Wondering Just How Much Physical Activity Our Children Should Be Getting And Why It's So Important?

Here are some of the alarming stats:

• There are over 200 million children around the world that are overweight
• Over 75% of children do not reach the minimum requirements for physical activity
• In fact, I've even read some sources that say less than 10% get the recommend amounts
• The average child spends 7.5 hours each and every day in front of a screen (TV, tablet, video games, etc.)

So, clearly there are frightening trends developing worldwide. We have a serious impact on how our children will develop. For instance, when both parents are obese there is an 80% chance the child will also become obese; conversely, there is only a 10% chance for the child to become obese when both parents are lean.

Further evidence is shown that when a mother is active, there is a two-fold the child will also be active; there is a three-fold chance of being active when the father is active; and a six-fold chance when both parents are active. 

We as parents, or guardians, have a real important role to play.

This occurs through role modelling, fostering a shared love for physical activity, and an increased access to such resources.

As well, children are much more moldable and capable of shaping behavior into better patterns than adults, making this a great place for intervention. Also, children height-growth potential, which means that if weight (or other factors) fluctuate due to external influences, they have the ability to return "back on track" without adverse effects.

So what things can we do?

1. We have to remove, or limit, influences that increase sedentary behavior. This includes TV, video games, etc.
2. Physical activity needs to be promoted. This is very important at school, although you don't have a significant direct influence on this, but also at home with the family (or friends).
3. Help make your community more friendly to incorporating physical activity.
• Check out Dave Kittner (aka Youth Fitness Guy) and his Fun At One.

Finally, how much physical activity should children get?

Fortunately, there are numerous organizations that are heavily invested in this, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and ParticipACTION; however, their recommendations are quite similar.

• Early Year (0-4 years)
• Infants (less than 1 year)
• Interactive floor-based play such as tummy time
• Toddlers (1-2 years) and Preschoolers (3-4 years)
• 180 minutes/day of crawling, creeping, walking, and exploring the environment
• Children (5-11 years)
• 60 minutes/day of running, biking, swimming
• Incorporating vigorous intensity aerobic activities 3x week, and activities that strengthen the muscles and bones 3x week
• Youth (12-17 years)
• 60 minutes/day of basketball, skateboarding, martial arts
• Incorporating vigorous intensity aerobic activities 3x week, and activities that strengthen the muscles and bones 3x week
• Adults (18-64 years)
• 150 minutes/week of running in clubs, biking to work, walks after dinner and in bouts of at least 10 or more minutes
• Incorporating vigorous intensity aerobic activities 2x week, and activities that strengthen the muscles and bones 2x week
• Older Adults (65+ years)
• 150 minutes/week of dance classes, bowling leagues, or walks in the park and in bouts of at least 10 or more minutes
• Activities to increase balance to reduce fall

For further information you can check out ParticipACTION's website directly.

For more information you can check out my previous entries:

Benefits Of Physical Activity

http://softballphysicalactivityandhealth.blogspot.ca/2014/04/unplugandplay-benefits-of-being-more.html

How To Remain Active At Work

http://softballphysicalactivityandhealth.blogspot.ca/2014/04/back-to-work-how-to-remain-active.html

Kevin Daize - Father, Coach, Man-Extraordinaire!

SMSA 2013 Squirt Girls Selects - Provincial Champions


I have been very fortunate to get to know Kevin Daize over the last number. He and his daughter, Lauren, would come out to the SMSA's pitching clinic each and every night as well as have their winterball practice right before hand. He is clearly a dedicated father and coach. I contacted him not so long ago to get his thoughts and perspectives on being coach, as he is someone all coaches could learn a thing or two from. He had the following to say:

In the 7th and 8th grades I belonged to a school that had a phenomenal music program.  The Vice Principal Mr. Leith was a stern man with a dry sense of humour in his late 40's at the time, who was also a gifted musician.  He conducted the school band, which year over year would win awards, and at one point had even released a record (that's right...from a grade 8 band!).

Before starting the 7th grade, most of the kids in the band had never before touched a wood wind or brass instrument.  They had been introduced to their instruments as part of the standard music program, then been selected to play in the band if they demonstrated a level of proficiency.

