Sunday, March 17, 2024

A Case for a Good Editor: Thank You, Kobe

Spelling, pronunciaion, using proper nouns, writing in paragraphs. Proofreading your word, making edits and keeping it "tights" (thank you, Hemingway) may be out of style in the personal lives of my students but not in my classroom. Do teachers today need to double down on a classical education? Does my personal commitment to detail make me a grouch or an Ignatian educator? Might the answer be both?

While I have given up some battles at this point in the year—detention for dress code or tardies for students not in their seat when the bell rings—I have left a few dogs in the fight. The fundamentals of writing is one of them. 

For exampl,e any student that submits a paper without paragraphs gets a deduction in points and the same comment: paragraphs help you organize your ideas and your reader to comprehend them. The usage of paragraphs is a non-negotiable. I circle, highlight and mark any "I" or name that is not capitalized. I have shared the best tactic I was given for how to proof read. I went out of my way to tell my seniors that the Super Bowl is a 1) a proper noun and 2) two words. Yes, this a hill I am willing to die on. But why? Why is accuracy in language and the fundamentals of writing important? The recent unveiling of the Kobe Bryant statue in front of Crypto.com Arena gave me an opporunity for students to get the "why." to ask my classes what they thought.

I showed the photo of the new statue. One student, a basketball player, was excited to tell us it is the first of three to be placed in front of the Lakers' home court. Those to come will feature Bryant in his No. 24 jersey, and the other will be of him standing next to Gianna, who died with him and seven others in a 2020 helicopter crash. But the first, unveiled on 2/8/24 (a special date) already needs revision. Why? At its based is a replica box score of Bryant's 81-point game. José Calderón is misspelled as Jose Calderson, Von Wafer is "Vom Wafer," and "DNP — Coach's Decicion" has a typo. There's also a formatting mistake in Bryant's career accomplishments. The Lakers are working on a fix.


I told my class, "As you know I can be a stickler for grammar, spelling and more, but honestly, why should the Lakers fix this? Seems like it will cost a lot of money. Who really cares? Aren't they making a big deal out of nothing?" Responses varied.

One student said "it should have never happened in the first place. Period."

  • Agreed. But it did happen. So why not leave it?
Another student said "it shows respect for those people and their accomplishments." 
  • Okay. So attention to details matters.
I asked "if you change one letter in your last name, does that make a difference? Might some of you have a different name altogether?" A few realized that could be true.

And when one student said "One approach to take is to assume you are always wrong. As someone else to verify. Everyone needs a good editor." I wanted to do a backflip. I asked the class, "Did everyone hear that?"

I admitted that I took on the role of devil's advocate, and was happy to do so. Why? If their teachers and peers don't advocate for proofreading, good writing, editing and more—this is what happens. Rather than talk about the statue and its signficance, we now focus on this. Much to their suprise I added, "And as much as I don't like the Lakers, I'm not throwing any stones here. To their surprise, I shared the story of when something similar happened at SI." I will link the story here.

Discipline of any sort requires commitment, a steadfast spirit, a belief in purpose and a willingness to "stick to it." My guess is that if we extend that to writing, it will most likely carry over into other areas of our lives as well.

Full disclosure: I know there are several necessary edits needed. for this post, too

Photo Credits
Kobe
Edits

Sunday, March 10, 2024

A Story to Celebrate on International Women's Day: The San Diego Splash

The month of March has been designated as Women's History month and March 8 is International Women's Day. If you are on social media, no doubt you were reminded and/or made aware of this celebration. But what exactly does it all mean? In other words, what are we to do with a day that has grown in popularlity and public recognition? How are we to proceed with a month that Americans are ever more familiar with and supportive of? It's not a major holiday or a minor one. Here's my approach: share a story. 
First, I'll begin with a story. I decided I would search for answers to my question on ChatGPT. I figured why not? That's where many of my students find their own. I asked this chatbot, developed by OpenAI "What does International Women's Day mean?" I got a good answer.
It is a day dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the achievements, contributions, and advancements of women worldwide. The day also serves as a reminder of the ongoing fight for gender equality and the need to address challenges and disparities that women face.
In particular, I appreciated the key aspects and meanings of International Women's Day. I think these suggestions can serve as an important path for proceeding. 

Celebrating Achievements: IWD provides an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of women in various fields, including politics, science, arts, business, and more. It highlights their contributions to social, economic, cultural, and political development.

