Laps. Football. Pickleball. These sports in which P.E. students participate regularly do not seem to be the type of sports they will enjoy later in life. Other sports, however, seem to maintain their appeal, no matter the age of the players. Golf, an exercise that has quickly become popular with people in all stages of life, is no longer taught at Bear Creek. Several reasons contributed to the discontinuation of the sport. The expenses of golf clubs, the cost of renting a driving range and the potential for injury with the clubs are the major reasons. "Due to facilities we no longer teach golf," football coach Bob Rose said. "You use what you have." Golf is not the only lifelong sport. Tennis, a sport that is taught at Bear Creek, is popular with middle aged and older people as well. Though it requires more running and stretching, tennis is a sport that many find enjoyable. The strenuous nature of exercise in P.E. which most students find unpleasant, is a necessary part of being physically and emotionally healthy, Rose said. "The average female and male are heavier than they were 20 years ago," Rose said. "The body is like an engine, if you don't keep it in shape, it will blow up." Rose went on to explain that P.E. is usually the only physical exercise that students get during the day, and stretching exercises like yoga are more for psychological purposes, not physical. "The best thing to do is exercise to clear the mind," Rose said. "It gets air flowing to the brain." The increase of obesity in teenagers may be due to the reduction in the number of years spent in P.E. which was reduced from four to two. Sports are not as monotonous as in the past. Rose said there is a larger variety in the athletic activities offered in high schools today. The curriculum for physical education changes every five weeks, and the opportunities for student action are many. The P.E. program consists of 15 minutes of stretching and abdominal work, a half mile of running, a mile one to two times a week, and sports including volleyball, tennis, badminton, basketball, and softball. While the type of sports being taught at Bear Creek are not the most relaxing, they are often the only exercise students can get without joining a gym or taking time out at home. For students who find Bear Creek P.E. boring, other options are available. Students always have the option of taking P.E. at San Joaquin Delta College, which includes sports such as bowling or golf.