Blog #3

 While working with the kids, I have noticed and learned a lot that I wouldn't have expected. First, contrary to what I was expecting, the kids are more receptive to a video demonstration of an activity than a live physical demonstration. I believe that this is because of the increasing use of technology and the amount of time that kids spend watching YouTube or TV. Since they are so used to staring at a screen, watching a video of the activity is far more engaging than watching the coaches demonstrate. Second, I learned that validation is a necessity for the kids. I would estimate that the coaches and I give out a total of about 3-6 ice packs per day, and while some of these may be deserved, the majority are not. Most of the time, a kid will get hit with a foam ball or bump into someone, and then ask a coach for an ice pack. Miraculously, within a minute of having the ice pack, the injury has disappeared, and the kid is ready to play again. My hunch is that the injuries are not magically healing within a minute, but rather the child yearns for the feeling of validation that their pain is real, even if it doesn't actually need an ice pack. Third, I have noticed that the kids are less athletically gifted than when I was their age. I spoke with Coach Gold about this and she mentioned that she has also noticed a drastic drop in basic skills of throwing and catching, along with other athletic capabilities. This can likely be attributed to one of two things. One option is that during the pandemic this age group of students never got the chance to join sports teams at a young age and lacked that initial push into athletics. The other option is that with the rise of technology, kids are spending more time staring at screens, and less time outside playing at a playground or riding their bikes or playing catch with a parent. I am not quite sure what the cause is, but it is honestly disheartening to look at the next generation of athletes and see that they are a step behind because of their environments.