My guys can tell when I get annoyed. I'll shout, curse, glare and start ranting. When I get really mad is when I get quiet. I'll stomp around, wanting to tear something (someone) apart and usually end up sitting near some water, throwing rocks. They usually stay away when I get like that.
I'm still just annoyed, but I'm rapidly working up to really pissed. The ski club has gotten to my guys again.
Somebody tell me if this sounds like a good idea:
Take 40 to 60 high school kids out of school early on a bus to a nearby ski area. Add three or four chaperones from that school, who then go off on their own to ski. The kids are let loose on the slopes until it's time to meet the bus on the way back.
You couldn't pay me enough to be responsible in that situation.
Are you kidding? What is to stop them from running off with their sweet thing and getting into the kind of trouble that makes me dread ever having a daughter? (Thank God I've got a son!) What about smuggled alcohol, always a favorite high school pastime? Finally (and most important to me) what about injuries? Apparantly, not a thought has gone into any of this.
For the second time this winter, I've had a team member injured on one of these trips. Last year, a boy separated his shoulder and was out of training for a month and a half. One of the boys had a concussion two years ago. One of the girls on the rowing team broke (shattered) her leg.
Now, I understand that skiing and snowboarding are a little dangerous. It is also an enjoyable pasttime here in Pennsylvania. But let me ask a hypothetical question:
When would high school kids be most prone to doing someting stupid on the ski slopes (Hey, watch this!):
1-When they're in a large, unsupervised group off from school?
2-When they're in a small, unsupervised group of friends on the weekend?
3-When they're in a family group on the weekend?
The answer seems a little easy, doesn't it?
The rate of injury I've noted from this ski club seems a little high. I believe there's been too much watching of the X Games and too little thinking. When a kid mentions that he hurt his shoulder taking a fall but "You should have seen the rails I was riding," I get frustrated.
It's not a matter of missing one of my practices, though that always gets a coach's ire up. What gets me so frustrated is their willingness to put their position on the team in jepardy. With all the work I put them through, all the pain and misery they share with their teammates, why risk hurtling downhill, trying to out do the other jerk who isn't ever going to compete on a city level in any sport, much less national?
I'm not advocating that my boys not do anything other than row. They shouldn't give up any other pasttime just because of the concerns of one over-intense coach. I just want them to consider ditching this ski club. Ski on the weekends, with smaller groups. There have been too many injuries.
I'm considering some sort of sanction next year to put an end to this. I'm that irritated. Hell, why don't they just take up cross-country skiing? That's a pasttime a rowing coach could love.
7 comments:
Catchy title, eh? Okay, I got back from lunch today with my husband and my son. (Eat'n Park is one of Will's favorites... What is it about the salad bar with a sneeze guard that suddenly makes food so tempting to a toddler.) Most of my lunch was spent listening to a rant, although far less organized that this one.
First, all should know that Jay universally despises skiing. But I think the fact that there is a high rate of accidents and injuries on this team makes his hatred only increase. I've never been able to get him on the slopes, but in all of my times on ski trips I never sustained an accident.
Snowboarding is inherently more dangerous than skiing-- know why? In snowboarding, you look to the side, so your vision is slightly obscured. This increases your likelihood of running into tree and other people. Further, the way you fall on a snowboard increases the probability of accidents. I must admit that one of my favorite places to ski is Deer Valley, which doesn't allow snowboards... However, I think that snowboards are particularly appealling to kids, particularly teenagers.
I don't have have any advice, well I do, but I'm not going to post it, and risk upsetting 24 boys...
Jay, I was not injured on a ski trip. I seperated my shoulder while on choice 3, "3-When they're in a family group on the weekend."
Shoulder:
True. However, you were using a snowboard if I recall. See Emily's comments.
I'm just on a rant here, considering what's been happening.
On emily's last paragraph, she said "have have" and i thought that was funny.
P.S. Jay are you assuming that i posted that last one, cause mikey is the skier.
i just need ski trips to take my mind off of other pressures of school and rowing both and its a bit difficult to find a ride 60 min a away from home to ski one day and then a ride back 5 hours later...if you don’t believe me ask my mom...also it is difficult to get together with a small group of your friends just because every one is busy and everyone cant get up there on the same day and second of all its 25 dollars cheaper to go up with the school (group rate) I just think that it would be silly not to take advantage of an opportunity like ski trips its a cheap, convenient way to enjoy a pastime and I think it is healthy to get your mind off of rowing and school ounce a week be out in fresh air if anything I think time off to think things out and relax is acutely doing more good as far as far as mental conditioning goes...but not putting your team in jeopardy with stupid stunts is something hard NOT to do but something all of us on ski trip most definitely need to consider there is no way that we would ever want to put our 360 and grind before 24 guys that put an entire years worth of practice and dedications that’s just stupid that just me
Anon:
Yes, I understand the need for mental "down time." Actually, I'm happy that you get that sort of benefit from downhill skiing. At least you're outside, whereas I like to read a trash novel. I suppose that explains my rapidly expanding waistline.
However, consider two facts:
If you go on every ski trip, your attendance ratio at rowing dips down towards 80%. Does anyone think that would help you make the top boats next year, when 24+ guys will be chasing 8 seats in the light 8 and heavy 8?
As you said, it's hard not to attempt something spectacular in front of guys that don't have anything to lose.
Question: are there kids on other winter sports going on these trips? Swimmers, basketball, vollyball, etc?
I know that we train longer than other sports, but I believe the benefit has been established beyond debate.
Life is full of choices that you guys face. Understand that I have choices I have to make as well.
point well taken.
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