I’m going to use myself as an example to prove a couple points. First, I have never been the best at anything. I run on the trail and I sometimes get lapped. How, you wonder, do you get lapped when the laps are three miles around. Well, it happens. Oh well. At least I’m out there doing something. Going back a little farther, I was introduced to the game of volleyball in 6th grade. In seventh grade, I didn’t make the team. Even worse than that, they sat us on the gym floor while they announced the numbers of the girls who DID make the team and they asked them to move to the other side of the gym. Always good for the 13-year-old ego. He got to the end of the list, explained that we (the group still sitting there dejected) would be contacted if they had any more openings. The director then stopped in front of me, asked me my number, looked at the list again, and then said “nope, not on here” and proceeded with his loser speech. I still know this man and he swears he never did this but I still know where I was sitting on the gym floor when he stopped in front of me. Instead of doing volleyball that spring, I did Tae Kwon Do (which worked on my balance and coordination), I ran track (even though I’m now very slow), I played basketball (yes, people did more than one sport back then), and I tried out for cheerleading (which worked on my confidence). It turned out to be a blessing that I didn’t make a team. It didn’t mean I had to give up on volleyball. And I’m glad I didn’t.

Finally, the only reason I was awarded a scholarship to play volleyball at a major Division I school was that I never made a top team in club volleyball until my senior year. Let me say that again so you can understand that. I NEVER was on the top team for my club volleyball team (Austin Juniors) until after volleyball recruiting was already over. The advantage was that I never sat on the bench. I got way more practice and playing time than I would have on a higher level team. The best way to get better at anything is to practice more. So I got more practice by being on the teams that didn’t have all the pressure and all the show-boaters.

So treat every turn in your kid’s very curvy athletic journey as a learning tool, not a chance to give up. Look at the kid who runs knocked-kneed and either help him along or admire how he makes it up and down the court despite his awkwardness. Watch the kid with the slow swing and see how he or she could improve instead of laughing at the speed. Embrace the third team as a learning experience, not an insult. The third team is a chance to get better, get more touches, get more swings, get more attempts, and in the end perform better than someone else who is paying more money to sit on the bench of the top team.

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Duck, Duck, Goose
You remember this one from your childhood. While this fun kids workout is really considered a game, it is also probably the first interval training workout you ever performed. Have all your kids sit in a big circle. Select one child to be the “picker” to start the game. The picker walks around the outside of the circle and touches each sitting kid on the head and says either “Duck” or “Goose”. The goose then jumps up and chases the picker around the outside of the circle. The goal of the chase is for the goose is to try to tag the picker before the picker can make their way around the circle and sit where the goose had been sitting. If the picker wins the goose becomes the new picker and the game continues. If the goose wins the chase the goose sits back in their original spot and the picker starts again.

This kids running game can be adjusted to different ages and abilities by making bigger or smaller circles with the bigger circles being more appropriate for older kids.

Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt? You can play this kids running game in park or on the infield of your school track. Get between 10 and 20 buckets or pails. Place the buckets randomly, but in plain view, around the park or infield. Place the buckets upside down over the top of the items in your scavenger hunt. Divide your kids into two even teams. Give each team member a specific item that they need to find. The kids will then run from bucket to bucket trying to find their item. When they find their item they return to the starting point. The first team to find all their items wins.

Candy Chase
Place piles of small candy on one end of a football or soccer field. Divide your kids into two even teams on the other end of the field. At your whistle the kids should run to the candy at the other end, pick up only one piece and run back to the starting point. They should then drop the piece of candy into their team box and run back for another piece. Set a goal time for this running game – say 10 minutes. At the end of the ten minutes, the team with the most pieces of candy is the winner.

Marathon Challenge
Kids are too young to run 26.2 miles in one workout. But a fun way to challenge your kids and improve their endurance is to have a marathon challenge. The object of this running game is for the kids to run a full marathon over a period of time. Don’t give each kid a specific number of miles they need to run on a daily basis. Let the child determine their own progress. Keep a mileage log for each kid. When they reach their 26.2 mile challenge the kid gets a reward such as a marathon challenge t-shirt. Use your imagination on the rewards and always keep it fun and rewarding. One good way to keep your marathon challengers motivated is to have levels similar to martial arts. For example they may get a white belt at the 6 mile level, a yellow belt at the 13 mile level, a red belt at the 20 mile level and a black belt when they complete their challenge.

