Book excerpt: If you agree that physical education should be fun, instructive, and a place where students acquire physical and life skills, then you'll love PE2theMax: Maximize Skills, Participation, Teamwork, and Fun. J.D. Hughes, author of the popular No Standing Around in My Gym, has created 30 never-been-done-before games, tried and tested in the gymnasiums and on the fields and courts of Villa Rica, Georgia, where he teaches elementary school. These games are designed for large groups--anywhere from 30 to 75 students--but can be scaled back easily for smaller class sizes. Each game provides students of all athletic abilities the opportunity to have fun, be active, and acquire movement and sport skills. Here's what you will discover about the games in PE2theMax: - No down time. The games are quick and easy to get going, and they'll keep students active for the entire class period. - Essentially no prep time. These games are ready to use, simple to understand, and supplemented with clear illustrations, diagrams, and a game finder to help you readily find the game you want. - Plenty of skill-building time. Students acquire not only movement and sport skills but life skills as well. The games emphasize cooperation, communication, personal responsibility, respect for others, positive competition, critical thinking, and problem solving. - Fun participation. If PE is fun, kids will want to participate. If they participate, they will experience the joy of being active. If they experience that joy, they just might move toward remaining active throughout their lives. The games in PE2theMax are student centered, not teacher centered. As such, students are motivated to challenge themselves to succeed. The games are inclusive and developmentally appropriate. They define what a quality PE program and the New PE philosophy are all about: promoting participation and lifelong fitness as well as self-esteem and initiative. Most important, from the kids' perspective, "these games rock."