Physical education means many things to many people. Physical education professionals often describe it as essential subject matter dedicated to learning in the psychomotor domain and committed to developing lifetime physical activity patterns. However, some individuals mistakenly consider physical education to be the same as athletics or competitive sports. Some perceive physical education to be recess or free-time play. Suffice it to say that while some view it as a meaningful subject matter area, others report having less than satisfactory physical education experiences, if they had physical education at all. In this article, the author talks about physical education as a necessary component of the total school curriculum. He argues that strong physical education program must place emphasis on helping all youngsters succeed, regardless of ability or skill level. He contends that physical education experiences should be designed and planned to meet the needs of these less able students. (Contains 1 figure.)