Mr. Leith amazed me.  He could play every instrument;  Trumpets, trombones, French horns, clarinets, flutes...I don't remember ever seeing him not able to play an instrument.  The benefit of course, was that Mr. Leith could demonstrate how a particular piece was supposed to sound when one of the band

members was having trouble.  They could see him, hear him, plus listen to his explanations.  In my mind, he always did an excellent job at ensuring the kids were able to understand what he was teaching.

The band was broken into sections...the bass, woodwinds, percussion, etc., and were all given instructions along with their sheet music to work on.  The groups were sent to their own sound proof rooms within a building that was separate from the rest of the school to work on their components.  This building was affectionately called "The Pit".

After  several days of practicing separately, and in some cases, bringing our instruments home to fine tune our pieces, Mr. Leith would bring the entire band together.  As a member, we knew we had a responsibility to the rest of the band to learn our individual music.  And we knew the rest of the band had a responsibility to us to know theirs.  Anyone not prepared would stand out like an angry tom cat when Mr. Leith called everyone to order before finally raising his conducting baton.

I don't expect anyone reading this to be so naive as to think that we played the scores in our set list perfectly the first time.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  But would did happen, is that a group of thirty 13 and 14 yr. olds would play a recognizable piece of music together.  Sure it was a little ugly at first, but that was the diamond in the rough.  Mr. Leith was quick to stop and highlight problems in any particular part of the band as we practiced together.  Sometimes they'd be sent away to practice on their own again depending on the infraction.  His guidance was swift, direct, and specific.

The band perfected each piece of music as it prepared for upcoming concerts.  We found ourselves playing at events alongside concert bands formed with kids from high schools in their late teens, but anyone present and not able to see the young people behind our instruments would have sworn our prowess went well beyond our years.

This will be my fifth year coaching House League fastball for the Stittsville Minor Softball Association (SMSA), and I can't believe how much influence Mr. Leith has had on my approach to teaching kids the game, assigning accountability, and feeling the sense of accomplishment when everything finally comes together.  I can only strive to be the leader Mr. Leith was.

The ball diamond is our "Pit", and until you see and feel it all come together, you'll never know how rewarding it is to coach kids fastball.     

-Kevin Daize

Stittsville Minor Softball Association: Midget Girls Selects Tryouts at South Carleton High School - Session 1 of 2

The Midget Girls Selects Team began their tryouts on Thursday, April 24.

The session went from 6:00 pm until 7:30 pm and displayed why the SMSA has had such a strong showing in softball across Ontario, including three provincial championships, and a third place finish.

Off the heels of their provincial win last year, a core group of girls that played for the Bantam Girls Selects that won their respective provincials last year, along with a very strong group of other girls, comprised this fantastic group of young women. There was a total of 17 girls trying out, but

unfortunately only 11 spots to fill and the coaches are having a very tough time choosing the team's members.

Coach Paul Prebinski, Darren Staal, and Phil Thomson all agree that it will be sad to cut such talented girls from the team, but that in the end this team will represent Stittsville as strongly as its predecessors.

Please pay attention to social media and the SMSA website for information on the second tryout session and for updates on how the team is doing

SMSA Website - www.StittsvilleSoftball.org

SMSA Twitter - @SMSAsoftball

SMSA Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stittsville-Minor-Softball-Association/100814136693483

Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue - Garage Sale

Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue is a non-profit charitable organization who strives to take stray cats off the streets and place them into forever homes. They also practice trap-neuter-return for the wild or feral cats to decrease the cat population and help minimize unwanted fighting and disease among these cats.

To help with funding of medical costs, Ottawa Stray Cat Rescue is having a Garage Sale (the second annual) on the June 7-8th weekend pending the weather, and would be grateful for any donations of items (with the exception of large furniture, clothes, electronics and mattresses). Pick up can be arranged! Come on by to see the treasures and help fund the spay/neuter stray cats! Location to be announced!

This is a great cause, and donating/supporting them requires little to no effort. I highly recommend checking out their social media:

Website - http://www.oscatr.ca/

Twitter - @OttawaCatRescue

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ottawa-Stray-Cat-Rescue/161752790585752

Or contact Katie Jones - katie@oscatr.ca

The Dream Catchers - Dare to Dream

Click to check out their website

I have had the great pleasure to work with one of the founding members, Osman Naqvi, at the Boys and Girls Club in Ottawa at the Britannia location. He is a dedicated, hard working, and philanthropic individual that will certainly do a great many things. Further, I also had the opportunity to work with Kevin Nguyen, another one of their members, also at the Boys and Girls Club. In the last bit I have also begun to converse with some of their other members, such as Lena Boyd. I hope that I will continue to work with these ambitious and inspirational young adults as they move forward in the world. Keep a close eye for these go-getters, they will do great things!

