lURIE COLUMN- 2006-3-1: Active children should be encouraged.

Last week in Houston, dozens of young soccer players from the southwest worked with their coaches to demonstrate techniques and expertise to 600 soccer volunteer executives from around the country.

The young players showed off footwork, dribbling, passing, heading, and dozens of defensive moves. Some of the goalie plays were pretty awesome.

Virtually all of the young players were slim and athletic. Able to run and dodge for almost an hour without appearing winded or tired. Tough, competitive after-school sports managed by a caring and competent coach is teaching these children more than stamina. They were all inevitably polite to the judges and visitors. When they cruised the trade show floor afterwards, it was to learn about things that interested them, not just scoring candy from the booth give-a-way jars.

At the other end of the massive John Brown convention hall in downtown Houston 800 (mostly) girls converged on the blue stage with disco lights and foam matting for the Cheer America regional Championships. In Texas, cheerleading is more than an extra-curricular activity; it is a virtual religion.

With squads from mini 8 year olds, through pee-wee, junior and senior young women in High school, the competition was tough. Daring Leaping people-net catches, gymnast moves with leaps, twists splits and back flips faster than the eye could follow. Culminating in multiple formations of multiple girls stacked up in picture perfect poses eight feet in the air.

The array of parents and coaches working in the warm-up area showed again, that well trained coaches dedicated to kids can bring together disparate teams to create and mold outstanding athletic performers.

The types of people at the two events have a shared concern for building character and athletic abilities, but the personalities and appearances differed markedly. Although most of the soccer coaches were athletic themselves, a sizeable number were just as obese as middle America. With barrel chest’s, pot belly’s, and poorly matched tops and bottoms. Comparatively, the vast array of cheerleading moms were decked out to the nines; and most, even when their girls were college bound, seemed bound and determined to maintain their own Ivory Girl fresh-faced sleek look. Often sharing belly baring outfits with their 2^nd generation (or more) cheerleading offspring.

The vendors at the show knew the difference. The soccer show featured BBQ, and Taquitos. The cheerleaders lined up for smoothies and salads.

Between these two shows, the Houston Car Club was showing off Mustangs, Camaros, and muscle cars. The vendors knew this crowd too. Beer in abundance, nachos, hot dogs and sugar-laden soda pop. Too many of the car aficionados would never be able to squeeze under the chassis on a mechanic’s creeper.

Recently, a massive multi-year study of eating habits and health impact reported that after tracking 40,000 people; half urged to cut out fat, and the other half left to follow their nose and taste buds, ended up eating a diet closer to the average American. High fat and purportedly lousy for longevity.

Yet the study surprised everyone. Eating bad stuff didn’t prove to be predictors of bad health. Hundreds of nutritionists and doctors immediately jumped on the study with proclamations and dire predictions.

Regardless of the study, and whether or not one believes that making a modest change in their diet will make a difference over the long haul; the cross section of America that flocked to the convention center last week certainly showed strong corollaries between intake and waist line inflation. It also showed that choice of recreation- for you and your children, and how active you are with your kids, makes all the difference.

Spring is coming. The parking lot at the Robinson Y is still packed, but as the temperature rises this week- and outdoor activities beckon, leave the couch potato Olympic observatory and let’s determine to work out harder and even though cynics say it may be pointless, eat smarter.

 

Leib Lurie is CEO of a coaches message service that serves thousands of soccer and cheerleading teams nationwide. You can reach him at Leib@Lurie.net

Or see these columns on his blog at www.llurie.blogspot.com

Lurie column Feb 22- Music on the Prairie winds

Lake Michigan was still choppy when we arrived on Wednesday, the lights of Chicago shimmering off the white caps stretching from the Navy Pier to McCormick Place. January was downright hot, leaving the Great Lakes unfrozen for the first time in memory. The thermometer plunged on Friday and Saturday morning a sheet of thin ice stretched across the horizon as February winds blasted in from the prairie.

This is not the week to jog along the lake – or around the levee in Troy. In Chicago we were regaled by the voices of the prairie – as choirs of elementary, middle, high school and college kids gave repertoire performances for the American Choir Directors’ association. Attending with my prestigious press credentials from the TDN (and accompanying my wife who was sent by Preble County Schools, we saw the magic that music can create; and set the mood for more here at home this week.

