[Sportsandrec] Sports Modification Over-Kill

[Bonnie Lucas]

Thanks for you wonderful story. Loved it. 
Wonderif a person could start judo at the age of 58?
Bonnie Lucas

-----Original Message-----
From: jody at thewhitehats.com [mailto:jody at thewhitehats.com] 
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2012 6:17 AM
To: 'Sports and Recreation for the Blind Discussion List'
Subject: Re: [Sportsandrec] Sports Modification Over-Kill

I also experienced a miserable time in public school gym classes.  I could
never keep up with all the ball games and no one wanted me on their team.  I
absoluted hated it.  Finally when I was in junior high school they decided I
was 'incompetent' at sports.  On one hand I was relieved I didn't have to go
to gym class any more but being a Tom Boy I hated being called incompetent
at anything.

What I didn't realize at the time was that ball games are such a small part
of sports.  I loved hiking, boating, swimming and climbing trees.

I went off to college and I heard there was a judo club on campus.  I was a
big Man from UNCLE fan and they did judo on the show all the time.  Wow, if
I could learn judo that would be so cool.  I had always been a victim of
bullying in school and if I learned judo I would never have to be a victim
again.

I figured there was no way the instructor would let me join the class but I
went down to see the class any way.

My life changed forever that day.  He said he didn't care that I couldn't
see, because I could do judo.  I joined the class and I was never excluded
or shown any favoritism.  I met my husband in the class. (yes we fell for
each other) 

For the first time in my life I could be physically active and equal in
every way with all the other students in the class.  

That was 40 years ago.  Tom and I eventually had a club of our own.  We also
studied other martial arts but judo has always been our core.

I think the most valuable part of my experience was being part of a regular
judo class.  Judo really doesn't need any adaptations and I disagree with
the rules for blind players.  There are no special rules when being attacked
on the street and there should be no special rules on the mat.

I will never forget the day we took our students to a competition at West
Point.  One of our players was totally blind.  At the tournament one coach
wanted to give her the Player of the Day trophy.  The tournament director
said "why because she is blind?  No, I will give her the player of the day
trophy when she beats all the other players.'  Again, no favoritism or
exclusions.  She came in second place in her division that day. On the way
home she told me it was the best day of her life because she felt like 'one
of the kids'. Yes, I got all choked up because I realized I had given back
what I got out of judo.

Many years later I tracked down my first Sensei.  I called him on the phone
and asked if he remembered me.  He laughed and said "hey, are you still
hanging out with that Ianuzzi guy?"  We talked for a while and I told him
how grateful I was that he had changed my life by letting me join his judo
classes.  Yes, the phone went quiet for a while as I am sure he got all
choked up too.

Sports can be such an important part of a person's life and it really a
shame that our public school gym classes discourage so many kids sighted and
blind.  The emphasis on ball games and peer pressure can be hard to take for
many kids.  It's too bad they don't expose kids to a broad range of sports
activities that children might take with them for a life time.  Instead they
discourage even the kids with the most potential.  

There are so many activities that need no adaptation for blind participants
that I don't really think activities that are visual need to be adapted for
blind players.

Just my 2 cents.

JODY