Athletics

Inside the Life Fitness Program

By Alice Perry ‘28 in Fall 2025

The Life Fitness program is a brand-new requirement implemented at MA requiring freshman and sophomore students to engage more with the active athletic world. In an interview with the head of the program, Coach Tiff, she states that its purpose is to “provide meaningful, on-campus experiences that strengthen community, build resilience, and promote lifelong well-being.” Life Fitness is here to teach our student body to reflect on what it means to be physically, mentally, and emotionally well. By improving our physical and mental fitness, they hope to bring life skills like mindfulness, mental agility, and visualization to our sports teams and daily life, encouraging personal growth, joy, and resilience. According to Coach Tiff, the program aims to create a culture at MA “where fitness is more than a class,” while providing guidance about nutrition, sleep, injury recovery and prevention, and other areas of wellness. She wants to emphasize that “Life Fitness is not your traditional PE class.” It's not the pacer test, or dodgeball, but a physical education program based on “joy, curiosity, and real-life wellness.” To fulfill this requirement, students can complete one season of MA sports, two seasons of Life Fitness, or complete an approved independent study, like dance or outside sports. 

When asked to rate how students feel about the program, with 1 being “strongly dislike” and 10 being “strongly like,” most of the 23 students chose somewhere between 3-6. Students that play sports outside of school have mixed feelings. While some say the program is “very accommodating" and doesn’t change their extracurriculars, others call it “unnecessary” or “annoying" as it adds extra work to outside activities that was not present last year. A few 10th-grade students don’t appreciate that they now have requirements beyond last year’s PE credits they had already worked for. Overall, most students think that Life Fitness is a good idea, though it could use a bit of ironing out. This school year is the program’s first, and it will evolve and grow with our students' needs and thoughts. To highlight something Coach Tiff said, “Life Fitness invites you to reimagine what’s possible—to come with an open heart and open mind, and to take the risk that your past story with movement doesn’t have to be your future. Whether you’re lifting weights, learning about sleep and recovery, walking mindfully, or just playing for the fun of it—you’re moving with purpose.”