Geoff McCloud's Words of Wisdom Learning How to Lose
Every one wants to be on the winning team. When I was growing up, I
played little league baseball. My coach, Mr. Greene (who did not have a son on the
team) would say after we lost a game, "Fellas, our performance wasn't good
enough to win today. We will practice harder and perhaps we'll beat them next
time." Mr. Robert Greene taught me a lot about losing that year...we came in dead
last and didn't win one game. He died of a heart attack shortly after that
season, but his legacy lives on in the lessons he shared with our team that
summer. Yes, sir, Coach Greene taught us how to lose.
We read about irate parents throwing "fits" in the stands, using
profanity and, at times, assaulting others...gymnastics officials being publicly
chastised because some parent did not agree with the score their child received.
What is happening to us? What ever happened to, "Honey, your performance wasn't
good enough to win today. You'll have to work harder, improve and PERHAPS
you'll win next time." Officials and referees will error...that is part of the
game too. We can't fly off the handle just because we don't like (or agree with)
someone else's perspective of our child's (or athlete's) performance or
product.
Many children, and I believe some adults, equate losing with failure.
BUNK !! Your level of effort and attitude define you....NOT your win/loss record.
To the Chinese, the essence of sport and games is simply...to play. Isn't
this what we should be trying to get across to our students? Play to win, for
sure...but if you don't ... remember, losing is just as big a part of the game as
winning. Granted, it's not as fun. A large part of growing up is accepting
this fact. After all, we are talking about children here, not professional
athletes.
A Gift From the Heart
Every now and then certain people come into our lives and touch our hearts...and teach us life's valuable lessons. Please allow me to share with you one such extraordinary person. Two years ago I received an anonymous check for fifty dollars from a gentleman who had read about our climbing wall in a news article. He was excited to see a program that promoted children's fitness and wanted to help out with a small donation to the same. I sent a brief, yet very sincere thank you note and invited him to please come to our school and witness the joys of movement learning. I received a second check about a year ago and immediately sent out my sincere appreciation for this noble gesture.
Two weeks ago a young man approached me on the playground during recess and said he was looking for Mr. McCloud. I introduced myself. His name was Benjamin Cary...tall, fit, very short hair and very humble in nature. This was the man. This was the kind soul that was giving to our program and children so selflessly. You see, Benjamin Cary is Lance Corporal Benjamin Cary, U.S.M.C. He had returned from Iraq where he saw action in the south. He handed me a check for $400. I was speechless. This young man opened his heart and gave from it openly. He is my hero and mentor at age 22. This gesture of kindness speaks volumes about his character and generosity.
Thank you again so very much, Corporal Benjamin Cary, wherever you are...not just for the check, but for the lesson of giving from the heart. I will never forget you.
The Power of Encouragement
While attending a Point Loma High football game recently, a former student came up and sat down next to me. She wanted to say hi and tell me a few things she remembered about her years at Silver Gate. The one thing that stood out was the brief story she told of her running around the four backstops on our dirt playing field. She was not a particularly good runner, but she always tried and would occasionally walk to catch her breath. She was the last one to finish the run that day and her entire class started cheering for her...and continued until she finished the run. "I will never forget that feeling," she said. Those six words completely validated my existence as a teacher.
The act of encouraging...to give courage and hope to another, is extremely powerful.
This selfless act can enable a person to go beyond what they think they can do. Please try this little experiment. Pair students up. One will jog a lap. The other becomes a fullblown cheerleader for their running partner. Jumping up and down, screaming like a crazy person and being sure to use the runner's name. Switch places and repeat. NOW, repeat again without all the cheering and hoopla. Following the run, have a brief discussion of how the students performed on their respective runs. Please talk also about the way they were feeling as they ran and cheered. I will let you imagine the results of this talk.
The power of encouragement is amazing!! Cheering for and at someone really does give them the courage to "dig down deep" within themselves and pull out that little bit of extra effort they have within themselves. The feeling of pride and accomplishment can be realized at any age level. You will see it in your students faces.
From CAHPERD Unit 47-412 newsletter Spring, 2004:
From CAHPERD Unit 47-412 newsletter February, 2004:
From CAHPERD Unit 47-412 newsletter Fall 2003: