The End or The Beginning?

This entry is expressly intended for those senior students graduating from Dover High School this week, but the message can certainly be applied to any and all. Because these seniors comprised my last group of high school students when they were sophomores, I want to bid them farewell in my own way.
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Dear Graduating Students,

     A joyous day, perhaps the happiest in your young lives, is right now, this moment--the final day of high school. You have spent so many years preparing . . . and it is here . . . finally. As you look back, you have memories--both good and bad. The petty arguments, jealousies, and dislikes are all put on the back burner for a few days--at this moment, friendships abound, and you are treasuring each moment--good for you!

                       

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     However, when the excitement of the moment wears off, you will find that you really are not that much different from where you were prior to graduation. The only certainty that faces you now is uncertainty because each of you is preparing to go into uncharted waters, situations you have never before experienced. How that ride is going to be will be largely determined by you . . .: thus, your life will be full of unanswered questions . . . just like the rest of us who have already been at the exact spot you are at this moment.

 

     Throughout the time you were in my classroom, you were busily involved in writing, reading, writing, writing, and more writing. If you recall the first day, I made this comment to you: "If your sole reason for entering this classroom is to merely get a grade, then you are going to be sorely disappointed." My objective then--as it continues to be now--was to lead you to an understanding of how to survive and how to succeed beyond the classroom walls. I pushed you perhaps when you did not want pushed; I perhaps angered you with my occasional commentary; I made you discuss situations you may not want to have considered; most importantly, however, I have attempted to make you think. You have heard these words come from my mouth: "The sign of an intelligent person is one who views all sides of an issue before voicing an opinion"--at this point, you know what I was trying to do: I want you to leave high school with the insight to examine. Please do not go through life with a narrow-minded approach believing there is only one way to succeed, to live. Please recognize that narrow-minded people frequently end up with great regrets.

 

     While I was teaching you, I repeatedly said that the key reason for learning grammar is to prevent ourselves from being embarrassed. At various points in our lives, we will be forced to write--no matter how difficult that is to believe at the moment. When those situations occur, you will be so dependent on your basic knowledge--what comprises that basic knowledge is now in your head simply because, following your high school graduation, it will be a rare opportunity to take any more grammar classes. Please remember the green banner that graced my classroom wall: Perception is Reality. Please recognize that the perceptions people make about you will not always be accurate . . . but that is what those individuals will remember. Do whatever you can so that when others perceive you, they are walking away with an impressive reaction.

 

     As I sit here at this computer, I could make so many comments, but my reason for writing this letter is not to be preachy. Throughout my year with you, we got to know each other quite well. Through your journal writings, your numerous essays, and our conversations, I am quite comfortable saying I have a solid understanding of where you are in your life. Thus, my reason for writing to you is to leave you with a few "Guntherisms" (what a stupid word!)--it is my way of saying Please do whatever you can to be a good person.

 

***Please recognize that you are going to fail occasionally in your life--it is a given that failure is going to occur. Bad decisions are going to be made (perhaps a few of you have already learned this lesson), and life's events are not always going to go the way you anticipate. How you deal with that failure, however, will determine where you are going to end up.***

 

***Building from the previous point, please understand that when failure occurs it is so important that you determine why it occurred--making excuses will make you feel better in the short term and may even serve as a partial cover when explaining to friends and family why it occurred, but the reality is you must eventually determine why--scrap the excuses and examine the reasons.***

Courage: It is a rare occasion when an individual has the courage to uphold his convictions; so frequently our lives revolve around trying to please others--the importance and value of doing that cannot be overestimated; however, when we allow ourselves to stray too far from the path, we become an accident, a setback, waiting to happen. Remaining courageous and standing your ground is a true test of your character. What you will find is that the meaning and significance of this word, courage, will gradually change as you continue to plow your way through life. Please understand that it is a simple word, yet it packs a powerful punch!