I highly recommend you check them out on Facebook:

Click on the image

Follow them on Twitter:

Click on the image

Check out their website by clicking on the image at the top

So, who are The Dream Catchers?

The Dream Catchers (TDC), is a Not For Profit founded by two university students, Osman Naqvi and Moses Otim. Enlisting the help of a few of their friends, this organization has grown to include 8 more executive members; Nicole Dédier as Chair of Marketing, Sumeet Dubb as the Chair of the Steering Committee, Neetika Chopra as Director of Administrative, Kevin Nguyen as Director of Promotions, Jevaughn Newman as the Treasurer, Jaipaul Dubb as Volunteer Director, Pieter Oliver as Director of Outreach, and Lena Boyd as Director of the Citizens of the Capital Committee. With the combined efforts of these individuals, as well as many loyal supporters and volunteers, their dreams are in action. 

The Dream Catchers was initiated to accomplish a simple goal; to help youth in Ottawa accomplish their dreams. To do this, TDC has adopted a multifaceted approach, the first of which is to ensure all youth are equal in having their basic needs met. This is why TDC runs their unique clothing drive called Wardrobe on Wheels and canned food drives throughout the year. Creativity and self-expression is just as important to a child’s development, thus TDC also runs more inspired initiatives, such as the Halloween Costume Drive; both efforts unique to the Dream Catchers, and to wrap up each year is a toy drive during holiday time in December.

The Dream Catchers has many ambitious aims; which also includes fostering a more pronounced sense of community in the Ottawa area. The Citizens of the Capital, a sub-organization of TDC, aspires to “put the unity in community.” Our photographers, under the direction of Lena Boyd, take snapshots of individuals from all walks of life, all around the city. Usually captioned by a quote from the individual, their profiles -which are posted on the website and social media pages- create a sense of familiarity and openness. They help attach the label of ‘friends’ to people who would otherwise be considered strangers. 

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, and Unicorns?? ... Oh My! Happiness After Her Undergrad - Cierra Gaudet

Undergraduate Degree = COMPLETE!!!

Euphoria, unicorns, rainbows, sunshine, dancing, happiness, laughter, the “warm fuzzies” are all a mixture of feelings that I am experiencing at the moment. I’ve dreamed about this moment so many times in the last few weeks. For a while, it seemed like I’d be stuck in university forever, but after Christmas I began to see the end of the tunnel and I knew that victory was near. I wish I could say that I did something drastic after my last exam. You know, like I threw down my pencil and stormed out of the room like I owned the place (or something along those lines). I ended up doing the same thing I always do. Checking and re-checking all of my work, making sure my name and student number were written on the front page and as I walked down to give my exam to my professor, I did take the time to smile a bit. I handed in my last exam, still smiling, and said “thank you” to the professor. It was only when I was in the comfort of my own room that my happy dance began!

It’s been 2 hours since I finished writing and it still hasn’t really sunk in that I’m done. I keep expecting someone to jump out of nowhere and be like, “JUST KIDDING! YOU HAVE A PAPER DUE TOMORROW!” or something else that’s just as scary. I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting and thinking about all that’s gone on in the last four years. I’ve mentioned previously that I am originally from Summerside, PEI and during my senior year of high school, I made the decision to attend the University of Ottawa in the fall. At first it seemed like a brilliant idea! I felt so excited to be heading to a big city and experiencing all the hustle and bustle of being in the nation’s capital. The night before I left, all of those feelings went away and were replaced with such terror I wanted to honestly slap myself in the face and be like, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? ARE YOU INSANE? YOU’LL NEVER SURVIVE!”