Advocacy for Gender Equality: International Women's Day is a platform for advocating gender equality and promoting equal opportunities for women in all aspects of life. It draws attention to persisting gender disparities and works towards fostering a more inclusive and equitable world.

Raising Awareness: The day serves as a catalyst for raising awareness about issues such as gender-based discrimination, violence against women, and systemic inequalities. It encourages conversations and actions to address these challenges.
Inspiring Change: International Women's Day inspires individuals and communities to take action towards creating a more inclusive and gender-equal world. This can involve challenging stereotypes, supporting women's rights, and promoting policies that advance gender equality.

Empowering Women: IWD is a time to empower and uplift women, fostering a sense of solidarity and unity. It encourages women to pursue their aspirations, break barriers, and overcome challenges in their personal and professional lives.

Recognizing Intersectionality: International Women's Day recognizes that women's experiences and challenges are diverse and can be influenced by factors such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and more. It emphasizes the importance of an inclusive approach that considers the intersecting identities of women.

Highlighting Unfinished Work: While celebrating progress, International Women's Day also highlights the unfinished work in achieving gender equality. It encourages continued efforts to address existing disparities and challenges.

However, the problem with AI is what too often goes missing: the personal touch, the unique approach that makes any ritual or obligation meaingful or memorable. (From what I am told, will only get better). I believe a key aspect for IWD is sharing stories of women past and present. And I believe one I used in my recent talk at Regis Jesuit's Diversity Day 2024: The Wisdom of Women in Sports and Spiritulaity is worth sharing.
First, meet the San Diego Spalsh— a group of trailblazing women in their 80s and 90s who played basketball in San Diego Senior Women’s Basketball Association (SWBA). 

They are the subject of “Make A Splash—a new sports film about a team of women in their 80s and 90s – not from the 1980s or 1990s – who play real basketball, with off-ball picks and turnaround jumpers." (The Guardian)

These pioneers have powerful stories to share regarding equal rights for women in sports. They continue to lead by example and shatter stereotypes regarding women in sports & beyond. It would be tempting to watch the players and say: Wow, look at those old ladies make cuts and sink those shots! Aren’t they just so … cute? It would also, like an air ball, miss the point.”

As you watch, pay attention to the 96 year old Grace Larsen. Larsen, a former municipal court deputy clerk in San Diego, always enjoyed sports but didn't have the opportunity to play organized athletics in her youth because they didn't exist for girls at the time. Instead, she played football in the street or basketball in gym class. One of the most basic lessons they teach us is to play because you can. What an invaluable lesson for all of us.

The lives of the players are their coaches are forever changed by the sisterhood that comes from being in a league of their own. They travel for competition, they practice and develop set plays. Some players communicate more effectively with one another on the hardwood. Others share similar struggles and life losses off the court. They celebrate birthdays and the end of life, too. In short, they love one another.
Their wisdom cannot be hidden. In one poignant scene, they watch a group of young girls playing their game. One woman shouts, “That's the future right there!” Another adds, “My school—we weren't allowed to play full court basketball.They didn't have many sports for girls.” Her teammate announces “Title IX gave an okay for women to be athletic, period.”

There are many ways to teach about the importance of Title IX, Women's History Month and International Women's Day—and I can make a strong argument that we should. But, I think stories that reveal that truth, might be the most convincing way for everyone to understand its impact and celebrate what it means. I found a memorable, meaningful one in ESPN’s Fifty/50: Make a Splash but there are countless others. Look and listen, show and tell. Make a splash...
Splash on three....!

Photo Credits
Hands in
Team work

Thursday, March 7, 2024

Good Recommedation, Great Friend: The Gift of Building Others Up

We get recommendations about shows to watch and movies to see all the time. What prompts you to put that series into your queue? What gets you to press play? How often do you really listen to a friend or family member's advice?

I believe I follow up on a recommendation based on the message and the messenger. Sorta. If it's a messenger I know and trust, a person who "gets" my passions, interests, indiosyncracies— then I am all in. I'm grateful for these influencers. And one of the best is my friend and classmate, Alex Montoya.
Check out this photo....Cyndi Lauper. MJ. The Boss. Is that Kenny Loggins or Billy Joel?!
In late January 2024, Alex sent me a text that said: You have to see “The Greatest Night in Pop” on Netflix. Wow.

Alex knows me. He knows and shares my love of music. I opened up my laptop and 96 minutes later came up for air. I must have emailed and texted any and everyone my age and older who I knew would delight in the collaborative genius.

