[Sportsandrec] Big Fun in Motor City!

[Cervenka, Stacy (Brownback)]

Joe,

I'm glad that you and Jesse got a chance to do that. As I wrote below in my little summary of my own convention memories, I think that this is an area where we in Sports and Rec can really jump in and fill a need that the rest of NFB isn't always able to meet at Conventions. It's great that the Parents Division knows that they can turn to us as a resource when it comes to getting blind youth physically active.

I am curious as to whether your experiences with the youth at "Back And Biceps, Chest And Triceps" were similar to those we had at "You Like To Move It, Move It!" We sure do have a long way to go!

Anyway, here are a few of my favorite Sports and Rec memories from Convention '09.

1. Sports Extravaganza Swimming Event- The Sports Extravaganza swimming event on Friday was one of the most enjoyable and memorable parts of the Convention for me. 

It was great to work with Annie and then Tristan on my flip turns. They both did a fantastic job of ensuring that everyone got a lot of one on one instruction and of keeping things organized and moving along. Thank you both for doing this! I hope it was as rewarding for you as it was for us!!

Besides the swimming itself, one of the best parts of this event was just waiting alongside the wall of the pool and chatting, joking, doing water judo, dunking, and getting dunked by Greg, Christella, Romeo, Danielle, LM, and Tina. What a fun crew!

2. You Like To Move It, Move It! (Kids Judo Events)- On Saturday afternoon, Greg, LM, Christella, Danielle and I hosted two intro to judo (and intro to working out in general) sessions for the kids whose parents were attending the Parents Division events. For the first hour and a half, we had the kids in junior high and high school. Although we met many fun, intelligent teens, I have to admit that it was sobering and disheartening to see how many blind kids make it to the age of 15 or 16 without having learned how to do such basic exercises as sit-ups or trunk twists. We sure do have a lot of work to do in ensuring that blind youth have the same opportunities and high expectations as sighted youth in even the most basic physical fitness activities.

After the teen session, we had another hour and a half session with the kids in kindergarten through fifth grade. We actually got a lot more done with the younger kids. As a group, they seemed to be more cooperative and enthusiastic than the teens. They also seemed to be in slightly better shape and more accustomed to physical exercise. I would like to tell myself that this is because we keep making progress and that things are getting better for each subsequent generation of blind youth. I suspect, however, that this is only because the canyon that separates where the kids are and what is age appropriate is less wide and less pronounced when a kid is 6 than when he or she is 16. (Teaching a kid who is 6 how to do a sit-up is cute and fun. You hope it will stick and lead to more physical activity. Teaching a kid who is 16 how to do a sit-up, however, is kind of sad and feels a little like putting a band-aid on a traumatic brain injury.) 

The highlight of the older kids session for me was that one kid, Roman, really got into it and wanted to start judo when he got home. He even showed up at the Sports Extravaganza judo event the next day, so it's nice to know we planted a seed. At the younger kids' session, I enjoyed seeing a little girl who was a blind wheelchair user and in better shape than many of the kids who were only blind. She seemed to be fairly accustomed to standard exercises, was able to do the holds and pins we taught, and was more than willing to get rough and take a few knocks. There was also another little girl who had braces on her legs and who took quite a shine to Greg!! Haha! I think he even got a kiss! Then, of course, at the end of the younger kids' class, LM had the brilliantly evil idea of having all 25 kids tag team Greg. Gabby, the girl who used the wheelchair sounded the call, "Come on, everybody! Let's get Greg!" and a pile on ensued. I think one of the fathers who had come in by that point was a little concerned for Greg's safety until Greg emerged victorious from underneath the squirming pile, holding two kids up by the collar and declaring, "I am the veener!" 

Looking back, I kind of think that this was Sports and Rec at our best, with everybody pitching in to help and to mentor the next generation of blind youth. This is exactly what we should be doing. We all worked well together and everybody brought his or her strengths, experience, and creativity to the table. I hope we can do it again next year. 

3. Sports and Recreation Division Meeting- Unfortunately, I was only able to make it to the Sports and Rec Division meeting for Tyler, Jordan, and Greg's panel about their experiences at the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing. All three speakers did a fantastic job. I was sorry to have missed the human knot and yoga exercises! Well done, LM and Christella!

4. Sports Extravaganza Judo Event- Christella organized a hugely successful and fun 3 hour judo clinic on Sunday night. The class was taught by Winfornd Haynes, Greg, Romeo, and Christella. Danielle and I helped with a few of the younger kids, but mainly we just participated and soaked up knowledge. Again, it was nice to see one of the teens from the Parents Division seminar from the day before show up. Danielle and I had a lot of fun working with Romeo and Christella on a few throws we both have trouble with. I'm also pleased to report that Jason Ewell told me this morning that the judo clinic was the highlight of the Convention for a guy named Jacob from Cleveland. I guess Jacob's been talking the event up to a lot of people. Well done, Christella, Greg, and anyone else on this list who helped out or attended!

5. Sports Extravaganza Rowing Event- By the time I got to the rowing event, things were winding down, but there was still a fair number of people there. Quite a few members of a local rowing club were on hand and there were 6 rowing machines, so everyone got lots of personal attention and feedback. It was also nice chatting with two different blind people who row (one Paralympian and one who has only started racing this year). And it was cool to get one on one instruction on technique and measure myself against others in my age group. Thanks, Ariel, for putting this together!

And, of course, rooming with Greg, Christella, and Joe Hamilton was like being at a Sports and Rec event around the clock! Good times!

All in all, I think that the Sports and Rec Division and sports and recreation activities in general are a bigger, more prominent part of Convention than ever before. I can't wait to see how we raise the bar next year!

Stacy