But, I did! Somehow I managed to fall in love with the city of Ottawa and while I still can’t say some words properly and my love for headbands hasn’t died, I can honestly say that it’s been an unreal journey. (So unreal that I’m staying here again ;)). I won’t say that it was an easy 4 years because an undergraduate degree is NOT easy. In fact, it was a lot of hard work, dedication and wasn’t done

without complaining, griping and arguing. However, what I’ve managed to learn (aside from what I was supposed to learn) was that good company, great friends and family are all you need to survive in life, no matter what the challenge is…ok, and well yes, you also need food, water and oxygen, but let’s just keep it simple. :P What made this undergrad memorable was all of the wonderful people that I had the chance to get to know over the course of the degree. It’s pretty neat when you’re in a classroom that’s so diverse in culture, energy, and talent. I’m excited to see what the future holds in store for my classmates and myself.

In terms of the future, I plan on working here for the next year, finding some time to relax for once and perhaps going back to school later on. I’ve always enjoyed learning, and I’m only 21, so who knows? However, right now all I can think about is celebrating!!!! Because, well, why not?? :D I definitely have a sense of pride in what I’ve accomplished, but that goes without saying that I’ve been very fortunate to have such an amazing support team who I want to take the time to recognize for always being there for me (you guys know who you are!). I think sometimes as students we are so focused on grades that we forget the most important things in life (and no, sleep isn’t one of them in case you were wondering), but rather our family and friends. Always make sure they come first above everything else. With that, congrats to the HK graduates of 2014! We did it (thank god).

Fantastic Cause: Gutsy Walk 2014 - Crohn's and Colitis Canada

Support My Journey Please go to - http://bit.ly/1mDe2or for the full story and article on the Crohn's and Colitis Canada website, as well as videos and related media. Please sponsor James at - http://bit.ly/1rlL224 and make a difference. I am donating $20 and I encourage you to do the same! Dear Family and Friends, First my story, Let me tell you a little bit about the 'Great Perforation' of 2009.  It was a Saturday, just days before my birthday in April, and I was having a pretty standard hangover (or so I thought) - headache, tired, the odd trip to the bathroom - but nothing I was too concerned about.  After dinner I started feeling really strange - extremely bad abdomen pains, gas pains, and an urge to rush to the bathroom like no other I have felt before!!! I thought I was coming down with the flu, as I began to feel nauseous as well.  As I eagerly anticipated the 'Bathroom Perfect Storm' (Nausea, Pain, and Horrific Other Things I will spare you from) of epic proportions to pass, something happened... My guts exploded!! My abdomen seized and flexed and I could not unflex it, followed by an unimaginable-never-ending pain from head to toe I would not wish on my worst enemy!  yikes!  After all of this madness - which at first, no one knew what was wrong - I had emergency surgery to figure out what had happened.... A perforated bowel caused by Crohn's disease - oh yeah... that's when I got diagnosed with Crohn's disease - not the most pleasant way to find out about something like that.  Long story short - 7 inches of my intestines were removed and I was on the road to recovery.   For a long time I knew something was wrong, and I was stupidly either 'too busy' or 'too embarrassed' to bring it up.  Not any more and not ever again. I now look at nature's little 'business meetings', even at the worst of times, with a new point of view - Comedy! Laughter is the best medicine and the best way to get through the bad experiences. Now for the Gutsy Walk,  Canada has one of the highest rates for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis in the world and those rates are increasing. Most alarming, the number of new cases of Crohn’s disease in Canadian children has almost doubled since 1995. Crohn’s and colitis are lifelong diseases that can have a devastating impact on quality of life, elevate the risk of colorectal cancer, and in the case of Crohn’s disease, shorten life expectancy.  On Sunday, June 8th, 2014 I will be participating at the Crohn’s and Colitis Canada’s Gutsy Walk. This cause is very important to me, which is why I’m asking you to be GUTSY and support my fundraising efforts by making a donation. These much-needed funds will support critical research and education to find cures for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and improve the lives of children and adults affected by these chronic diseases. THANK YOU FOR BEING GUTSY! Sincerely, James Bridgewater

Back To Work - How To Remain Active?

It may be Tuesday morning, but it probably feels like a Monday morning.

So here is a very cute picture of a puppy to make you feel better!

Now that we feel much better, just remember for those of you who dread Mondays (or Tuesdays in this case)... it's the very day of the week to become productive, reaffirm your commitments and motivations, and strive for success!

