A year ago around this time, I published a post I had written the year before to remind myself (and anyone out there reading this) of some of the aspects of diving that I love. I'm writing this essay a year in advance for a similar reason.
Every year, the Salisbury Stingers (my adult, women's ice hockey team) plays against the JV Girls team at my school. I had our ref (my husband) take the photo above right after one of last year's games. The girls in the photo above (I got so excited learning how to put emojis in front of their faces that I accidentally emojied myself. I'm the one in the back wearing a Stingers jersey.) are all members of the class for which I'm the dean and they're all better at ice hockey than I am.
Because the game is so much fun and on a random Tuesday when other teams don't also have contests, lots of students (including most of the Boys Varsity team, who had just gotten off the ice from their own practice) came to the rink to watch the game. Was I ever nervous! I'm not great at hockey, and I knew they'd all see me out there skating with my slow, wobbly strides, missing the puck, and letting the JV offense get by me.
And then I had the insight that it's good for kids to see me having fun and working hard at something I'm not great at. So many of our students excel at so many activities that they're not used to being okay with not being perfect. They need models of having fun without expecting to be the best.
I hope I'll get to play them again this year and that we'll all have huge smiles on our faces as we enjoy a game that won't ever make the NHL highlight reel (though maybe for the bloopers).
What activities do you love to do that you're not good at? Please share your responses in the comments.
Love the idea of the importance of modeling values besides athletic (or academic) excellence, including having fun, participating, and practicing things you’re not great at (yet or possibly ever).
In general, I think adding “yet” to the sentences I tell myself about what I’m not good at is a great habit. With hockey, at this point, I think it’s safe to say I’m never going to be great. That said, I’m always having great fun!
Both good attitudes to remember.
Thanks!