Good Morning,

I apologize for being MIA this week. It’s been really hectic, and unfortunately my blog responsibilities fell by the wayside.

I was browsing ESPN.com this morning, and came across a really interesting article by Matt Higgins, “Skateboarding added to gym classes”. I’ll be sure to attach the link to the article at the end of my entry today, should you be so inclined to give it a read.

Schools that still include gym class in their credit-based curriculum are revamping it. They’re concerned about the violence associated with the classic gym class activities I grew up loving (dodge ball, kick ball, flag football, indoor hockey, and wall ball, just to name a few). Schools are concerned that these games promote aggressive behavior, and that it’s not conducive towards the emotional development of little Johnny and Janey.

Schools are shifting towards gym class activities that promote independence, dedication, and perseverance. Skateboarding accomplishes all those, and that’s why it’s being integrated into the class.

As an aside, it’s difficult to ignore the irony here. The school promotes skating during the school-day, but if the kid is caught skateboarding on school grounds on the weekend, s/he could get a ticket from the police.

But I digress.

Sure, being “forced” to skate goes against the grain of what it means to be a true skater. But for the most part, I think having skating in gym class is a good thing. If nothing else, it will help in changing the social stigmas that still exist. An increase in interest in the sport will only lead to better equipment, more community funding for parks, added entertainment, etc.

Anyway, that’s all I have for this morning. I saw the article and wanted to share a few thoughts.

Money can’t buy happiness, but it can help you look for it quicker, in a convertible,

Jason

PS – Here’s the link – ESPN Video