The Young Naperville Singers- 200 kids from 6 to 17 with the marvelous range that comes from prepubescent tenors to the throaty teens maturing into Bass and baritone singers. The Naperville, Illinois city that is somewhat smaller than Dayton, supports a wide array of music and the arts for kids. This choir with tremulous voices was more than a passing nod to the power of arts in a community. Singing both a cappella and with musical accompaniment the choir did Jazz, Soul, Bach and an Australian native gabagong. The latter being a rather strange, to American ears form of 4-8 measure statement unconnected in any way. Our traditional European heritage music is simpler with more romantic melodies and tone. This piece was the choral equivalent of a heavy metal rock band playing chamber orchestra instruments.

Indianapolis sent the Central High School Counterpoints to perform for the annual convention attended by 500 Choir directors from across the county. The 53 choir members and their school band went through a perfunctory old world requiem, then switched gears to a group of 20^th century popular tunes anyone could sing, albeit not nearly as well as these youngsters.

We saw performances of the Miami University choir (hey David Lindeman- your son did you proud) and The Ohio State University. An elementary and high school honors choir- sort of the all star game- with the best kids from across a four state region came to Chicago to practice together, for the first time, for two days before performing the conference finale.

In this breathtaking 1930’s art deco ballroom, one director scattered his singers on stage, along the side balconies, in the center of the room and perched at the back; five sources of voices at times serenading us and at times crooning to each other. The choir’s complex harmony literally bounced around the room, leaving our heads spinning. They proved that quadraphonic sound really did predate the digital electronic amplifier. And to think I thought choir directors were just wildly waving their arms to keep scarecrows from landing on the kids.

For those of you mired here in Troy for the winter (have no fear, the prognosticating Groundhog tells us spring is coming next month) there’s no need to despair because fabulous voices and music of the prairie are available this week without leaving town.

Oklahoma!, often called America’s favorite musical is a Rogers and Hammerstiens’ classic that will squeeze a record 58 cast, crew and orchestra members into the renovated Barn in the Park Theatre across from Hobart Arena starting Friday night. The songs of the wide open plains and happy dancing and unrequited love positioned in old Oklahoma will reverberate through the old beams and rafters of the Theatre. The old wood will feel like a young birch again- and so will you. So come on down to a hoop-de-doo barn dance. Scoop up the remaining tickets by calling 339-7700 or at troycicivtheatre.com

Leib Lurie sneaks into national conferences pretending to report on music and is a Troy Civic Theatre Board Member. You can reach him at Leib@Lurie.net

Or see these columns on his blog at www.llurie.blogspot.com

Lurie column- E-Tech for Ohio students

Educating students in Ohio

This week 8,000 teachers, administrators and technology folks from around the state have gathered at the Ohio E-Tech conference in Columbus. They are seeking the holy grail of e-learning methodologies.

If the last time you were in school they were still using charcoal on a shovel, things have changed beyond comprehension. If you went to school when they used slide projectors and film strips – some of the gear may look remotely familiar. For those who studied alongside a microprocessor from Apple or IBM, the differences are in one sense subtle and in another amazing.

Ohio has dropped to #31 in state rankings of educational achievement, dropping 11 positions in the past year according to Morgan Quitno Press, the leading publisher of state and city ranking publications. The vendors at the show need to sell more than hardware, silicon and software; they need magic to turn this boat around.

Four times in the past eight years the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled that state funding for schools is illegal and unconstitutional. Our lame duck Governor Taft has ignored the highest court in the state and continued with business as usual; which means pretty bad. The legislature has done no better. All but fiddling as Rome burns around them. Making patchy changes here and there, but overall; reducing the funds most students get for education.

Although the current state average for per pupil spending is $9,573; Troy lags far behind, scraping together about 25% less than that for our kids. The results tell the tale. Only 25% of Troy students will ever finish even a two year college degree compared with 67% in Rhode Island. College graduates have a 2.2% unemployment rate, High school only? 7.5% are looking for work.  

So what are these vendors and 234 different sessions hoping to achieve? Electronic boards that draw lessons in color and overlay PC images drew crowds; but are the multiplication tables grasped any quicker in rainbow hues? Will teachers armed with Palm computers that can zip wireless questions and assignments to every student’s display and allow them to instantly beam assignments back for electronic grading against a national plagiarism database really improving the thought process of K12 students?

Dozens of firms pledge to keep school computers humming along virus free, with layers of security and web filtering to avoid exposing young minds to the nasty ads, pictures and drug offers that permeate every one else’s in-box.

