By Jeff Salisbury jeffsalisbury@charter.net
There’s an old proverbial phrase that goes something like this
… “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”
Lemons, of course, are sour and bring to mind some sort of bitter experience or feeling, while using those same lemons to make lemonade and one where the result can be a sweet drink expresses encouragement and a sense of optimism – an “I can do this!” attitude in spite of facing adversity or experiencing some sort of misfortune.
I’ve collected three items from the Internet this week.
The first one I am sharing because I have four grandchildren ( two boys and two girls, ages 10 to 15) and each plays more than one team sport. Each has faced disappointments in their endeavors, either individually or as a member of a team. These can and have included missing a key basket or free-throw in basketball… failing to block a spike or make a successful dig in volleyball… striking out in baseball or softball… shanking a drive or missing a crucial putt in golf… making a forced or unforced error of some kind in almost any sport. Each one a disappointing experience for the individual or the team as well as their parents and grandparents and, of course, their coaches as well. The article gives parents and coaches some excellent tips on just how to bounce back from those sorts of disappointments.
The second item struck me as an example of a troubling double standard in the American justice system and specifically with regard to the recent sentencing of a former CIA director and that of a group of school teachers in Atlanta.
And finally, the last item – which I believe is perhaps the most optimistic of the three. I am hopeful that my grandchildren and their parents and coaches can make lemonade from lemons. I am hopeful that elected officials can review various court case and respond to double standard lemons.
And I am hopeful because of the story of one man who learned an amazing life lesson from one decision.
Disappointments
Helping athletes bounce back from a disappointing experience
“It all depends on the child, but here are a few basic guidelines to help your child or player bounce back from a disappointing experience on the playing field.
Pep talk time
Assure them that you know they have played well in the past, worked hard, done what you asked and given their best. Acknowledging their intent, effort and past accomplishments shows them that you’re paying attention and not focused on one bad play or game.
Get them back in the game.
The old cliché about falling off a horse and getting right back in the saddle holds true. Nothing erases the memory and hurt of a bad play faster than a good one. And you can’t make a good play sitting on the sidelines.
Don’t ignore it. Whatever the cause of their disappointment – a dropped fly ball, a missed layup, a bad pass – there is an opportunity to make it a learning opportunity. After getting them over the hump with the pep talk and some positive plays in the field, go back over what led to the mistake and walk them through how to correct it next time. This instruction time likely comes later in the game or at the next practice when their heads have cleared and focus has returned.
Tell them your own sports bloopers.
As you’re going through the teaching phase so they don’t have the same disappointing experience again, open up about some of your own disappointments in a game. You can avoid the “back in my day” eye rolls by just telling a true story about your own athletic history.
Laugh at yourself as you tell it.
But also tell them how you learned from it and never made the same mistake again.”
PLEASE follow this link to read the rest of https://www.youthletic.com/articles/helping-athletes-bounce-back-from-a-disappointing-experience/ Note: This article was written by Jim Kelsey, who is the brother of local journalist and friend Julie Makarewicz. Jim is a marketing professional and freelance writer based in Lexington, Ky. His youth sports experience includes not-so-glory days playing tee-ball and soccer and five-plus years as a volunteer youth coach.
Double standards
Petraeus sentenced to 2 years’ probation for military leak
Former CIA Director David Petraeus, whose career was destroyed by an extramarital affair with his biographer, was sentenced Thursday to two years’ probation and fined $100,000 for giving her classified material while she was working on the book. The sentencing came two months after he agreed to plead guilty to a federal misdemeanor count of unauthorized removal and retention of classified material. The plea agreement carried a possible sentence of up to a year in prison. In court papers, prosecutors recommended two years’ probation and a $40,000 fine. But Judge David Keesler increased the fine to “reflect seriousness of the offense.” He said Petraeus committed a “grave and uncharacteristic error in judgment.”
