[Sportsandrec] Big Fun in Motor City!

Mon Jul 13 16:39:12 UTC 2009

Let me first start off by thanking those who attended the Sports and Rec. events.  Your turn out shows interest in extracurricular and recreational activities.  It was exciting to see the number of participants, in and out of the Sports and Rec. division, at the swimming, Judo, and rowing events.  Let’s continue to spread the word about the Sports and Rec. division, and hope for an even greater turn out next year in Dallas.

The first seminar was at the swimming pool on Friday.  Annie Sawicki, Swim coach at Notre Dame, introduced the AdapTap device.  This device clips to the lanes, replacing a human reaching out with a pole, and taps you on the shoulder as you swim bye.  You can use as many as needed up and down the lanes, on both sides.  The two main reasons for the contraption are keeping you straight and indicating when to start your flip turn.  I imagined that a more skilled swimmer than I would not need to use the adapt tap up and down the lanes to keep straight.  I on the other hand would need them every few feet.

It was a fun atmosphere sitting next to the pool.  We all waited patiently to work on our strokes and flip turns.  Kids from 6-30 showed up to swim.  We even had a few adults on the premises.  It was refreshing to have talked to the parents, with elementary aged kids, who were exposing their blind child to recreational activities.

Chrystella, Lisamaria, and Stacy did a wonderful job of putting this event together.  I know the hotel made it difficult, but Christella showed up prepared and the swimming event went off with out a hitch.  Considering the size of the pool and swimming area, Christella and Annie Sawicki, of Notre Dame, managed and performed a great seminar on swimming and the AdapTap. 

An event that was not on the agenda under Sports and Rec. was the “You got to move it move it!”   Members of the Sports and Rec. division volunteered to entertain the children of the Parents division families.  Stacy, Christella, Danielle, Lisamaria, and I spent time with two groups.  The first 90 minute session was with teenagers.  The second session was with elementary school aged children.  Before I go any further, I must thank the ladies who kept the attention of the participants, and were wonderful with the kids when teaching or explaining an exercise.  Christella, Danielle, Lisamaria, and Stacy, I thank you for your help and sacrificing your time at convention to insure quality of the experience for the kids.

It was funny, in a mildly sad kind of way that the younger group of kids was more attentive and responsive to the directions in the activities. As a group we were able to accomplish more in the 90 minutes with the younger kids.  Both age groups were not shy and were willing to learn.  I suppose I should thank Lisamaria, and all co-conspirators, for the “Dog Piling” at the end of the session with the younger kids.  Every one needs a good mauling by 20 or so rugrats every now and then.  All and all, I am glad the Sports and Rec. division was able to step up when asked and help out another division with in the NFB.  I hope this is something that will continue and we can expose a greater number of families to physical activity and recreation.

Sunday evening was the Judo clinic.  Winfornd Haynes, Christella, Romeo, Stacy, Danielle, and I put on a three hour Judo clinic.  We had a respectable turn out.  Having 6 judo players at the event allowed for those who attended and stuck around, some one on one attention with an instructor.

In three hours, we were able to go over pins, falls, and two basic throws.  It was nice to have enthusiastic attendants who wanted to learn something new.  Even some of the parents brought kids to judo after exposing them to it the previous day.  I hope the interest in judo continues to grow and we get a larger turn out from year to year.

This was another activity which was not made easy by the hotel.  Still, Christella, Lisamaria, and the supporting cast executed a fine clinic.  Thanks again to you ladies, as well as Mr. Haynes and the others who assisted in the clinic.

The Monday, and final, activity with the sports and Rec. division was rowing.  Ariel and others introduced many of us to the modern rowing machine.  We were given tips on our form and technique.  At various times throughout the evening, people wondered in and out.  Testing themselves against the clock.  After being instructed on technique, we were given a two minute challenge.  I have to give it up to Tyler, in 2 minutes, he traveled 73 meters further than I did.  I am not sure he did it right after getting out of bed!  Regardless of how I did, rowing is a great physical activity and I am glad Ariel is exposing the blind community to it.  Thank you, Ariel.

I echo Stacy’s comments in regards to the Sports and Rec events playing a major role in the convention.  I know it is what I look forward to most.  We need to continue exposing the younger generations to recreational and physical activities.  The more events and time we can use during convention the better.  I hope we keep up the good work as a division and do even better next year.

Greg DeWall

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kathy McGillivray" 
To: "Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List" 
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Big Fun in Motor City!
Date: Sun, 12 Jul 2009 14:20:03 -0500 (CDT)

Great job, you guys. I missed these events because of other 
commitments, but I think they are critical to our movement. Thanks 
for all your hard work!

Kathy McGillivray
----- Original Message ----- From: "Cervenka, Stacy (Brownback)" 

To: 
Sent: Sunday, July 12, 2009 1:13 PM
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Big Fun in Motor City!

> 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
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