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Stan LeProtti
Stanley James LeProtti was born on 11 August 1921 to Stanley F. LeProtti (WWI veteran) and Adehlia H. LeProtti in Oakland, California. LeProtti joined the United States Army during the outbreak of WWII. After WWII, LeProtti attended San Francisco State College and graduated in 1950. In 1963, LeProtti received a masters' degree from San Luis Obispo.

Stan LeProtti and The Motivation Factor
Stan LeProtti, a WWII veteran, and author of The Motivation Factor was the coach for La Sierra High School in Carmichael, California between 1957-1964. LeProtti, initiated a nationally acclaimed physical literacy program, La Sierra System, that was adopted and exemplified by the Kennedy Administration. As a member of The President Councils of Physical Fitness and Sports, LeProtti pinned The Motivation Factor in 1958 to illustrate to President Kennedy the most effective measure of physical education. After Leaving La Sierra High School, Stan LeProtti took his physical education program and applied it to the collegiate levels. LeProtti was the rugby coach for Western Washington State University from 1964-1970. Through his national acclaim, LeProtti became the Assistant Professor of Physical Education at Troy State University in 1971 and later pursued the position of Assistant Professor and Director of Project Readiness at the University of South Carolina.

Principles of the Program
John F. Kennedy, a pupil of ancient philosophy, was impressed by the utilization of Greek philosophy as the foundation to The Motivation Factor. The success of The Motivation Factor relied heavily on the Kennedy Administration to introduce this knowledge to the public. In turn, the program was heavily modified through the nation but allowed the Kennedy Administration to expand this program in to over 4,000 schools in the United States specifically addressing the lack of physical education and obesity.
 * Physical Fitness
 * Physiological Fitness
 * Motivation and Team Membership
 * Standards of Conduct
 * Efficient Teach Methods
 * Other-Color System

La Sierra System
There was a total of four main levels including White, Red, Blue, and Navy, with the Purple and Gold Levels considered to be sub-levels of Blue. Students in the white shorts were considered rookies, while those in navy colored shorts were considered the ultimate athlete. The color scale and physical requirements consisted of the following:


 * White Shorts (Rookies): All high school freshman begin in this level and work to build up physical strength to complete all the Intermediate level requirements in order to advance.


 * Red (Intermediate): 10 pull-ups, 32 push-ups, 12 bar-dips, 60 sit-ups, 6'9" standing broad jump, 34 second shuttle run, rope climb with hands only, 20 second agility run, 3-minute 880-yard run, 7-minute mile, carry partner on back for 880 yards, climb six holes of the vertical pegboard, and complete a 50-yard swim in 36 seconds.


 * Blue (Advanced): 14 pull-ups, 48 push-ups, 18 bar-dips, 7'3" standing broad jump, 24 hanging leg lifts, 52-second shuttle run, 15-second rope climb with hands only, 19-second agility run, 4.20 1320-yard run, one trip of a vertical pegboard, 5 extension press-ups, run 1.5 miles in 10:30, and complete a 50-yard swim in 32 seconds; students must also have a B or higher in the class.


 * Purple (Advanced-II): Achieve all “median performance standards” of Blue/Advanced.


 * Gold (Physically Gifted): Achieve the “ceiling performance standards” of Blue/Advanced.


 * Navy (Highly Coveted Level): 34 consecutive pull-ups and carry another student on their back for 5 miles.

All ninth-grade students began in white shorts and every student had the opportunity to level up twice a year by hitting the “ceiling performance in all fitness tests” of whatever test battery they were attempting. Each class began with a 400-meter jog and a 12-minute strength endurance routine for warm-up. To move on to the next level and earn the corresponding colored shorts, specific physical tasks had to be completed both correctly and timely. Additionally, students had to continually meet their level’s minimum requirements before they could move on and test into a more advanced level.