Bean Bag Relay
Here is a fun kids running workout that will also teach them to run efficiently. Divide your kids into relay teams of 4 each. Place one kid from each team at the relay transition points on the track. The first athlete to start places a bean bag on their head and runs to the first relay transition zone. If the bag falls off their head they must stop where it falls of and replace it on their head before continuing. At the transition zone each runner places the bag on their team mates head and that running continues on. The first team to complete the 4 x 100 meter relay wins.

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All in a friendly, easy-to-understand 2-hour workshop. Each to receive a complimentary football playbook!! Beer and pretzels!! Prizes, too! Proceeds benefit Gridiron Heroes, an organization that has been created to support those who have suffered neck injuries and/or paralysis from playing football.

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A: A soccer match.

Okay, so the joke isn’t that funny. The point is we want your kids to be suited up in the appropriate attire so they can light up the soccer field and play like a champion. We have boy’s and girl’s soccer shoes and cleats with shin guards to match, even pink! You will find soccer shorts and shirts in an array of colors as well. Don’t forget our new assortment of soccer balls in multiple colors and sizes.

For those of you who are busy during the week please visit us during our extended business hours to finish back to school shopping for the kids.

Open Sunday, August 15th 12:00pm-5:00pm

Open Sunday, August 22nd 12:00pm-5:00pm

See you then!

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• Nike Land Shark Legacy Football Cleats
• Under Armour Hammer III Football Cleats
• Under Armour HEAT gear and COLD gear receiving gloves
• Under Armour mouth guard with leash
• Nike mouth guard with air flow channel
• Nike chin shield
• Assortment of practice shorts and shirts
• Towels
• Socks
• Water bottles
• Duffle bags to carry all of the above items

After you get your football player all geared up the rest is up to them. We’ll be here to cheer them on! Go team!

And for all you football Moms out there (and non-football Moms for that matter) who need a fun and entertaining introductory lesson on the game of football come join us for Football 101. We will teach you everything you need to know to cheer on your star. Taught by former NFL player Mike Rosenthal, along with Cody Carlson, Mark Mangum and Randall Schultz.

When:
Sunday, August 15th 2010,
4:00pm-6:00pm

Where:
West Austin Youth Association
1314 Exposition Blvd
Austin, TX 78703

Cost:
$25/person

Proceeds go to Gridiron Heroes, a Spinal Cord Injury Foundation that provides immediate and long term resources and support to individuals sustaining a catastrophic spinal cord injury through activities associated with high school football.

For more information and to register please visit 1379’s Football 101 page. See you there!