However, I thanked Alex for the recommendation first. We shared our observations and musing. His insights are always on point—or rather in tune and on key. He asked me when I was going to write about the program  for this blog. I gave it a pass—but not a hard one. I quoted from another one of our favorites movies and said "negative ghostrider. The pattern is full." I added, "Remember, this is a blog about sports and spirituality!"  Though I have touched on music over the years, my focus is always on sports...sports with a spiritual problem. And nothing about this documentary connected those dots. That is, until it did. It does. It has. It will. Here's the scoop.
Readers look good on you, A-Mo
Thirty five plus years of being a Springsteen fan has given me a lot of expsoure to and understanding of The Boss. I've seen him live 23 times, I have read at least five books about him, countless articles and more. I always pay very close attention to his message, his body language, his affect and his insights when he speaks in concert and especially in interviews. When Bruce Springsteen weighs in on a music documentary, people listen. Though I find him rather diffident, he is a legend, a musical genius, a singer and a songwriter, a poet and a performer.

Springsteen plays an important part in the recording of "We Are the World." Coming in hot from the Born in the USA tour, he made a good effort to be in Los Angeles for the session. Almost 40 years later, he still looks good (he turns 75 on 9/23). He recalls why he decided to show up and what that great night was like. As the egos were checked at the door and different voices found their harmony, in one snapshot scence (from today) Springsteen said, "Steve Perry can sing. He's got that great voice, up in that Sam Cooke territory."His words did not surprise me. The  realization I had from the documentary however did.

Bruce Springsteen always always always builds up other musicians. In countless interviews, I have heard him name the music he is listening to and what music he is excited about. He thanks those who have gone before him, who has made an impact, and how they did it. I know who they are because he builds them up. Examples include The Clash, the Sex Pistols, Bob Dylan, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Elvis Costello and more. He speaks to their strengths. He shares what inspires him about other artists, too. What an exceptional quality.

One could say that Bruce is able to compliment others because he is so secure and grounded in who he is and the success he has had. To me, that's a sad, sullen justification. Not everything in life is a competition. To give credit where credit is due, to offer praise and build someone up costs nothing. It's just so easy to tear others down. People do it all the time. However, I've noticed—it may feel right at the moment, but ultimately it leaves everyone feeling less connected, less loving, less whole...less holy. Life is hard enough. I don't know why we can't build each other up instead of tear each other down. 

This singular, stand out quality in Bruce Springsteen has prompted me to look for it in others. Fortunately, I have found it in a few people. Though my Dad is not an athlete (today) one of the reasons I think my he is a great sports fan is because of the way he builds up certain athletes. For example, Jeff Ulbrich was one of the candidates for the position of defensive coordinator with the 49ers. Ulbrich, who is currently with the Jets played at linebacker for the Niners for nine years. My dad said, "I loved his drive and desire on the field. He was a total overacheiver. The man always played hard. I can see that now as he coaches on the sidelines. Doesn't surprise me." One might read "overachiever" as a put down—it's not. Ulbrich played up. He was more than his height and weight and what his scouting report ever put into print. 
For reasons like this, I enjoy talking to my Dad about sports. He has a good habit for finding the best in a player, especially when they are on our team....and even when they are not. Let me be clear—what I am referring to should not be confused with toxic positivity (more on that another time. Sorry Denver).

In my Lenten journal from The Grotto Network, I was invited to respond to this quote and question today, Day 22 of Lent
He who goes aboutto reform the world must begin with himself. —St. Ignatius of Loyola
Name one change you would like to see in the world. How can you make a starting point within yourself for that change? 
I truly would like to live in a world that builds others up. I hope we can see, recognize and celebrate the gifts and talents of one others and ourselves. Let us not always view ourselves in competition with one another. As written in the song "We are the World" We're all a part of God's great big family And the truth, you know, love is all we need."

Thank you, Alex for building me up all these years and believing in my writing. I managed to get a little sports and a whole lot of spirituality in here.

Photo Credits

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

MasterClass on Hope and a Hole-in-One

My friend, Missy received a year-long subscription to MasterClass as a gift from her neighbor. What a wonderful, ingenious present. Launched in May 2015, MasterClass is an online learning platform that streams lessons delivered by recognized masters of their craft. It is proud of profess "Our instructors are the best in the world." Check out the list of teachers; MasterClass tells the truth. 