 

Confidence:  So much of what we do revolves around the confidence, the belief, we have in ourselves. Do not--even for a moment--think that your high school days have fully determined your position in life. Yes, habits--both good and bad--have been established, but what truly shapes an individual's future is his or her will and determination. If you believe and if you are willing to work at something--whether it be a job, a marriage, or an obstacle--you can persevere. There are more ways to get ahead in this life than just being smart, believe me.

 

Responsibility:  Whether we want to accept it or not, we must understand that all of us have a responsibility, an obligation to help those who come after us. Our kids--and I am not necessarily referring to our own biological children--will look to us as role models in ways we rarely envision. The language we use, the way we treat others, the enthusiasm we display for life--all these will be closely monitored by those following us. It is our duty to show them the way, whether we like it or not.

 

Respect:  Treating others with respect is perhaps the most important lesson you will ever learn--you will leave this world eventually with only your reputation--try to do whatever you can to make sure that reputation is laced with respect.

 

     Although the foregoing letters, CCRR, seem awfully innocent, I try to use them as a guide for my dealings with others. I will be the first to admit that I occasionally get off track, but I also will tell you that it helps to have a "code" to bring me back to reality--maybe it can be of benefit at a point in your lives.

 

     As I bring these parting words to a close, I will let you in on these thoughts:

     1.  I thoroughly enjoyed teaching you two years ago; you were respectful young people who

          were willing to do what I asked--I admire you for that.

     2.  I hope the mutual respect between us that I discussed with you on the first day of your

          sophomore year has been earned and maintained--to me, it is the key ingredient in
          teaching.

     3.  I hope you walked away from my class considering yourself a better writer than when you

          walked in--it is inevitable that at various times in your future you will still hear a semi-bald-

           headed man telling you the difference between plurals and possessives!

     4. I hate to reveal this, but I must tell you now to avoid future embarrassment: in all likelihood,
         I will forget many of your names. I will remember you, but I might need a little reminder
         about first names--believe me, with all the students I have taught, the thousands of names
         bouncing around in my head become a bit garbled from time to time. Apologizing in
         advance, I ask for your future understanding.
 

     It has been a great run, class, but it is time for you to move on. I wish you well in your life and hope I have been able to help you in one or two small ways. As the famed cartoon character, Elmer Fudd, so adequately put it, "That's all, folks!" Go get 'em!

With much respect,


Mr. Gunther
         
 . . . and never forget "Passion is the trigger of success!"

How Naive Are We?

     As "Deflategate" continues to consume the national media, I find myself actually chuckling over the bizarre reaction of the athletic purists among us. Sports commentators, political advisors, editorialists, common folk--the reaction has been brutal. "The integrity of the game is being threatened," If the rules are not enforced, then the game will crumble," "Tom Brady should be suspended for a year," "The Patriots should be severely punished," . . . all the aforementioned have been bombarding us for a few days. Again, I chuckle . . . most of the critics probably have forgotten a few of the "unspoken," yet hypocritical "rules" of sports. Please allow me to share just a sample:

     *Coaches, players, franchises--all try to get away with whatever they can . . . nothing new about that. "Gaining a competitive edge" is what we who have played athletics call it; others, of course, will refer to it as "cheating." Whatever the term, try these examples on for size and see if any of them ring a bell:
     **Beginning as far back as I can remember, basketball coaches have taught various methods of "gaining an edge" ranging from sending the wrong foul shooter to the free throw line "in case the official forgot" who was to go there; to nudging an opposing jumper during a jump ball with the inside arm as the jumper was going up in the air; to immediately jumping out of bounds when the ball went out of bounds to indicate that the other team knocked the ball out of play "in case the official wasn't sure." In the stands, of course, we applaud the heads up play of the athlete . . . as long as he is on our side!
     ***Offensive line coaches in football are notorious for teaching kids how to clandestinely hold without the officials noticing; sometimes the offenders get caught, but more often than not they avoid being penalized. In simple terms, as football fans know, holding is part of the game. Illegal, yes, but, again, it's part of the game, isn't it?
     ****As a Browns' fan, I clearly remember last year when Coach Mike Pettine ran a play where it appeared that Johnny Manziel ran off the field but instead stood on the sideline apparently discussing something with Coach Kyle Shanahan. Soon thereafter the ball was thrown to Manziel and a significant yardage gain was made; unfortunately, if I remember correctly, a penalty was called for either that trick or for something else that negated the call. We Browns' fans, thought it was a great play because it "almost" worked in our favor. Opponents, of course, thought it was a distinct violation of the rule's intent, but we in this part of Ohio thought it was ingenious!
     *****In baseball, the "code" is if a batter is hugging the plate, a high hard one right at his body may solve the problem. Ethical? Probably not, but as a player, we understand that it could happen. I could elaborate about the "spitter," the hidden ball ploy, and other rules violations, but they are simply part of the game, aren't they?
     ******UCLA is renown for its long-running tenure of NCAA Men's Basketball Championships; as a result, the program and Coach John Wooden are heralded as great teams and a great coach. Many times I have heard "that's how a program should be run" because of the high regard by which they are held. Sorry, I don't buy that argument. As history and research have proven, UCLA cheated like crazy; former players have attested that they were given cars, money, and gifts as rewards for their performances. Sam Gilbert, an extremely devoted fan and a quite wealthy man, I might add, was notorious for his subtle performance as a sugar-daddy. Of course, Coach Wooden escaped the scrutiny because his program was UCLA--a dynasty--and because the NCAA was (or acted) so unaware of what was going on during that time. I strongly doubt that UCLA fans cared whether the "integrity of the game" was being challenged--they were winning, so what if a little action came the way of the players?
     ******As a longtime follower of automobile racing, particularly NASCAR, I recognize that seeking the competitive edge is part of the racing game. NASCAR's history is dotted with improper equipment, unapproved fuel additives, unsanctioned weight distribution methods . . . the list goes on. In truth, part of me admires the ingenuity of the participants for their desire to "bend the rules." Most recently, Ryan Newman's team was fined and certain crew members suspended for putting pinholes in the rear tires to alter the tires' grip on the track . . . my take was "why didn't the other teams try that?"

     So, Tom Brady is accused of being "at least partially aware" of knowing that air was taken out of his footballs--that's a big deal? Are you kidding me? Again, part of me admires him for continuing the tradition of gaining an edge. (I must add that if I flip the words "at least partially aware" what I truly see is "we cannot prove it, but we think that is what happened"--the Wells' Report sounds to me like the word choice has found Brady guilty even though he truly has not! Sensationalism, perhaps?) If the integrity of the game is now ruined because of air in a football, I surrender . . . get me off the athletic train! (I should add in the event that a reader sees me as a loyal Patriots' supporter, he or she would be wrong--that is not the case.)

     Sports are games--anyone who has played, coached, or watched closely probably understands my perspective. For the naysayers who are convinced that all sports need to be pure, I have to agree with them . . . if only that were so. Viewing sports from a naïve perspective can only lead to negative perceptions; opening our eyes and occasionally appreciating the quirks can be quite enlightening. The reality is that sports are not wholly pure--the "wiggle room" is half the fun!

mag.gunther@gmail.com
guntherm@roadrunner.com

Young Athletes: Separation and Specialization

The Vortex is alive, consuming as many innocents as possible . . . where did it start, and when will it end?

     The beauty of experience is that it often allows an alternative perspective, often conflicting with what is currently accepted as common practice. From my seat, that is the dilemma with young athletes and many families today: naïve bystanders getting sucked in by a power that seems out of control--join in or get left behind.