So, there is nothing special here. There is no magic lamp, or genie within. In reality, being healthy and physically active is extremely simple in theory. The problem may often lie in practicality and in one's own motivation.

A few simple, quick, and easy tips and suggestions to remain active during the work day, especially for those of you unfortunately stuck at a desk. I will attempt to convince my lovely wife to be my guinea pig and tell me how much of a difference it makes if you implement these. I warn you, incoming conclusive anecdotal evidence in a few days from this :P

Noom Walk

1) 99% of people have some form of smart phone. This is a scientifically true and sound statistic, so you have to trust me on that one (:P)! Download a basic app that tracks your steps. I use Noom Walk (here is a link to android users, sorry iPhone users you have to find it yourself), but any will do, and you don't have to spend a cent.

The first thing with using a pedometer - try to always improve on the day before. Don't worry about setting lofty goals immediately, but work on small, steady, attainable improvements day by day.  Adhering to a program is paramount, much more so than any one time success. This will help build your confidence and motivation.

Now that you have a pedometer, and I have told you to do better.. well, you have everything you need. Success! You are healthy! .... not really, well maybe for some :P But for most you are looking for more.

So many stairs!

2) You have heard this a thousand times before, but it's repeated for a reason. It's simple, and it works. Take the stairs to your office if you work in a building with more than one floor (and by extension, use the stairs if you live in an apartment building). However, here is the key difference in my philosophy versus what you will often hear in magazine articles - this alone will make a VERY small difference in your overall goal of being more physically active. 

In fact, while I am on the subject, allow me to tangent momentarily here. If you want to be healthy, and live a more active life, the goal at the end of the day is to make a whole lot... and I mean A WHOLE LOT of small parts lead to a greater sum. That is, focus on the small and attainable day-to-day goals you set for yourself. There is no quick fix. There is no magical recipe. It's as simple (and as difficult) as simply move more. The great part, though? You get to feel better, have more energy, and invest in the absolutely best long term health plan you could ever hope for.

In line with #2, there are many more ways to increase how much you walk: Get off the bus several stops early on the way to work and on the way home; anytime you need to talk to someone in the office, don't send an email unless necessary, rather walk to their office and talk to them directly; heck, make an excuse to talk to a co-worker for a minute just to have to walk over to see them, or make "unnecessary" trips around the office every time something comes up just to be more active. Just to be clear, I'm not advocating to significantly reduce your work efficiency and slack-off; but rather, to spend a small extra amount of time investing in your health. Just remember, there is a nearly guaranteed chance that in increasing your physical activity and subsequent health, your work productivity will increase and easily make up for spending a few minutes walking around.

3) And the last tip of the day, maximize your lunch break. This is perhaps one of the best opportunities to increase your physical activity. Unless you are very fortunate and you have an extended lunch and/or very easy access to a gym nearby, this isn't the time for a hardcore workout. Use your surroundings to your advantage. If you need to save time, or it's the middle of winter, use the stairs in your building as a means to get some cardio in. Otherwise, take a nice stroll and try to get a moderate pace. Heck, get a moderate to high pace if your work allows for you to be hot and sweaty.

Just remember, the key is to get as much extra physical activity in. Do things in small, attainable bouts. This will give you the confidence to succeed - the confidence to stick to your better, healthier lifestyle.

And finally, the most important advice... smile - be happy!

Learn To Love Play - Don't Let The Hard Times Dictate How You Live

Last night, my daughter said the most wonderful things to me:

"Daddy, I want to go to sleep!

"Daddy, we should play softball every night!"

"Daddy, I love playing with you!"

"Daddy, I love you!"

If you can believe it, these were all said within a span of just a few minutes. 

Not that we are an inactive family, but we haven't been the most fastidious in keeping up on play and being physically active. I mean, we have all been there. We all have times, or bouts, where life just

seems to kick us in the ass: multiple reports or work projects are due, your children's school has a whole bunch of extra work, etc... etc..

In these times it's far too easy to revert to a simple microwavable dinner (not that these are innately bad, I'm just setting the scene :P); eat food while trying to do work at the dinner table, while everyone has their head stuck starring at an electronic device; rush off to do work; and then... and only maybe, have a few minutes to plop down in front of the TV or play a video game.

