Recent reports show that "Dodge Ball" is being removed from the games that kids can play in school. Say it ain't so! I heard that and remembered back to my own dodge ball experience... (cue wavy flashback lines)
When I was in 7th grade, while participating in gym class our phys ed. teacher started us on a game of dodge ball. I was a skinny little guy, the typical 80 pound weakling and my brilliant dodge ball strategy was usually to just stay agile and out of the path of the ball until finally feeling that inevitable sting and slow-to-fade telltale red mark from the rubber ball. One day I was feeling a little bold and decided to try a new strategy and to avoid getting "out". It was just like a scene from one of those 80's, coming of age teen films; during one game I managed to catch a hard throw from one of the biggest guys and best "dodgeballers" in our class and thereby eliminating him from of the game. At that moment my self-esteem and confidence probably rose about 500%! By the next week I had gotten so good that I actually won my first game of dodge ball.
The confidence boost that one catch gave me transcended into other sports we played in gym, my school work as well as other aspects of my life. My self-assurance gained from that experience was what led me to ask out on a date the prettiest girl I had ever laid eyes upon and probably a bit out of my league. We did go out and today I am still married to her almost 24 years later. In addition, the respect earned by my peers (and even the gym teacher)that came with being one of the best in the class was a great feeling.
Obviously for someone my age to be recalling a specific moment back when I was 12 means that event had a significant impact on my life. And to think our state wants to deny another would-be weakling that experience? Go figure. I very much look forward to sharing my dodge ball story with my boys one day when they may be in need of a confidence boost.
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