[Sportsandrec] Big Fun in Motor City!
Rania
raniaismail04 at gmail.com
Tue Jul 14 00:37:03 UTC 2009
I agree with Ashly. How did the yoga go? I am asking because I have been
working 1 on 1 with my instructor for almost 2 months and really like it. i
am now able to share my yoga experience with others.
Rania,
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: "Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List"
<sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 8:03 PM
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Big Fun in Motor City!
> Hi,
> This sounds like a successful time. How many in attendance at the main
> events: swimming, judo, and rowing? What happened at the rowing event? A
> contest like last year? If so, how was it conducted? By distance
> probably. Who won it?
>
> Obviously the swim event was in the pool. What about the judo and rowing
> events? Hotels don't exactly have large open gyms. I guess they have a
> workout room like many hotels though. You'd need a soft floor for judo
> since you're practicing falling.
> How many kids came to the intro to
> judo workshops?
>
> Stacy said
> "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."
>
> I agree and I'm glad you all are reaching out to parents and kids. I know
> exactly the problem since I experienced it in public school. My TVI was
> great about teaching me braille, getting my books/handouts in alternative
> formats, and advocating with me to my mainstream teachers. However while
> she knew how to adapt academic matterial she did not know how to
> facilitate and integrate me into PE classes.
> PE classes are quite visual where the instructor leads the class by
> demonstration through warmups and conditioning and then works on sports
> skills. Sometimes they had other students show me what to do. Other
> times some special ed assistant came in and tried to help but wasn't
> trained in PE. I did participate in many activities such as running with
> a partner. So my experience was mixed.
>
> Still I missed out on some of the basics. So I can only imagine how bad
> it is for teens who don't have the support and advocacy from parents I
> did. It really doesn't surprise me they are missing out on basic physical
> fitness. Its sad but true.
> As a young adult I learned some basic stuff and improved on my technique
> on some body exercises with a personal trainer.
> Those exercises were the same Stacy mentioned: situps, pushups, bicep
> curls etc. I had an idea how to do it but my form was off since I hadn't
> seen it.
>
> Sports and Rec should do events with the kids again and continue to be a
> resource to young kids.
>
> Ashley
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Cervenka, Stacy (Brownback)" <Stacy_Cervenka at brownback.senate.gov>
> To: <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sunday, July 12, 2009 2:11 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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>
>
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