Equipment alone doesn't make for an innovative PE program, of course. Just as important is a willingness by teachers to work with kids in new ways. In Seattle, the average age of PE specialists is about 50, Turner estimates. Many teachers grew up on a diet of traditional team sports, and some traditions die hard. The best PE classes in the district, he says, didn't get that way because of fancy facilities or big budgets.
Staff is the key.
The most important ingredient is good teaching. He makes a point to bring along something new. Once a year, he puts on a West's Best PE conference that attracts several hundred attendees and presenters from all over the country. In his 21 years of teaching gym classes, he's introduced everything from archery to racquet sports to rowing to golf. Montzingo appreciates sports that can be enjoyed by all students, whatever their physical abilities.