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mahoganyI've spent my entire life accepting the fact that I'm not at all athletic.
Do you know the episode of Freaks and Geeks where Bill desperately wants not to get picked last in phys. ed, yet again, and you have to watch his agony as the kids who were the two team captains go through every single person in the class, and pick him dead last? Again. This was me. Every single gym class, all through elementary and junior high - I would be picked dead last or second to last. And before I go further, I'd just like to say to any phys ed. teacher or any other kind of teacher who happens to read this, and that allows kids to choose their own teams in that fashion: You are an idiot and a bad teacher, and a completely insensitive person. Of all the ways of picking teams, that method is the worst.
Anyhow, I was reflecting on a few things from my childhood. There used to be fitness testing. I remember desperately wanting to get a Gold level achievement. I could force my way through the required number of sit-ups and push-ups, but getting my time in the distance running was a bit trickier. I remember practicing on my own at the track, and running until I was almost vomiting just to get my time down. And I succeeded.
I was also always good enough to make the school team in basketball and volleyball. I was always second line, so I wasn't really good or anything, but I was good enough. I set a school record for triple jump in junior high.
Looking back on it, considering the hostility I faced from the other girls, I'm amazed that I tried out for the school teams at all. What was I thinking? What the hell was I trying to prove? Did I think that being on the team would make me one of them? It took me all these years to finally realize that I'm not a terrible athlete. I'm average. This is awesome news for someone that has always thought of themselves as bottom of the barrel. I was so excited about this revelation that I told my husband, and you know what he said? "I've always known that you weren't brutal at sports. I've seen you play them, and you're not that bad. You were just unpopular, that's all."
He's right. I wonder how many other things I've held to be true, that just aren't.
Do you know the episode of Freaks and Geeks where Bill desperately wants not to get picked last in phys. ed, yet again, and you have to watch his agony as the kids who were the two team captains go through every single person in the class, and pick him dead last? Again. This was me. Every single gym class, all through elementary and junior high - I would be picked dead last or second to last. And before I go further, I'd just like to say to any phys ed. teacher or any other kind of teacher who happens to read this, and that allows kids to choose their own teams in that fashion: You are an idiot and a bad teacher, and a completely insensitive person. Of all the ways of picking teams, that method is the worst.
Anyhow, I was reflecting on a few things from my childhood. There used to be fitness testing. I remember desperately wanting to get a Gold level achievement. I could force my way through the required number of sit-ups and push-ups, but getting my time in the distance running was a bit trickier. I remember practicing on my own at the track, and running until I was almost vomiting just to get my time down. And I succeeded.
I was also always good enough to make the school team in basketball and volleyball. I was always second line, so I wasn't really good or anything, but I was good enough. I set a school record for triple jump in junior high.
Looking back on it, considering the hostility I faced from the other girls, I'm amazed that I tried out for the school teams at all. What was I thinking? What the hell was I trying to prove? Did I think that being on the team would make me one of them? It took me all these years to finally realize that I'm not a terrible athlete. I'm average. This is awesome news for someone that has always thought of themselves as bottom of the barrel. I was so excited about this revelation that I told my husband, and you know what he said? "I've always known that you weren't brutal at sports. I've seen you play them, and you're not that bad. You were just unpopular, that's all."
He's right. I wonder how many other things I've held to be true, that just aren't.
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Date: 2010-10-22 06:49 pm (UTC)Totally agree with you on that team selection method - so cruel!
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Date: 2010-10-23 03:06 pm (UTC)Discovering exercise - on MY terms, and integrating it into my life, has changed my life for the better. In Alberta now there are 2 streams of PhysEd, one that's about team sports, and one that's about lifestyle fitness. I LOVE THIS. Lifestyle fitness, just finding something that works for you - learning how to lift weights, rock climbing, or going for runs, or swimming, or anything that is not about COMPETING and more about HEALTH and meeting little goals, but primarily acknowledging the fact that a little something every day is CRITICALLY IMPORTANT TO mental and physical well-being is just such a positive direction for the PhysEd curriculum to have headed.
Swimming changed my life in a way. I now have a way that never, ever fails to clear away any sad or angry cobwebs, and leaves me feeling good about myself and the world. It's a gift from God, to connect with this body he gave me, and realize that I'm not just a created BRAIN or SOUL, I'm also here in physical form, as "good" or whatever as it can be, and that my body holds within it gifts of his healing hand!!! Wow!