[Sportsandrec] Big Fun in Motor City!

Wed Jul 15 11:34:57 UTC 2009

I rote something up for my yoga instructor sinse he is getting his advanced 
yoga teacher training. If it is ok with him can I inclood most of what I 
rote? I think if I am able to that might help others who are interested in 
it.
I put things in it like what I am learning and what methids he is using in 
order for me to make sense of what he is trying to get me to do and what I 
think of my experience so far especially sinse i am his first blind student.
Would that be ok to put in my article?
Rania,
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lisamaria Martinez, NOMC" <lmartinez217 at gmail.com>
To: "Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List" 
<sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 1:14 AM
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Big Fun in Motor City!


> Hey, write up your yoga experiences for Competition Corner.
>
> LM
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Rania" <raniaismail04 at gmail.com>
> To: "Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List" 
> <sportsandrec at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, July 13, 2009 5:37 PM
> Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Big Fun in Motor City!
>
>
>>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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