Unfortunately, this is far too often the scene... and my family is no exception. However, it doesn't have to be that way. Yes, there will be stressful and hard times. I am not saying let's all hold hands and sing Kumbaya (surprisingly I spelled this word correctly without checking Google - Woohoo!), and that's all it takes, but what I am saying is that we can reduce the hard, stressful days where family passes each other in the house practically acting like strangers. I am saying let's increase the good, productive days.

I have had the real pleasure, and good fortune of electronically meeting some very special individuals in the last half year, and they have helped me indirectly to see the things that were sitting right in front of me, but didn't realize. One such individual, Dave Kittner, helped to rekindle that passion for physical activity, sport, and simply moving more. He is a real inspiration.

In the last few months, my family and I have fallen SOOOO far behind on our "regular" TV shows it is incredible... and frankly, I couldn't care less. Tonight, even though I spent four hours with our SMSA warm-up clinic, I came home and after dinner my daughter, her friend, my wife, and myself went outside and played ball. Yes, played. We didn't do drills, we just had a blast. Even my daughter's friend's parents came and joined us for 30 minutes or so. I watched my daughter, on her own, have sheer joy and pleasure from placing a ball on a tee, and hitting the ball while I fielded them in our front yard. We literally did this for nearly two hours... AND HAD A BLAST! And then, right after, that is when my daughter said those four special sentences from earlier:

"Daddy, I want to go to sleep!

"Daddy, we should play softball every night!"

"Daddy, I love playing with you!"

"Daddy, I love you!"

I tell you, a father could not ask for more.

Get out there, play with your family, re-learn (if you need to) just how much you love spending time with one another, and how much you love just "doing",
 rather than sitting :)

Staying Active During The Holidays - It Can Be Surprisingly Easy And Enjoyable

Enjoy a nice walk or outing with the family

Happy Easter, or non-denominational holiday time (:P)!

People can get very caught up over titles and the like. I know that pretty much everyone out there is enjoying some sort of holiday, family time, or celebration this weekend - enjoy yourselves!

yum yum!

I'm sure most people are enjoying a whole lot of these today/this morning.

gobble gobble

And perhaps a whole bunch of this... I know I will.

And finally, I'm sure many will enjoy a few cold ones.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying yourself, letting go a little bit, and indulging; however, moderation is important, and maintaining a healthy level of physical activity. So, here are some easy tips to staying healthy and active during holidays.

1. Don't delay - afternoons and evening can quickly become filled with errands, chores, or frantically preparing either for guests to come over or to lug the whole family elsewhere. Make time first thing in the morning for some exercise or just move around a bit more. Just remember, a simple 20-30 minutes of increased heart rate is enough to remain (relatively) fit and active.
• Take the family, and/or family pet, for a nice walk
• Go for a bike ride around the neighborhood
2. Have a nice breakfast, get everything prepared first thing in the morning and then take trip to a local, or not so local, nature trail. Bring something to collect leaves, pine cones, or whatever else you find. You can use them for later craft, or just for a simple goal. I personally enjoy activities a lot more when there is some sort of goal or purpose, but perhaps you just enjoy being out in nature. Make it work for you!
3. Although there are many of you that do a fantastic job at keeping your house clean... we do not. In fact, that's an understatement. We do a TERRIBLE job at keeping our house clean. Honestly, it's awful :P So, what happens often during holidays... house cleaning! So that we can give a semblance of living in a "clean" house. This is a great opportunity to help teach your children responsibility, getting them helping around the house, and staying active - turn chores into games. There are many MANY ways to do this, but check out Spoonful.com for a bunch of ideas.
4. Finally, it is doubtful that any soccer fields or baseball diamonds will be used over the weekend. Grab your mitt and ball, or your soccer ball, and head out to a local field for some fun. Call up some friends and family and even get a fun and spontaneous game going.

There are an infinite number of ways to stay active and motivated even during the holidays, but just remember to have fun, enjoy yourself, and don't stress. Although physical health is paramount, so is mental health. It does you know good to stress and worry that you aren't doing enough. Remember, indulging is not bad, moderation is good, and just try to move a little bit more.

Don't forget, physical activity is the cheapest, most reliable, and easiest retirement savings plan that you will ever come across, so start investing in it today!

