#CAPE2026
capeworkshop.org
About Us
Play Hard. Play Fair. Play Safe.
Welcome to the CAPE Workshop! We strive to be a welcoming space for physical educators who are passionate about delivering high-quality, inclusive, and evidence-based physical education. Each summer we come together to learn, share, and reconnect using the latest research in addition to our own creative ideas that make physical education and athletics engaging and meaningful for every student. CAPE is more than a conference to us; it’s a community built on collaboration, support, and a shared commitment to lifelong physical activity. Below, we invite you to watch a video recap from our Summer 2025 conference that captures the energy, learning, and connections that define the CAPE experience.
Our History
The California Athletics and Physical Education Workshop (CAPE) traces its origins to a pivotal moment in the history of physical education in California. The workshop was founded by Genevieve Dexter, a respected leader and advocate in the field, in response to inequalities that existed in early professional development opportunities for physical educators. At the time, the prominent PEACH Workshop operated as a men-only program, limiting access for women professionals seeking advanced training and collaboration. Recognizing this exclusion, Dexter and her colleagues established an alternative space dedicated to equity, professional excellence, and inclusion.
This effort led to the creation of the California Physical Education Workshop, which provided both male and female physical educators with meaningful opportunities for hands-on instruction, leadership development, and professional networking. Its success reflected both the demand for inclusive professional learning environments and the growing leadership of women in physical education across the state.
Over time, the workshop evolved its scope, expanding beyond its original focus to merge with PEACH and CPEW the California Athletics and Physical Education Workshop (CAPE). While remaining grounded in its founding values of access, collaboration, and instructional excellence, CAPE grew to serve educators of all genders and backgrounds. Today, CAPE continues its legacy as a respected professional development experience, honoring its origins while supporting contemporary physical education through innovative programming, shared expertise, and a commitment to advancing the profession in California.