How Kids Can Find Their "Spin"

Inactive Teens

A Healthy Start

How Kids Can Find Their “Spin”
My ability to spin eight basketballs simultaneously is unusual and is not a skill I advocate for kids to aspire to. How and why I developed extreme ball-handling skills does hold a message for kids and I try to deliver it to as many kids each year as I can.

I was 11 years old and growing up in a small town in northern Wisconsin when I announce that I was going to make a living as an entertainer spinning basketballs. As any teenager can tell you, setting myself apart like this did not provide for a comfortable social life. My first performance at my high school was met with laughs. All it did was bolster my determination and inspired me to set personal goals.

After leveraging my basketball skills into a college scholarship and growing into an adult, I realized that all my sports training and discipline gave me the expected muscle strength, flexibility and good health. But in addition it gave me the self-confidence and optimistic outlook to follow the dream to become an entrepreneur. I have never had a job in my life. I never realized that I should try to do anything different. I am one of those people who is doing what they love.

The fact that my career is in sports entertainment and education is not the main point. Athletes prepare themselves physically and mentally to perform. I used that training to survive the first time I performed at a Chicago Bulls halftime. But I use that same training to prepare to speak in front of assembly of middle and high school kids for physical education teachers.

It is physical activity that has provided me with mental attitude to find success – my success and the strength to keep going through the ups and downs of building a business. That lifestyle started as a child and was modeled by my parents. And they still do in retirement. They travel to meet me when my schedule permits to keep up a long-standing golf challenge.

Relating business success to sports is not a new concept. I think most kids would benefit from some participation in an organized sport for the reasons of learning teamwork and social skills. But twenty years on the road has convinced me that it is physical activity and fitness that can make a difference for most children.

About 6 out of every 10 teenagers is not getting enough exercise and are setting themselves up for the sedentary lives that most of their parents are now struggling with. For lifetime health and all the mental aspects I’ve mentioned, it’s imperative to get up and get moving! For yourself and for your kids.

Inactive Teens
Let’s face facts. We all can see that on average, Americans are growing fatter. While poor eating habits are a major cause, we are experiencing another epidemic – one of inactivity. Our lives are busy, but they are spent in a car, in front of the TV or sitting at a desk. And I’m talking about our children.

In my work I visit as many as 200 elementary, middle and high schools a year. Over the past decade I have observed a decline in fitness levels in children and a decline in their participation physical education programs. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, nearly half of young people ages 12-21 years do not regularly engage in vigorous physical activity. In 2001, half of children in 9th grade but only 20% of high school seniors attended a daily physical education class.

And this is the precise age that needs to engage in daily activity. Government guidelines suggest that children under 18 should engage in physical activity for at least 60 minutes a day, five days a week and everyday if possible. Three times a week this activity should involve at least 20 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity i.e. break a sweat.
In addition to controlling weight, reducing fat and building and maintaining healthy bones and muscle, regular physical activity reduces feelings of depression and anxiety and promotes psychological well-being. Seeing as many kids as I do, those that are active have a stronger self-image are more confident overall and possess a more positive outlook.

My competitive nature and determination to play basketball lead me to start what has become a physically fit lifestyle. But the discipline of physical training and psychological benefits of exercise allowed me to conquer my fears and become a successful female sports entertainer in a world pre-WNBA. While my dream of performing basketball-handling tricks in front of crowds at NBA and collegiate basketball games may be unique to me, I know that my vision for my future was in place as I entered my teen years.

Motivating your teen to get fit may be difficult if you are hesitant to model good behavior. But if you want 6-pack abs and your teenager thinks mid-drift tops are the only way to dress, why not slim your waists together and make it some fun?

You may have hated fitness drills in gym class but they are beneficial because if completed in a sequence, you can work all major muscle groups, work on flexibility and pay close attention to building core strength (abdominals and lower back). I think of this as the core of a fitness program. You still should ride a bike, play pick-up basketball, jog or swim, but if you take the time to do fitness drills you will see your fitness level improve. And if you or your teenager do play some sports as a leisure activity you may see results in your performance, too.

I have developed games for the physical education market to make basketball and fitness drills more enjoyable. But you don’t need the game to try the drills. Before sitting down to your favorite TV show, or as a break from homework for your teenager, give these drills a try together. Why not make it a family challenge to get fit! 20-30 minutes, three times a week is a great way to start! You will find some ideas in Sandy's Tips.

When you think of very young children, you might not think that they need to worry about exercise. Those years between toddler and school age is filled with activity and lots of noise. But just as preschoolers enter school with different levels of preparedness for academics, their level of physical development varies greatly. While motor skill development proceeds at a child’s individual pace, it can be enhanced by regular physical activity – both structured and free play.

A Healthy Start

Americans of all ages are not getting enough exercise. Instilling the habit of exercise while kids are very young, might save them from obesity and an increased risk of diabetes that is wide spread among school age children. The National Association of Sports and Physical Education recommends that preschoolers should get at least 60 minutes of structured physical activity (meaning adult-led) and at least 60 minutes of free play each day. And they should not be inactive (as in sitting in front of a TV) for more than one hour at a time unless they are sleeping. Exercise to adults means one thing. To this age, it is all about play: Why not have some fun?

For those with preschool children or for those who work with preschool aged children, it can be instructive to understand the basics of gross motor development in young children. Each child progresses at his or her own pace, but children without physical limitations hit the same milestones during the ages of 2-4. This information can spark ideas to make their playtime effective to raising a fit kid.

In the chart below I have tried to summarize gross motor skill development in preschoolers with some ideas for activities. It is neither academic nor comprehensive, but I created it with the parent, day care provider or program coordinator in mind.

Since kids develop at different rates, it is never a surprise to see a child who has mastered the physical skills typically seen in an older child. But children can be fearless or cautious when it comes to trying new physical skills. This is the same age where they are learning to play with other children, not alongside others as they do as toddlers. In other words, this can only be considered a guide.

I have incorporated some of the ideas for activities in a game I created for preschool aged children. HalfPint Skillastics™ Game was developed to help parents and all the adults who work this age group make physical activity fun. The game is easy to play and introduces young children to a variety of movement skills as well as encouraging creativity, imagination and cooperative play in a non-competitive but active environment. Kids enjoy the game even more when adults join with them and participate in the simple actions together. Try the activities about while out for a family walk to keep things fun and interesting. Add in other creative play: pretend to be a ballerina on tip toes; see how many quick jumps everyone can do before falling off balance and name your pony.

Structured play at this age has so many benefits. While many sports programs exist for preschoolers, children this age do not have the physical skills, attention span and abilities to grasp rules until about age 6 or 7. However, structured play can help develop these skills and abilities. Increasing a child’s ability to pay attention is a vital skill for learning; helping develop problem solving, decision-making, organizing and sequencing.
Increased physical activity in children of any age improves emotional well-being, builds strength, endurance and flexibility. Planting the seed at an early age that physical activity is fun can instill a habit that will last a lifetime. So much that surrounds our children – television, electronic games, limited outside play space and tight family schedules – encourages inactivity. With a little encouragement from adults, they can be off to a healthy start.

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