Missy told me about George W. Bush's class on "Authentic Leadership." A long time fan of 43, I leaned in and watched the trailer. I laughed so hard and was so impressed by W's affect, I signed up for the 30-day trial.  I was genuinely interested to hear what he would have to say about making tough decisions, building a team, public service, personal diplomacy and his latest passion: art. I had no idea that President Bush's MasterClass would relate to golf and the feat of a faithful friend. I'm glad it did. Here is the story.

I don't have an official leadership or title at work. For example, I'm not a school administrator nor do I have any aspirations to work as an athletic director. Heck, I'm not even sure I will work as a head coach again. This might explain why my mom asked me why I enrolled in this particular class. I told her that I think we all benefit from learning more about leadership. I figured the other topics could speak to me and be of some benefit. It was...it is. 

I loved hearing W's insights on leading the country and a company—the Texas Rangers. As much as I kept thinking of how the course connects to different aspects of my own life, I couldn't help but think of my friend Malia and how these topics would be of interest to her. Why? In January 2024, Malia was named president of the Olympic Club—a private athletic and social club in San Francisco, CA. She is the third female president in the club's 164 years of history.

In my 10+ years as a member, I have served on three different club committees. I appreciate learning from and witnessing multiple styles of leadership among the committee members and chairs who seek to make the club even better. Full disclosure, Malia happens to be a good friend, and one of the reasons our for our friendship is not only golf but our shared interest in club governance. In committee roles, I have been privy to Malia's due diligence toward all matters that pertain to the club. She works tirelessly toward clear and consistent communication between staff and members. She is gracious and respectful, smart and visionary. She will remember your name and your story. She smiles and says hello. She is a lot of fun. In short the club is in very good hands. 

As written in The Olympian Magazine, Malia said she grew up in an athletic family. She added, "I'm the weakest player of the group. So everyone wants to partner with me because of my strokes." All joking aside, like her parents, Malia has hit a hole-in-one. That is until Sunday February 25, 2024 when she hit her second ace. 

Standing in the tee box on the seventh hole of the Ocean course, she didn't think she hit her ball right. Regardless, we followed the path of the ball. I saw it bounce on the right side of the fairway just short of the green. It started rolling and didn't stop until it found a home in the cup. One of the women in our foursome said "I think it went it." The other woman agreed. We told Malia to use her rangefinder to look on the green for the ball. It was nowhere in plain sight. Ever one to play the odds, I said "Malia, both Brook and Bonnie are pretty sure it went in. I think if  the two of them saw the same thing, we must have something there." She laughed. She smiled and kept (relatively) quiet until we could confirm what we just saw. As we approached the green, we all knew what happened. We were able to capture on video her victory path toward the hole. She reached in and there it was: a hole-in-one. 

I can't tell you what that must feel like as I keep wishing on my birthday for my first one. However, to witness one is exciting enough. #Adrenaline city. And when something this exciting—surprising, joyful and unexpected as a hole-in-one happens to a person, it's just not the event that makes the impression, it's everything else about it, too.

Malia's first concern was to follow the due process that this was a certifiable hole in one. Because Hole 7 is under repair, all tees have been moved to one singular tee box. Ever mindful of protocol, Malia reached out to the head pro who worked with another staff member to get the green light. She did. And for anyone who asks, yes, she hit a hole-in-one from the championship tees. 

After the round, during which Malia hit for the cycle—eagle, birdie and par, our group accompanied her to the pro shop where she thanked the staff members for their help. They handed over an OC pennant, commemorating the feat. We then went to the Champions Bar where she greeted folks with an introduction and the big news."Enjoy a beverage of your choice, on me" she said. To see the reactions of other club members—the smiles, the fist bumps, high fives and hugs was what made the ace that much more special. What hole? What club did you use? It was awesome to see the unsuspecting people around us meet Malia under the most auspicious of circumstances ;-) 

I had to leave the spirited gathering to celebrate my sister Sarah's birthday. After our dinner, I asked Sarah—an artist and painter— if she would be interested in watching the final chapter of George Bush's MasterClass, entitled "Happy are the Painters" with me. I read the description 

Join President Bush in his personal studio in Maine. The former president concludes his class by sharing why he decided to start painting and how he views learning as a lifelong pursuit.
This session focused on not only why he started but why he continues to paint. In addition to his love of learning, Bush used the words of another world leader who took up painting after his time in office to explain why it's his passion today. Churchill said

Happy are the painters, for they shall not be lonely. Light and colour, peace and hope, will keep them company to the end of the day.

Though these words appeared on the screen beside the artistic work of Churchill, I couldn't help but connect his sentiment to what occurred on the golf course earlier that day. I thought back to Malia's hole in one. With 20/20 vision, my mind's eye sees  her standing in the tee box, her stroke, the arc of the ball mid-flight and the result of her effort. 


