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Sports and Learning
Go Hand-in-High-Five
The Star’s annual high school Scholar-Athletes were announced last week and, as always, their academic deeds are every bit as impressive as their physical feats. Indeed, their GPAs and SAT scores are perhaps even more eye-popping than any RBIs and TD totals.
Headlined by female and male Scholar-Athletes of the Year Peyton Erickson (Ventura High, soccer) and Kevin Daniel (Royal High, tennis), the 26 honorees further add to their remarkable resumes a series of leadership endeavors, community service work and club activities.
While it might seem there must be pixie dust in the Gatorade potions they drink, in truth the magic elixir is sport itself. This was evidenced at the Laureus Youth Leadership Summit held in Los Angeles a week past with dozens of youths and also adults meeting to explore such topics as “What it means to be a young leader”; “Why sport is uniquely positioned to develop leadership skills”; and “How skills are transferred from sport to all areas of life.”
Speakers in the two-day conference included four-time Olympic gold medalist runner Michael Johnson and Olympic sabre fencing bronze medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, but the real stars were the youth themselves who shared their own insights. For example, one exercise featured a chalkboard that began as a clean slate except for this prompt at the top: “Sports showed me…”
Throughout Day One of the summit, participants of all ages picked up sticks of white, blue, red or pink chalk and fully filled up the board. In printed letters as well as in script, sometimes using all caps for emphasis or underlines, here are some of the values of sport as written by young athletes and their mentors:
“How to play as a team. Make new friends. How a team can become a family.
“How to interact with others as family (heart). Family, work, life, opportunity, community. To have fun!!!
“It’s okay to make mistakes! (heart) Helps me improve my self-confidence. Feels like a painter painting a masterpiece.”
“The world (underlined). New experiences. Go new places.
“Seek out those who will help you achieve your GOALS!! I am capable of so much! Independence. Leadership.
“Hustle & Dedication. Motivation. Courage! Patience (underlined twice). Assertiveness. Inspiration. Discipline.
“Minor setback for major comeback! Not to give up. Dedication is key! HOW TO GET BACK UP again and again. Giving up is not an option.
“Youth leadership is harnessing a platform with vision, integrity and an open mind.
“The young people are NOT (underlined) the future, they are the NOW (underlined three times)!
“How to be an ambassador through play. It’s more than just a win or a loss. FUN!
“Help break racial barriers. It doesn’t depend on the gender you are. Brings others together. To not be a judgmental person. Helped me understand others, learn for others, listen to others.
“Do your best! Be curious & vulnerable. Sportsmanship. Passion.
“Teamwork makes the dream work! (heart) Learn who can help you achieve your dreams.
“Compassion and Love. Be yourself. Staying true to yourself is the way to live.
“How to be a better person. How to express myself and connect w/ multiple kinds of people. Give the same respect that I want to receive.”
Had I been asked to contribute to the colorful chalkboard, I might have quoted tennis legend Billie Jean King: “Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose – it teaches you about life.”
The 2018-19 Star Scholar Athletes have each learned all this and now lead by example as well.
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Woody Woodburn writes a weekly column for The Ventura County Star and can be contacted at WoodyWriter@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at woodywoodburn. His books are available at www.WoodyWoodburn.com.
Check out my memoir WOODEN & ME: Life Lessons from My Two-Decade Friendship with the Legendary Coach and Humanitarian to Help “Make Each Day Your Masterpiece” and my essay collection “Strawberries in Wintertime: Essays on Life, Love, and Laughter” …
- Personalized signed copies are available at WoodyWoodburn.com