Patricia Sullivan, exercise science professor and acting chair of the Exercise Science Department, was hesitant to accept Japanese swordsmanship as a class at first.
"I said 'Japanese what?'" Sullivan recalled.
But when she saw the class fill to capacity early in the registration period, as so many of the unique exercise science classes do, Sullivan said she was pleasantly surprised.
Wright hopes that his students will be able to take away skills from the class that will be applicable throughout their lives: conflict management, self discipline and focus.
"It forces you to pay attention when someone's swinging this wooden thing on top of your head," he said. "It gets rid of your tendency to space out."
Freshman Val Ignatyeva said that she can see a noticeable difference in her ability to concentrate on schoolwork since joining the class. Feeling sick last week, however, led to some unfortunate consequences for her partners.
"I actually hit a couple of people on the head today," she said. "You feel kind of bad about it."
Wright said nobody has ever gotten injured in one of his classes, aside from the occasional foot blister.
Although Japanese swordsmanship may have gotten a boost in appeal from recent movies like "Kill Bill," Sullivan said the department is not looking to follow trends in choosing their course offerings.
"If we offered something that was trendy, then a year later it might be off the radar screen," she said. "The Health and Wellness Center can do trendy. They can change something at a moment's notice."
The department still switches up its quirky exercise and sports activities classes. Sullivan said discussions are underway for a canoeing class next spring.
"If we had a canoeing class, I'm guessing it would fly," Sullivan said. "Everything else seems to fly."
"I said 'Japanese what?'" Sullivan recalled.
But when she saw the class fill to capacity early in the registration period, as so many of the unique exercise science classes do, Sullivan said she was pleasantly surprised.
Wright hopes that his students will be able to take away skills from the class that will be applicable throughout their lives: conflict management, self discipline and focus.
"It forces you to pay attention when someone's swinging this wooden thing on top of your head," he said. "It gets rid of your tendency to space out."
Freshman Val Ignatyeva said that she can see a noticeable difference in her ability to concentrate on schoolwork since joining the class. Feeling sick last week, however, led to some unfortunate consequences for her partners.
"I actually hit a couple of people on the head today," she said. "You feel kind of bad about it."
Wright said nobody has ever gotten injured in one of his classes, aside from the occasional foot blister.
Although Japanese swordsmanship may have gotten a boost in appeal from recent movies like "Kill Bill," Sullivan said the department is not looking to follow trends in choosing their course offerings.
"If we offered something that was trendy, then a year later it might be off the radar screen," she said. "The Health and Wellness Center can do trendy. They can change something at a moment's notice."
The department still switches up its quirky exercise and sports activities classes. Sullivan said discussions are underway for a canoeing class next spring.
"If we had a canoeing class, I'm guessing it would fly," Sullivan said. "Everything else seems to fly."
