October 19, 2008. Canyon Lake, Texas. Sports.

I love to watch sports. For many years I participated in various sports, but now the only thing active I do is walk. When I was a kid, I went from one sport to the next at school, with never a break from one to the next. I was never a particularly good athlete, but I always made all the school teams, probably because I was very coach able and had great enthusiasm. I ended up teaching physical education at the Junior High level, which for anyone was a great job. The kids are eager to play and could learn the sport, so with a good school team and a large house league, I was a busy lady and the kids had a lot of fun. As an adult, the only thing I played was tennis, and I played three or four times a week and loved it. But one day I realized that tennis had become another job, so one day when I was in my 50's I hung up my racquet and I never played again. So now I walk. But I love to watch sports at any level. I love to watch the professionals and I love to watch the college games but I love to watch the young children best of all. The games are so unpredictable.

One of the aspects of sports for kids is that the game allows the kids to lose. Now is the read world of the bright child, most of the time their life goes from success to success, with very little opportunity to fail. So when lack of success does arrive, the young adult has no experience with failure, and the failure is treated as a hugh traumatic event, rather than just something that comes along to everyone. But when you play a game, you win and you lose and life goes on. You evaluate what happens, you figure out how to beat the opponent the next time and then it is over while you get on with your life. No one wins every game. but the experience of working very hard and playing your best but still sometimes loses is a very valuable lesson.

On course, getting into top notch condition is always very valuable. The muscles and stamina developed in youth will stand a person in good stead their whole life through. I loved playing on my teams when young and I love watching sports today. I wish all kids had the opportunity and inclination to be part of a team. The rewards are hugh.