Seriously? A $100,000 fine and 2 years of probation eh? …let’s see.. Julian Assange is still on the run (so to speak) and Chelsea Elizabeth Manning (born Bradley Edward Manning) got 35 years in prison…. you know, if we didn’t have double standards in this country, sometimes we wouldn’t have any standards at all. And the teachers in Atlanta got prisons terms for erasing wrong answers on some of their students’ high-stakes tests – you know, the ones that were so important that retaining their jobs was directly related to students scores… while it was a stretch to maintain that any laws were broken (racketeering? what a stretch)… I would have their certificates/credentials pulled… in all 50 states… permanently — we have offenders lists for other “crimes” after all… so to me, that would be appropriate. For the bankers, mortgage lenders, financial advisers? Seems that there were plenty of laws broken. Pay the money back and serve time.
Desperate Decisions
The day one man decided to give up his gun
In the 1970s, Pastor Ned David learned an important lesson about himself during what could have been a tragic situation involving his temper and a handgun and after listening to this week’s “Story Corps” (follow the link below)… Call me old fashioned, but some mornings I still like to start my day by listening to Michigan Public Radio to catch up on state and national news. I especially like NPR Morning Edition and specifically one weekly segment. Since 2003, National Public Radio’s “StoryCorps” has collected and archived more than 50,000 interviews with over 90,000 participants. Each conversation is recorded on a CD to share, and is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. StoryCorps is one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, and millions listen to our weekly broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition. I thought to myself, “If one person can learn such a profound life lesson after such an experience… why not a political leader? Why not a legislative body? Why not a whole country?”… What do you think?
http://www.npr.org/2015/04/24/401711396/the-day-one-man-decided-to-give-up-his-gun
And finally… my constant reminder about School board “decision-making” …
Please attend the next Wayland Board of Education meeting – tonight! Since the agendas are no long posted in advance of the meetings I’ve no idea what the board will discuss.
But here’s my best guess:
- Casino Fund Use
- 2015-16 Budget Assumptions
SPEAK OUT!
During the PUBLIC COMMENTS, tell Board to:
- Question Every Aspect of the District’s Essential and Non-Essential Educational Programming and Personnel (Needs versus Wants)
- Set General Fund & Casino Revenue Spending Guidelines
- Track and Trim All Expenditures & Make Targeted Programs & Personnel Cuts
REMIND THE BOARD:
- “Build ONE Budget” – combine general fund revenue (local, state and federal dollars) and Gun Lake Casino “in lieu of taxes” revenue.
- “Pay Yourselves First” – restore the fund equity – which dipped from 15% to 7% in four years – by committing to saving 1% to 1.5% per year for AT LEAST the next 5 years.
- “No More Loans” – resist the temptation to borrow more money on top of the $291,000 annual loan payments to United Bank for the science wing from 2015 to 2025… no loans for iPads, no loans for school buses – no more loans PERIOD.
Wayland Union Schools – Board of Education Meetings & Workshops
• April 27, 2015 Administration Building, 850 E. Superior, Wayland – 6:00 p.m
• May 18, 2015 Wayland Union Middle School, 701 Wildcat Drive, Wayland – 7:00 p.m
• June 8, 2015 Wayland Union Middle School, 701 Wildcat Drive, Wayland – 7:00 p.m
• June 22, 2015 Administration Building, 850 E. Superior, Wayland – 7:00 p.m
• July 13, 2015 Administration Building, 850 E. Superior, Wayland – 7:00 p.m
BOARD MEMBERS CONTACT INFORMATION:
• Nancy Thelen, President, Email: nancyboe@waylandunion.net Phone: 616-877-3098
• Tom Salingue, Vice President, Email: tomboe@waylandunion.net Phone: 269-792-2061
• Toni Ordway, Treasurer, Email: ordwayt@waylandunion.net Phone: 269-910-3297
• Theresa Dobry, Secretary, Email: theresaboe@waylandunion.net Phone: 616-681-2119
• Pete Zondervan, Trustee, Email: zondervanp@waylandunion.net Phone: 616-450-1468
• Janel Hott, Trustee, Email: hottj@waylandunion.net Phone: (h) 269-792-0297 (c) 269-250-0286
• Gary Wood, Trustee, Email: glw_boe@yahoo.com Phone: 616-681-2120.