A number of publishers are making a mint printing the new OGT (Ohio Graduation test) preparation books. The five sections must be passed by every Ohio student to graduate starting in 2007. Sounds like a tough standard but that’s nonsense. Although students get four tries (at least) taking each section, unbelievably a passing grade of 40% is considered proficient enough for a Buckeye diploma. Batting 400 is terrific for a Dayton Dragon, but pathetically poor for a graduation standard.

There certainly are better methods of teaching, and we need to enhance the curriculum to meet the needs of employers and jobs in our 21^st century global economy. The dozens of computer vendors and software publishers all think they have the tools to make a difference. The attendees swarm the demos and flock to sessions on ‘how to make better icons in Word’.

Silicon and software saturation is not the panacea the E-Tech attendees here seem to hope it will be. The only thing that has ever really taught students is well-paid, knowledgeable, experienced, dedicated teachers backed up by concerned parents. But none of the booths were hawking either of those. Maybe next year’s show will, because that is what we really need in Ohio.

 

Leib Lurie is a Troy Civic Theatre Board Member, Optimist Club member and CEO of phone message service OneCallNow.com. You can reach him at Leib@Lurie.net

Or see these columns on his blog at www.llurie.blogspot.com

Lurie column Feb 8- Love is a many splendored thing

Some folks reading this page see things that make them think, others get angry or upset over what they read. The news from outside our protected Miami Valley can be at times exciting, overwhelming, exhilarating and frightening. Tonight I wish to explore something closer to home that can evoke those same emotions and more. Love.

Friday and Saturday night is couples night. The annual Valentines� Day dinner theatre at the Troy-Hayner cultural center will be the scene for those hitched or at least with a significant other to have a romantic dinner and enjoy some comedy and singing by the Funny Valentines. Featuring a high energy trio playing arrangements of Broadway standards, opera and classical song coupled with some great comedy. So book the evening and see what emotions you can bring to a cold February evening in Troy.

Here I sit writing while listening to songs from Irving Berlin. My mate of 29+ years is taking a choir class, working on more college credits to add to her 285. Yet, while we are comfortably ensconced in our relationship, for many folks without (or between) a significant other, Valentines� day is an emotionally debilitating time; when one pines for lost love or regrets the paths that split so long ago from a lover or friend who might have been.

Finding true love is more than never having to say you�re sorry. It�s just plain hard work sometimes, but usually it�s a quirk of fate that brings two people together for the long haul; or even for a short flight.

How can one find joy and happiness when the barriers are so high? If you didn�t meet a good friend in High School (and how many really ARE high school lovers who live happily ever after), then what?

The bar scene? Dunaway�s and Leaf & Vine are somewhat limiting; if you haven�t found a special someone after a few week ends, you have probably exhausted the possibilities.

Church Socials? There are 48 churches in the zip code, and a few hundred more within ten miles. Most are small, but I think one of the reasons for the growth in mega churches like Ginghamsburg is that the odds of meeting someone are far better in a dynamic, large scale environment with lots of cell groups to check out. Cycling through the many potential acquaintances and sharing a pew doesn�t let you in on a person�s true character as looking at how many dirty dishes are in their sink.

Cycling through? The �meet over sweat� can bind some folks tighter than Lycra. You can join the 6am marathon run to the swim lanes at the Robinson �Y�, and try to make smoochie noises while doing the breast stroke or join a Yoga class and bend your body into a pretzel while trying to bend her mind into the concept of joining you for dinner.  

Searching the Internet? Amazingly popular. Yahoo Personals is an Internet dating service that lists 432 women searching for men, and 735 men seeking a lady. A wide array of choices, and those are just the folks within ten miles of Troy.  One of my co-workers has been doing an experiment using Yahoo, you can set dozens of criteria (non-smoker? College educated? Rock or Country?) set a search radius � and poof, review pictures and profiles. Personally I think they need to add two significant compatibility questions. How many pieces of dirty laundry are OK to have on the floor, and how many dishes can be piled in the sink.  

Anyway, arrange a safe meeting at LaFiesta, O'Briens or maybe the dinner show at Hayner. We have been to three weddings of Internet match-ups, so it�s certainly worth a try.  

True Love is in the air, and possibly just around the block. Seek it out!

Leib Lurie is a Troy Civic Theatre Board Member, Optimist Club member and CEO of phone message service OneCallNow.com. You can reach him at Leib@Lurie.net

Or see these columns on his blog at www.llurie.blogspot.com