We golfers are the painters of sport. Each round is characterized by its own number of strokes. The golf club is our brush. We can only play in the light. Indeed, the game is an exercise in hope. It never leaves me lonely.

During the round, one can feel inner turmoil. Many strokes are toiled and exacting. But there's always some part of the experience that offers an inner peace—the beauty of the course, exposure to the elements and the changing of seasons that time with the game affords. When the strokes are smooth—light and easy, fluid and fun the painters, I mean golfers are very happy.

How lucky are we to keep company with friends to the end of the day? Friends we may have met through this artistic medium that we celebrate and honor in many ways. But for whom on Sunday, February 25 we did for a singular brush stroke, a hole in one. 

Congratulations, Malia or as many people call you—Madame President. Time for us to figure out what is your presidential number....

Photo Credits
The Olympian

Saturday, February 24, 2024

An Additional Lens for Sports Fans: Art But Make It Sports

This question is going to sound ridiculous. Hear me out. When you go to a game or watch sports on TV, what are you looking for? Obviously you aim to see an athletic contest, a victory and a defeat, a display of talent, athleticism, grit, good sportsmanship, and so forth. But what else do you pay attention to? A specific athlete? the star players? I would argue that what captures our imagination reflects who we are and is worth further consideration. Though I have long believed this to be true, PBS Newshour brought this to light in meaningful and unique way.

Part of me thinks it's amazing that anyone goes to games anymore. Between the cost, the time and effort, let alone the comfort of my couch and the high def of my TV screen—it is just so easy to stay at home. Another part of me is amazed at how many people do in fact not only go to gamea but watch them on TV, live-streamed and more! Clearly, sports offers us something more than entertainment. It is not a mere diversion. So what is it that we are seeking? What are we finding?!

If you are a coach, it's hard not to pay attention to how other coaches comport themselves before, during and after the game. How do they talk to their players? How do they respond to bad calls? to mistakes their athletes make? As someone related to referees, I can't help but take notice of the zebras on the gridiron and the hardwood. Do they move the game along? 
How often are they talking to athletes and to coaches? For my friends in the dean's office at school, I know they are always looking at how other student bodies demonstrate school spirit—both in what they say and how they say it. And, as a teacher of Sports and Spirituality, I am perennially on the hunt for moments of grace, inspiration, selfless play, undeniable sportsmanship, respect, stories and more. This blog has been in the works since 2009 because I have found it. 

But I never find it on my own. Quite often friends, family, fans and colleagues share ideas, examples, stories and situations that might resonate with my vision of sports. For example, on #SuperSickMonday, the day after Super Bowl LVIII, a colleague shared a segment from PBS Newshour about an artist who pairs photos from sports games with nearly identical paintings from history (often religious). According to their social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram, and a website), Art But Make it Sports aims to "turn Art into Sports (and vice versa) | “Everything I didn't know I needed" - follower testimonial | No AI used | See inspiration? DM/tag us." This digital media project was launched in 2019.

I strongly recommend that you watch the video for yourself.  (Here's the link. Hopefully it gets you to the time stamp, but if not, the piece begins at 48:55). The curator, LJ Rader admits "I try to see things through a sports lens, even if it is a piece of fine art....trying to figure out what could that moment of art be in sports? What could I compare it to, image wise, that might make someone look at it and say "Yes. Yeah, I get it. I can see the parallels here?!" 


Rader admits that people are not used to seeing art and sport talked about (and put together visually). I have to admit, I hear the same exact thing when I mention sports and spirituality. His reasons for the connection he finds between the two aren't much different than mine. However, the spiritual life is often abstract and needs to be made visible and concrete. And yet, Rader enjoys the challenge of connecting abstract art with sports, as well.

I have told my students that one of my goals is to include a work of art (usually a painting or a sculpture...sometimes a photographic image or a song) into every class. Why? Christian Wiman, the author of "My Bright Abyss" explains it well. He writes, 

The purpose of theology, the purpose of any thinking about God, is to make the silences clearer and starker to us, to make the unmeaning — by which I mean those aspects of the divine that will not be reduced to human meanings — more irreducible and more terrible and thus ultimately more wonderful. This is why art is so often better at theology than theology is. 


Art But Make is Sports has not only made my job a whole lot easier, it has provided an additional less for how I see each game. 

Photo Credits
All images art from Art But Make it Sports.