     As most who read my blog know, my background in coaching is lengthy; certainly, that does not make me an expert, but it does allow me the opportunity to provide an informed viewpoint on sports and kids who play them. Seemingly forever, kids have been participating in sports, many organized, many not. However, sometime in the past 15-20 years or so, the idea that we need not just a few leagues, but many leagues, emerged. Along with this came the idea that we needed travel teams, that we needed to play in competition leagues, that kids needed the best competition possible, and that future full-college scholarships depended on kids' involvement. Pick a sport, my friends, and you will see to what I am referring: basketball, baseball, softball.


     I, as much as anyone, understand the thrill of competition as well as the lessons accompanying winning and losing. However, I am deeply troubled by the changing dynamics of youth sports. As indicated in my opening, a "vortex" seems to have surfaced creating the idea for parents that their kids must be involved in sports for them to be "somebody." No, I do not underestimate the values sports teaches us, so please spare the criticism for a moment. What seems to happen is that kids--in so many ways, both subtly and openly--are being force-fed to participate in youth sports. What concerns me, though, is that many times the emphasis is not on the involvement but, rather, on the development of talent so that a travel team can go somewhere and win resulting in kids getting a boatload of trophies. My observation is that oftentimes the kids who get chosen for the travel teams are most frequently the ones who have matured the earliest and whose families can afford the fees associated with the costs involved. In short, separation is created at a young age. Pity the poorer kids whose families know they cannot afford the luxury of carting their kids here and there most weekends. Pity the kids whose coordination and athletic talents have yet to surface as youths. Their opportunities and desire to succeed are often squashed before they have even made it out of elementary school.

     For those whose kids are talented and whose parents can afford the costs, travel teams are probably welcome to their lives. However, I would bet that many of those same involved parents were ones who at one time said, "We will never do that." Thus, the vortex  . . . many have been sucked in only because they have accepted that their children pretty much need sports to fit in . . . or is it the parents who need the fix?
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     In the spring of every year as coaches organize their summers, we as coaches wait to see who is going to stop playing basketball, football, tennis,  . . . . Invariably, a few walk away for a variety of reasons. Reasoning typically includes tension with the coach, loss of desire for the sport, lack of talent, or--something I have observed recently more than ever--specializing in a certain sport. I am not about to criticize others' decisions, but I do want to make a few observations, based on a 59-year-old man's reasoning. Even though it is a cliché, enjoying our youth is so vital to our development. I played baseball and basketball throughout high school and football for my freshman year; I wish my school would have had a cross country program because I would have loved to have run. I wish I had learned to play the piano, but I was too busy playing sports; I wish I had learned how to work on a car when my dad wanted to teach me; I wish I had learned carpentry when my neighbor wanted me to help him . . . my point is that as I look back, I enjoyed my opportunities, but I missed out on so much. Why was simple . . . I wanted to play basketball and baseball. Granted, my abilities were somewhat limited, but I would have loved to have been a three-sport athlete. Even today I look with admiration at my peers who were well-rounded athletes and those today who develop their skills to their utmost. When kids specialize, though, they lose in many ways. The lust for that all-encompassing full college scholarship overwhelms and blinds so many that they often fail to see the opportunity that is staring them in the face right now. Yes, it's true that when spring arrives, young athletes often are lured by warmth and sunshine and begin questioning their allegiance to various sports and activities, but when that football team takes the field or that basketball team emerges from the locker room, those kids who have not been willing to make that sacrifice will be missing out on their golden opportunities . . . here's hoping that those high school kids enjoy the sacrifice and the lessons learned--they will never regret it.
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     Finally, in an attempt to bring my thoughts together, my parting words are simple: By the time kids arrive on varsity squads, most coaches have no idea who was on a traveling team or how many trophies were won or how many dads were championship coaches . . . it's almost like knowing the score at halftime--few know and few remember. Many of those kids who were on those super teams have quit playing, have been injured due to overuse injuries, or simply have realized that their athletic accomplishments have been overstressed by parents. What is left are those kids who have a passion, who have talent, and whose coordination has blossomed . . . my only fear is that we have not turned kids off before we have the chance to turn them on!