Stittsville Minor Softball Association: Attention Midget Girls - Selects Tryouts Upcoming

2013 Bantam Girls Selects Team - Provincial Champions

Hello everyone! I hope this message is finding everyone well, and enjoying the beginning of their Easter weekend. This is the official announcement for the upcoming Midget Girls Selects Tryouts for the Stittsville Minor Softball Association.

U18 Midget Girls Selects Announcement

The SMSA will be holding a tryout for its U18 Girls Selects team. As the fields are likely unavailable for some time, we will have to hold the tryout indoors - details below. Interested registered U18 players in the girls Bantam/Midget HL division are welcome to try out. The team will be determined following the try out and practices will begin accordingly.

The SMSA fee of $25 will be required to cover the costs of insurance, field time and batting cage time. This fee is only payable if you make the team. There are additional costs based on the number of tournaments/games played and will be determined by the Selects coach once the team has been set. 
 
Details:

Level: U18 Girls Selects
Date: Thursday April 24 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Location: South Carleton HS (Gym) 3673 McBean St. 

Players should be dressed appropriately with proper indoor footwear, glove and helmet with face mask. Face masks are mandatory for Selects at all age groups.

For more information please contact: 
Paul Prebinski   email:  julie.prebinski@sympatico.ca   Phone: 613-599-0523

Click on the image for directions

I Am Officially Done... My Undergrad - A Few Thoughts For University Students

A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that "individuality" is the key to success.  ~Robert Orben

This could not be any more true. 

So often we are forced to toe the line. Especially as students, often in the prime of our learning potential - still young enough to learn new things and not quite jaded by "reality," while also being old enough to start critically and independently think. This should be the time to debate popular discourse, push the boundaries, challenge authority (in a complete peaceful and diplomatic way, of course :P)

However.

This is typically what happens...

Nick Gibbs - British Conservative Party Politician

... and it is wrong...

More and more individuals are realizing that we cannot teach in manner that is one-directional. I am not here to start preaching a Platonic way of learning, whereby texts would be eliminated and all discourse would run through discussion and open debate. Nor am I saying we need to follow the tenants of Locke or Aristotle and that we are all blank slates (tabula rasa). What I am saying is that we need to figure things out for ourselves on an individual basis.

I can't tell you how many times I have known fellow students to stress out endlessly because they feel they were slighted by a single mark.

Is it frustrating - absolutely!

Does it matter - probably not.

Sure, there are certainly exceptions. If you need to get into Med school, you probably need much higher marks and every little bit counts. Should it necessarily be this way - no. But it is. However, for the majority of university students getting decent grades is all that is necessary. No one will ask to see your transcript. Albeit, you still need to know your field and important material, but university courses are often very specific and specialized. Or, extremely general and non specific.

Use university as a guide. Let it help you find your direction, but ultimately find your own way.

Use university as a tool, not as the end-all and be-all. It is a great time to learn to time manage. 

What does that mean exactly?

Often in life you will not have the time to do everything you want to do, and to do it perfectly. "Sacrifices" often need to be made. Parents often know this all too well. Do you really think you are going to be as productive at work after three months of a newborn not sleeping more than one or two hours a night... nope. And frankly, there is nothing wrong with that.

Graduating university without ever doing extra curricular activities, sports, volunteering, etc... is a shame. Not to mention, once you have "fairly good" grades, you need to find a way to differentiate yourself.

To end off - you don't need university to learn. Many are able to self teach or autodiadact. Not to mention, when you look at the work of 2013 TED prize winner Sugata Mitra, you can see that perhaps learning and education can occur spontaneously and in the absence of "teaching":

Educational researcher Dr. Sugata Mitra’s “Hole in the Wall” experiments have shown that, in the absence of supervision or formal teaching, children can teach themselves and each other, if they’re motivated by curiosity and peer interest. In 1999, Mitra and his colleagues dug a hole in a wall bordering an urban slum in New Delhi, installed an Internet-connected PC, and left it there (with a hidden camera filming the area). What they saw was kids from the slum playing around with the computer and in the process learning how to use it and how to go online, and then teaching each other.

The "Hole in the Wall" project demonstrates that, even in the absence of any direct input from a teacher, an environment that stimulates curiosity can cause learning through self-instruction and peer-shared knowledge. Mitra, who's now a professor of educational technology at Newcastle University (UK), calls it "minimally invasive education."

