[tennisbiz] Re: Bad Attitudes

<x-charset iso-8859-1>This is in response to "Bad Attitudes".

First of all, what kind of role models do our kids have today? We have our
"professional athlete" that screams when he isn't making as much money as
his counter-part on another team. Once they get the money they want, they
don't have any type of value system to manage their money let alone
themselves. Take a look at the people making our laws, making our decisions
for us in Congress. If you have seen the statistics (ie. criminal records)
for some of these people, it is no wonder there are problems.

Please don't misunderstand what I am saying. I am still very proud to be an
American. However, we have some problems in this country that need to be
fixed.

This also in no way is meant as a solution, however the message from Rick
Johnson about having these "bad attitudes" watch a video of the Special
Olympics is a good one. I would like to take it a step further.

Last week we had our annual four day Wheelchair Tennis Camp (during Spring
Break) for kids at our club in Carlsbad, CA. This camp is for kids ranging
in ages from 8-16. Volunteers are always a very big part of these programs.
The volunteers are "throwers", "catchers", team leaders, coaches, etc. This
year, we had a local boys high school tennis team come volunteer. All I can
say is these are life skills these kids are learning they may not learn at
home or at school. Some of these high schoolers came back to help every day
of the camp - on their Spring Break - because they were having fun and they
felt they were serving a purpose.

What I am about to say is very selfish on my part, however I am going to say
it anyway. I do these programs because it makes me "feel good". Sure we
have a great time, I love being with the kids, I love to teach...But I can
honestly say these kids teach me more than I teach them.

In my opinion, I feel some type of community program should be a part of
every single sports team!
There is something special about going into a school that can't afford a P.E
. program or a rehab center for these individuals that have been in car
accidents, or a retirement home and doing a tennis program for Alzheimer
patients or doing a tennis program for 400 Vietnamese refugees that were
locked in cages in Hong Kong and allowed out of their confines to
participate in a tennis program in a school gymnasium. You know what that
special something is. APPRECIATION!

These kids (and adults) appreciate your efforts and are not afraid to let
you know they appreciate what you are doing. They come up and hug you, they
tell you they love you, they draw pictures for you to hang on your
wall...Why? Because you were willing to give them part of your time. What
do they give you in return? I have already told you.

So, give me someone with a bad attitude and put them in a program with some
of our special kids. If they still have a bad attitude after participating
in one of these programs, I am sorry to say there probably isn't anything
short of a life-threatening experience that will help them see what is
really important in life.

Steve Halverson
shalverson_at_worldnet.att.net



 
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Received on Tue Apr 24 2001 - 18:10:09 CDT