Learning to Play: A “Hedgehog Concept” for Physical Education

What is physical education and why does it exist? Despite its relatively long and storied history, consensus about physical education’s existence remains minimal. According to Jim Collins, author of the best-selling book Good to Great, organizations or groups of professionals should determine a “hedgehog concept” or a primary reason for their existence. This article explores three questions developed by Collins to help organizations identify a hedgehog concept: (a) what are we deeply passionate about? (b) what can we be the best in the world at? and/or what can we not be the best in the world at? and (c) what drives our resource engine? By drawing on ideas from physical education scholars to answer the questions, I conclude that providing a large quantity of quality opportunities for students to learn to play is a legitimate hedgehog concept for physical education. I encourage other physical education professionals to determine and disseminate answers to the three questions and identify a physical education hedgehog concept in future publications.