• ride bikes
• roller blade
• basketball
• play board games
• make a tent out of blankets
• squirt with hoses
• run through the sprinkler
• jump rope
• read books
• blow bubbles
• make homemade play dough
• play with play dough
• press flowers
• do crafts with pressed flowers
• write a letter to a relative, friend or pen pal
• clean bedroom
• vacuum living room
• clean bathroom
• make a craft
• draw
• color
• paint
• pull weeds
• write stories
• use binoculars
• use magnifying glass
• use microscope
• bird watching
• write a play
• act out a play
• invent circus acts
• perform a circus
• play card games
• make art on the front walkway with sidewalk chalk
• play catch
• play baseball
• collect rocks
• collect leaves
• collect feathers
• play Frisbee
• make Frisbee’s out of old plastic lids, decorate with markers
• dust the house
• brush the pet
• write letters
• read a magazine
• play dress-up
• play Cowboys
• pick vegetables
• play outside with the pet
• build a fort in your rooms
• build a fort in the backyard
• do a jigsaw puzzle
• play on the Geosafari
• listen to a story or book on tape
• do extra schoolwork to get ahead
• do brain teasers (crosswords, word searches, hidden pictures, mazes, etc.)
• cook
• prepare lunch
• surprise a neighbor with a good deed
• play store
• prepare a “restaurant” lunch with menus
• hold a tea party
• have a Teddy bear picnic
• play with toy cars
• play dolls
• play house
• chase butterflies
• collect caterpillars and bugs
• plant a garden or a pot
• collect seeds
• hunt for four-leaf clovers
• learn magic tricks
• put on a magic show
• plant a container garden
• sprout seeds or beans
• make sock puppets
• put on a puppet show
• make homemade wrapping paper
• make homemade gift cards
• make picture frames from twigs glued onto sturdy cardboard
• crochet or knit
• make doll clothes
• sew buttons in designs on old shirts
• run relay races
• make bookmarks
• take a quiet rest time
• take a shower or bath
• bathe a pet
• feed the birds or squirrels
• watch the clouds
• organize a dresser drawer
• clean under the bed
• empty dishwasher
• vacuum under the couch cushions and keep any change found
• write these ideas on pieces of paper and pick out one or two to do
• whittle
• whittle bars of soap
• practice musical instruments
• perform a family concert
• fold laundry
• sweep kitchen or bathroom floors
• sweep front walkway
• sweep or spray back patio
• sweep or spray driveway
• wash car
• vacuum car
• vacuum or dust window blinds
• clean bathroom mirrors
• clean sliding glass doors
• clean inside of car windows
• wash bicycles
• clean garage
• play in the sandbox
• build a sandcastle
• work with clay
• copy your favorite book illustration
• design your own game
• build with blocks or Legos
• create a design box (copper wire, string, odds-and-ends of things destined for the garbage, pom-poms, thread, yarn, etc.)
• plan a neighborhood or family Olympics
• have a marble tournament
• paint a picture with lemon juice on white paper and hang it in a sunny window and see what happens in a few days
• finger paint with pudding
• make dessert
• make dinner
• give your pet a party
• paint the sidewalk with water
• start a journal of summer fun
• start a nature diary
• have a read-a-thon with a friend or sibling
• have a neighborhood bike wash
• play flashlight tag
• play Kick the Can
• check out a science book and try some experiments
• make up a story
• arrange photo albums
• find bugs and start a collection
• do some stargazing
• decorate bikes or wagons and have a neighborhood parade
• catch butterflies and then let them go
• play hide-and-seek
• create a symphony with bottles and pans and rubber bands
• listen to the birds sing
• try to imitate birdcalls
• read a story to a younger child
• find shapes in the clouds
• string dry noodles or O-shaped cereals into a necklace
• glue noodles into a design on paper
• play hopscotch
• play jacks
• make up a song
• make a teepee out of blankets
• write in your journal
• find an ant colony and spill some food and watch what happens
• play charades
• make up a story by drawing pictures
• draw a cartoon strip
• make a map of your bedroom, house or neighborhood
• call a friend
• cut pictures from old magazines and write a story
• make a collage using pictures cut from old magazines
• do a secret service for a neighbor
• plan a treasure hunt
• make a treasure map
• make up a “Bored List” of things to do
• plan a special activity for your family
• search your house for items made in other countries and then learn about those countries from the encyclopedia or online
• plan an imaginary trip to the moon
• plan an imaginary trip around the world, where would you want to go
• write a science-fiction story
• find a new pen pal
• make up a play using old clothes as costumes
• make up a game for practicing math facts
• have a Spelling Bee
• make up a game for practicing spelling
• surprise an elderly neighbor or relative by weeding his/her garden
• fingerpaint with shaving cream
• collect sticks and mud and build a bird’s nest
• write newspaper articles for a pretend newspaper
• put together a family newsletter
• write reviews of movies or plays or TV shows or concerts you see during the summer
• bake a cake
• bake a batch of cookies
• decorate a shoe box to hold your summer treasures
• make a hideout or clubhouse
• make paper airplanes
• have paper airplane races
• learn origami
• make an obstacle course in your backyard
• make friendship bracelets for your friends
• make a wind chime out of things headed for the garbage
• paint your face
• braid hair
• play tag
• make a sundial
• make food sculptures (from pretzels, gumdrops, string licorice, raisins, cream cheese, peanuts, peanut butter, etc.) and then eat it
• make a terrarium
• start a club
• take a nap outside on your lawn
• produce a talent show
• memorize a poem
• recite a memorized poem for your family

Then grab food quick or pack a picnic and head over to Tarrytown/Triangle park for movie night in the park. Families are welcome to bring a blanket and hope the meatballs don’t fall during a showing of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Thanks to Tarrytown Dance and Friends of Tarrytown Park for planning a great evening for families!

Tarrytown Park Movies flyer

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Hours are Monday-Friday 10a.m. – midnight. Glow Bowl happens Thursday – Sunday. The cost is $2.50-$3.50 per person/per lane. Shoe rental is $1.50-$2. Air Hockey is $8.00/ hour and lots of fun. They have t.v.s with sports on and pool tables for the older kids. Park @ 24th and San Antonio in the San Antonio Garage (it will cost you more than bowling). Bring some cash and pay for the parking in the automatic machine before you exit the garage and head home. To get to the Underground from the garage, walk down San Antonio past Starbucks, take a Left on 24th and then go into the big white building on the right as soon as you cross Guadalupe. Enter the Underground through the first door you see on the far right–it even has a sign for the underground. Don’t forget your socks and you’ll need to give them your Driver’s License. Bowling reservations are accepted and you can call ahead to make sure the lanes are open. 512-475-6670.

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