Sigma Delta Psi is an honorary athletic fraternity that promotes the ideal of the whole man with an emphasis on physical fitness.
In 1911, Dr. William Lowe Bryan, the President of Indiana University, developed the idea of establishing an honorary athletic fraternity in colleges and universities across the United States after a presentation to the University Press Club by journalist and author George Fitch. Fitch spoke of a national system of physical education he had seen in Sweden and expressed the hope that something similar might be developed in America. Dr. Bryan secured complete information from the Swedish government and asked Dr. Charles P. Hutchins, then Director of Physical Education for Men at Indiana University, to establish rules suitable for American universities. In consultation with J. L. Cooke of the University of Minnesota and Dr. W. G. Anderson of Yale University, Dr. Hutchins organized the fraternity in 1912 named Sigma Delta Psi (the body is the servant of the mind). The character of the Sigma Delta Psi honorary athletic fraternity is to promote the physical, mental, and moral development of college students.
In 1937 Sigma Delta Psi celebrated its 25th anniversary by holding a national championship event. At the time, 500 colleges from the United States and Canada had chapters and were invited to participate. In 2009 a national organization for Sigma Delta Psi did not exist. Colleges and universities that may continue to run Sigma Delta Psi testing do so similarly to the Citadel, on their own.
The Citadel became a charter member on February 1, 1960, as the Epsilon Beta chapter. Cadets have from matriculation until graduation to achieve passing marks in the Sigma Delta Psi events and earn a place in the Citadel’s Sigma Delta Psi Fraternity. Cadets may test through a Required Physical Education Course (RPED 140), Intramural Athletics, or under the supervision of any Health and Human Performance faculty member or Sigma Delta Psi member.
All male college students with active Sigma Delta Psi chapters shall be eligible for membership. A candidate may attempt to qualify in Sigma delta Psi at any time while a student or alumnus from his institution. There are no restrictions concerning race or ethnicity.
The only type of membership available to graduates of non-Sigma Delta Psi institutions is an honorary membership, and it is granted based on approval from the National Executive Council. Faculty advisers may submit names of candidates for honorary memberships. These are usually distinguished faculty members or other persons interested in the objectives of Sigma Delta Psi. Among the most notable honorary members are the late President John F. Kennedy; Bud Wilkinson, famous football coach and physical fitness consultant; and the Crown Prince of Sweden, Gustavus Adolphus. There are no test requirements for honorary members.
Physical Requirements For Sigma Delta Psi
Candidates for membership must successfully pass fifteen tests. Alternate tests may be completed for three of the requirements. A candidate who has won a collegiate varsity letter or an intramural championship may substitute the award for any requirement in Sigma Delta Psi except swimming. Substitutions may be used only once, and the total number of substitutions is limited to three – one intramural championship and two varsity letters representing different sports.
Sigma Delta Psi Events
| 100 Yard Run | Football Punt |
| 120 Yard Hurdles | 100 Yard Swim |
| Running High Jump | One Mile Run |
| Running Broad Jump | Front Handspring |
| Shot Put | Handstand |
| Rope Climb | Bowling |
| Golf Shot | Fence Vault |
| Baseball Throw | Posture |
| Javelin Throw | Eligibility and Scholarship |
Cadets may test through a Required Physical Education Course (RPED 140), Intramural Athletics, or under the supervision of any Health and Human Performance faculty member or Sigma Delta Psi member.