Historical Regulations and Recommendations
In the aftermath of WWII, the woes of obesity and stagnation plagued the minds of Americans. The introduction of mechanization for agriculture needs, and the television produced a new social atmosphere in America. This created an introspective look that American’s were becoming lackadaisical in the 1960’s. In response to American’s combating a new perceived image of obesity and their countries health, The President's Council of Youth Fitness was created on July 16, 1956. Prior to taking office, John F. Kennedy in 1960, promoted the first recommendation and regulations of a well-balanced life, that mentality and physicality were vital to the nation. In Sports Illustrated, President Kennedy outlined the 4 methods to achieve this. 


 * We must establish a White House /Committee on health and fitness to formulate and carry out a program to improve the physical condition of the nation.
 * The physical fitness of our youth should be made a direct responsibility of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
 * The governor of each state will be invited to attend the annual National Youth Fitness Congress.
 * The President and all departments of government must make it clearly understood that the promotion of sports participation and physical fitness is a basic and continuing policy of the United States.

This establishment was spurred from the President Council of Youth fitness and his inaugural address responding to a "Soft America". President Kennedy addressed the nation with his March 30, 1962 Physical Fitness Statement, "A country is as strong as its citizens". By identifying this nationwide epidemic, the Kennedy Administration responded with a message of "fitness, vigor, and preparedness" and utilized federal resources to pilot six physical education programs across the nation. The most notable program piloted was La Sierra High School Physical Education under the tutelage of Stan LeProtti.

Positive Impacts
The most obvious impact was the improvement of physical wellbeing of all individuals. The rigor of the exercises helped strengthen physically all the students who completed it. When students began to strive for excellence and reach the next level, it was especially obvious to see the impact the program created in the health and physique of each participant. The program improves the person’s overall strength, agility, power, and endurance, even so that the most average or underdeveloped person can become one of the strongest and healthiest people. The program was renown to strengthen people in groups and numbers, and their sole development was based on competition, pride, and motivation. The improvements in students' physical health contributes to the decrease in risk for obesity and other comorbidities

One of the most admired impacts of the La Sierra System was the instillment of motivation within all the young males who attended the school within the program. Many people who have come out of the program explain how they became not just physically tough and developed, but mentally tough and strengthened. Since the program is based on everyone's effort for them to reach their goals, or to improve and move on to the next level, motivation was a common theme within all of the students as well as the opportunity for each to learn of their own strength and perseverance. Boys of all ages, sizes, and physical appearances would all be able to start on the same level then could prove themselves to be of higher strength, and the incentives of the colored shorts and superiority that came with them, created a craving within each boy to compete and be motivated to always do their best.

Discontinuation
During its time, the program was very successful, yet despite all its effort the momentum of the program began to slow down. John F. Kennedy was such a huge advocate for the program; the support system fell after President Kennedy was assassinated. In the end, the program was discontinued completely due to the closing of La Sierra High School in Carmichael, CA in around 1983.

La Sierra System Versus Leader Directed Calisthenics
The Effects of Two Conditioning Programs on the Physical Fitness Level of Ninth Grade Boys, a study conducted by Joseph H. Buckley of Central Washington University in 1966. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of two presenting conditioning programs in ninth grade boys (i.e. Group A: La Sierra System versus Group B: Leader Directed Calisthenics). A total of 38 ninth-grade students from Lincoln High School, Tacoma, Washington were followed by American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation or A.A.P.H.E.R and participated in their respective programs for 12 weeks. Each student was given a pre, and post physical fitness test outlined by A.A.P.H.E.R. Following the 12 weeks of vigorous conditioning, Buckley concluded Group A: La Sierra System, made the greatest gains in the test items that required muscular strength and endurance. Group B, Leader Directed Calisthenics, made their greatest gains in the test items that required speed and agility. Also noted by Buckley, circuit training lended itself to all-around development of muscular strength, muscular endurance, and circulatory endurance. In contrast to formal mass calisthenics, circuit training provides motivation and opportunity for an individual to develop at his own rate.

Legacy
Doug Orchard's Documentary, The Motivation Factor (2017), illustrates the irreplaceable role of classical physical education presented and developed by Stan LeProtti.

Awards

 * 1987 Healthy American Fitness Award