At TED2013, Sugata Mitra made a bold TED Prize wish: Help me build a place where children can explore and learn on their own -- and teach one another -- using resouces from the worldwide cloud.

Guest Blogger Cierra Gaudet Talks About Her Experience As A Collegiate Student-Athlete

uOttawa Minto Sports Complex


I have had the absolute pleasure to get to know Cierra over the last few years. We have fostered a friendship over the mutual disdain of several course (sorry professors :P), in particular this last year. She is an extremely smart and hard working young woman. She gives a considerable amount of volunteer time. And, she is an accomplished athlete while doing all this. So, without further ado... Cierra's own words...

Since the land before time (or so it seems after so many years!), I have been devoted to furthering my education and dedicating a lot of my time and energy to sports. I was born into a loving family that has supported me from day one of my athletic career; however, I learned very early on that being a student-athlete came with very high priorities, a large amount of responsibility and crucial time-management.

Growing up, my mom valued education very much (and still does) and so she pushed my younger brother and I to achieve high grades in school. I enjoyed learning and so I would always strive to get the best grades in my class. When I was younger, I dreamed of getting a scholarship and so that was continuously on the back of my mind throughout my junior high and high school years.

My dad is a sports fanatic and he was a phenomenal athlete during his prime years. For as long as I can remember, Sports Center would always be blasting on the televisions throughout the house. He pushed my brother and I to train hard every day. My parents were really great role models (and they still are!) and I love them for everything they've done for me since I entered this world.

However, being a student-athlete wasn't all fun and games. A lot of the times it was very frustrating to say the least. I gave up a lot; birthday parties, movie dates, beach days, shopping sprees, house parties, outdoor concerts, junk food…etc. I had no free time to waste. I was in school for 8 hours a day, training two hours after classes and then catching up on all of my homework at night. In high school I became obsessed with my grades (probably more than I should have been) and so I didn't want anything less than a 90%. I spent countless hours at my desk studying and almost just as much time training. At some point I became very stressed and irritable. Nobody would want to be around me, let alone put up with me on a regular basis. Therefore, this led to further sacrifices, only this time I began to sacrifice my training if I was worried about school. It made me angry to do so, but at the end of the day, my mom reminded me that I was a student-athlete, meaning that being a student always comes first.

Eventually, during my senior year of high school, I realized that I wanted positive memories rather than negative ones. I realized that my family and friends shouldn't be getting pushed to the side. I began to make myself schedules for the week and I would plan activities in advance to have something to look forward to and keep me motivated to finish everything on time. My grades didn’t suffer and I began to realize that studying less was actually more. I looked at good quality studying over bad quality studying and began to realize that I could actually achieve what I wanted to in three hours instead of eight. I also realized that this was the same for my training. All of a sudden, I had more free time for myself to do what I wanted and my quality of life sky-rocketed! I graduated high school with top academic honors, athletic recognition and my scholarship!

Unfortunately, during my first two years of university, I was stressed all the time. I missed out on pretty much everything and lived as a hermit in my dorm room. I forgot about every lesson I had learned in high school and was frustrated with my grades, my training and my schedule. Fortunately, I had a good support system of family and friends and after taking a few excellent classes from a professor who specialized in sport psychology and quality of life, I began to fall back into my positive habits. I began to make time for myself, reconnect with old friends, strengthen relationships with my family members and pretty soon I noticed that my grades and my athletic performance were back on top. Again, I was just trying too hard and not focusing on the big picture. 

Now that I’m almost done of my undergraduate degree (only two exams left), I've realized that when things seem super stressful, they probably aren't AS stressful as they seem, but it’s all in how we perceive the stressor in the first place. In the last two years, I've realized that pushing myself to the point where I get sick is useless and that there are more important things in life then grades and sports. What we should strive for first and foremost, is being a good quality family member, friend, sibling, cousin, teammate, parent, coach…etc. There will always be time for learning and training, but life itself has an ending and so I want to share my time with everyone who’s helped me grow into the person I've become along the way. In my head, I always thought being a student-athlete was impressive, but now I’m realizing that being a student-athlete was just the foundation to instill a lot of good life skills, lessons and values that have served me well over the years. I've loved every minute of my career, but more importantly, I love the person I've become because of it. Now I’m ready to give back to others!