Assignment 5-1:Weekly Written Analysis 5

This week’s written analysis centers on the use of after school sports to keep today’s youth active and out of trouble. I chose an article in the Columbus Dispatch to analyze, Smith-Richards, J. (2008). The Columbus Dispatch, Pingpong diplomacy. 11/2/2008. This article was written to emphasize the need to keep our youth active after school in order to keep them out of trouble. With both parents working in many of the households today, there is often a struggle to keep an eye of what our children are up to before we get home. This article addresses the need to use sports to keep children active.

It’s no secret that when children are left to watch themselves they will usually make bad decisions. Often times both parents work and children are left of their own after school. This article centers around a program put together by a local teacher that uses pingpong competitions to keep kids busy after school. According to Richards, J. (2008), when the last class at Lakeview Junior High in Pickerington, OH ends every Tuesday, a fascinating study in adolescence begins. The after school pingpong program was put together by teacher Mr. Hanzlik and it is said that the kids follow him wherever he has the pingpong tables set up.

This program uses the popular sport of pingpong to entice children to stay active after school. The result, more and more kids join the program each Tuesday. Mr. Hanzlik structures the program so that everyone is welcome from the beginner to the expert. He emphasizes team work and commraderie among the youth. Hanzlik states, “These aren’t just table-tennis lessons. They are lessons in equality. Diplomacy. Justice.”

There is a lot to be said for an activity that will keep kids active and out of trouble after school and this program does just that. Through the use of the pop culture sport pingpong, teachers have been able to teach kids interaction skills, good competition, and relationship skills. I’m a believer. Our kids need supervision and guidance at all times even when we are working. This program has proven to build strong interpersonal skills in children that were weak in this area. Next time you wonder what your kids are doing after school, enroll them in an after-school program.

Reference
Smith-Richards, J. (2008). The Columbus Dispatch. Pingpong Diplomacy. 11/02/2008