Intrinsic value not!
- me and my high school boyfriend (who soooo didn't do sports :)
There's a post at America magazine's blog - The Sports Wound - about the angst guys suffer when they aren't good at school sports ...
Perhaps we cloud this topic with euphemisms--but many a boy or growing young man who is poor at sports faces hurdles of bias, loneliness, and rejection. Despite many ways of compensating (intellectual, musical, artistic), poor athletic coordination keeps many boys and young men alienated from their peers, watching athletic contests from the stands or through a window, wishing to be “one of the guys.”
At my high school there were those who studied a lot, those who used drugs (like me), and those who were jocks. The twain hardly ever met so I never knew anyone involved in sports. I hated team sports myself, both in high school and college - I'm probably the only student to get a note from the counselor to let her out of field hockey because of stress :) Towards the end of college, though, I took an adaptive PE class and a whole world of exercise outside of team sports opened up for me .... jogging, weight training, martial arts, ballet, yoga, etc.
I hope those with "sports wound" come to realize that being good at team sports has no value beyond that you choose to bestow.
posted by crystal | 10:40 PM
11 Comments:
Thanks for the post, Crystal. I enjoyed that article, and the comments even more. When the Sports Wound is combined with bullying, it's absolutely terrible. My wife's organization, the Committee for Children, has done a lot of research on bullying, and how to prevent it. Schools CAN make a proactive difference, but they have to want to.
Oh, and fun picture! I think you posted that at one other time... it looks familiar.
>>those who used drugs (like me),<<
You used drugs in high school crystal?
Now I'm still not sure what is worst, me stealing about six dollars from the church on three occasions when I was an altar boy or you taking drugs!
For argument sake, let's just say that two wrongs don't make "ONE" right! Right? :(
Peace
Hi Denny,
Yes, bullying can be devistating for kids! I did post that pic before :)
Victor,
Yes, maybe growing up in California, drugs in school aren't that unusual?
But I don't mean to give the impression I think drugs are a good thing - I don't.
Crystal,
It's not just California, I went to an art High School in NY and drugs - especially mushrooms and LSD - were common. You know, artists wanted to free their mind so they could create.
BTW, how is your painting coming along?
I am off to bed - it's late and I am very tired.
Pax,
Henry
Henry,
Yeah, I think drugs, like alcohol, are to be found at most high schools/colleges. Maybe not so much at Catholic schools, though?
The painiting is coming along slowly. I hate it, which makes it all slower :)
Crystal,
You may end up "loving" the painting when you are done so give yourself permission to be surprised! Finish the work and then judge it - don't be a critic and a creator at the same time, it doesn't work.
Pax,
Henry
Both with beautiful hair. I think the sports thing is more a trans-atlantic thing than here, but it certainly is dreadful the way some people are bullied for being slightly different from their peers.
Hi Freda,
Someone else at the original post at America's blog said the same thing - that in Europe the sports thing was not so connected to school as it is here.
I'm curious - how do you guys feel about the Pope's upcoming visit?
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