fitness. The site is well laid out and navigation is quite easy and the topics covered include almost everything anyone would want to know about fitness and exercise. The real advantage that this site has over other similar sites is that the language used is not too technical making it ideal for the young and old alike.

SPORTSTEC
www.sportstecinternational.com/content/interactive/index.html


With movement analysis set to become part of the new Leaving Certificate Syllabus in Physical Education this site shows just how far the technology in the area of computerised analysis has come. A Flash plug-in is required to view the demonstrations and there is a link on the site to obtain this for those who don’t have it. Well worth a look.

DOWNLOADS.COM

http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0,10151,0-10043-106-0-1-0,00.html?tag=dir

This link takes you to the Sports section of the Downloads.com website. Here you will find a huge variety (242 in all) of games that can be played on your PC most of which are freeware or shareware. As always the better ones tend to be quite large in size but are well worth the wait in most cases. Each of the games are given a rating by other users which is useful as this acts as a guide to the ones that are most worthwhile.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR SPORT AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION (NASPE)
http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/publications-nationalstandards.html#list

With so much curriculum and syllabus change taking place in the area of Physical Education in Ireland at the moment it is interesting to examine an American perspective on precisely what being physically educated means. This and much more besides can be found on this site which will interest Physical Education professionals more than the casual browser.

STUDY WEB
http://www.studyweb.com/links/4130.html

This site contains a wealth of information and links to other sites concerned with Adaptive Physical Education i.e. Physical Education for those with disabilities or special needs. Well worth a look.

BRAIN POP
http://www.brainpop.com/

This site is really useful and fun to use as well. It contains a variety of animated movies and “pop” quizzes on, among other things, health and exercise. Really informative and very well-designed site. A must for adults and kids alike!

WOMEN AND GIRLS IN SPORT

http://www.sportnet.com.au/activeaustralia/national/targeted/women/index.htm

This site is really excellent for anyone interested in gender issues, particularly as they pertain to female participation, in sport. The site is based in Australia but the issues dealt with have international relevance. Excellent site.

SPORTNET - THE NUMBERS GAME http://www.sportnet.com.au/activeaustralia/national/research/numbers_game.htm

This site, which is Australian based, gives some interesting information into participation rates in a variety of sports in Australia. IT may pe of interest to professional Physical Educators.

FIFA

http://www.worldcup.com/

This site, run by the governing body of World Football (FIFA) contains information on absolutely everything that is happening in Soccer throughout the world. For Soccer fanatics only!

RUNNERS WORLD

http://www.runnersworld.com/

This is a commercial site but it is still well worth a look for anyone who is a competitive or recreational runner. Contains useful links to sections on Health and Fitness and also Training.

P.E. CENTRE (UK)

http://www.freezone.co.uk/physicaleducatio/

This site, to use its own description “is a Resource for Teachers, Students and Educators interested in Physical Education and Exam Courses.” With Physical Education coming on stream as an exam subject here it gives some very interesting perspectives on the issue.

GOLF TIPS

http://www.golftipsmag.com

From those who have mastered the game to those who regard golf as a good walk spoiled this site contains really useful and practical information on how to improve every aspect of your golf game. Excellent site with plenty of photographs and diagrams to make explanations easy to follow.

THE MINERALS, METALS AND MATERIALS SOCIETY.

http://www.tms.org/pubs/journals/JOM/9702/Froes-9702.html

This page on the above site deals with the materials and technologies in use in today’s competitive sporting world and asks the question: “Is the Use of Advanced Materials in Sports Equipment Unethical?”. Sports dealt with include Running, Pole Vault, Bicycling, Tennis, Golf, Baseball/Softball. Interesting and informative site.

THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN.
http://www.sciam.com/specialissues/0900sports/0900quicksummary.html

This special edition of the Scientific American deals with the science and technology of sport and is subtitled “Building the Elite Athlete”. Topics dealt with include “Game Theory” – How science increasingly informs athletic training and “Watching Your Steps” - How the ultimate athletic shoe is one tailored precisely to an individual’s running style. The site is very well laid out and contains a wealth of articles that are informative to the athlete and coach alike.

BAALPE
http://www.baalpe.org

The British Association of Advisers and Lecturers in Physical Education is a sit that is likely to be of use to PE professionals – particularly those involved in teaching and lecturing in PE.

LESSON PLAN SEARCH
http://lessonplansearch.com/Health_and_PE/

This site does exactly what the title suggests – searches for lesson plans on any particular topic. There are over 66 in the above category alone and others can be found by replacing the “Health and PE “ section in the address bar by another keyword such as “Dance” for example. Very practical and useful site.