The inside story on highschool football

Football: Pain of Sacrifice or Pain of Regret

What could possibly compel someone to play a sport so physically painful? The average lifespan of an NFL lineman is barely 58 years. Granted, NFL players make a large sum of money, but college and high school football players are not paid; so why would they play football?

What makes football worth the constant headaches, soreness, and bruises?

                Bellevue High School won state for 3A this year. One Bellevue high player said “it’s satisfying to work hard for something”. Their players do not simply play for glory or self praise. They strive to play well simply because hard work is satisfying. There is a certain feeling of accomplishment while playing football. There is also a lot of glory and praise in winning a state title. But as the phrase goes, you’ve only got 15 minutes for fame. Bellevue won state this year but twenty years in the future no one is going to remember who won state in 2011. So obviously football is much more than glory, fame, or self acclamations.

                The other side to football is the team. Football is played with 11 players, not one. One player may stand out more than the rest but without all 11 players completing their assigned duties, the team fails. All 11 players learn to trust each other because if one lineman makes a mistake the QB takes a hard hit. If any player misses a block then the play goes for 2 yards instead of 5 yards. If there’s a poor handoff then the timing of the play is off resulting in no yards gained.  Every play and player is dependent upon all 11 team mates doing their job properly.

So why play football?

A player from Seattle Preparatory high school answered this very question saying, “Because the feeling of victory makes the pain and difficult times worth it. Because improvement in myself and the team doesn’t come without sacrifice”.

Within football is the idea of “Pain of Sacrifice or Pain of Regret.” Either work hard and succeed or slack off and fail. And remember, someone is always counting on you. The QB and running backs rely on the blocking skills of the O-line. The linebackers rely on the D-lineman to fill their gaps and account for their responsibilities.

So there you have it. Football is more than pain and it is more than glory. It is comradeship, fellowship, accountability, and self improvement. It is putting the team over yourself. A football team is a family. They care for each other, protect each other, and look out for each other. The bonds formed from playing high school football are bonds that can last a lifetime.

For all of these reasons, football is one of my favorite coping mechanisms. May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. It is a time for us to challenge ourselves to get active, to take care of our bodies, and to find our own unique ways of movement or physical activity that feel good to us.  

If you are looking to get more active or want something new to try out to relieve your stress here are some great resources in Seattle:

Bikeworks- “Our programs invest in young people and encourage bicycling as a clean and healthy transportation alternative. Our youth programs offer an innovative combination of education, bicycle repair and ownership, outdoor activities, and community service.”

To learn more visit www.bikeworks.org

Seattle Parks and Recreation- They have all kinds of opportunities from getting involved with sports to learning to swim to going on outdoor adventures.

Visit http://www.seattle.gov/parks/teens/ for more information.

Have a fun and active May!

Break-Ups

As many people know, getting over someone who you date and then broke up with can be a very hard struggle.  Whether it was ended for the right reasons or you were dumped or hurt, one is bound to miss the relationships and the moments they had with that person. Sometimes, people feel so alone because they don’t have that person to rely on anymore. Getting over a breakup can take a lot of time and be emotionally draining, so make sure to take it easy on yourself. One thing I have found helpful in the past is to find quotes that personally inspire you to move on. Many of the quotes that help me are pasted onto my bathroom mirror so that every morning I have a reminder of what inspires me. The following are a few of my favorite “getting over someone quotes”, and I hope you enjoy them. They all are from searchquotes.com, which is a great place to find some that personally inspire you.

Don't keep crying because of a mistake. Learn from it and move on. Don't waste your life blaming yourself because of something that's gone.- Unknown

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain.

If he’s dumb enough to walk away, be smart enough to let him go.

And I have come to realize that he’s just a guy, a special one maybe, but he’s not mine. And I don’t need to do things to make him love me. If he wanted to he would.

If you miss someone, that means you're lucky. It means you had someone special in your life, someone worth missing.

No matter how talented you are, not everybody is going to like you. But that's life, just stay strong.

If you ever need someone to talk to, like I know I did, you can also call Teen Link. Teen Link is open every night. They really listen. Its hard when you feel like you have either talked to friends about it a million times or feel like there is no one to talk to about it who will understand. It was just really nice to be able to call someone who didn't make me feel stupid and who understood that it was a big deal for me. It was just nice to have someone to talk to. ~ Anonymous

Teen Link is open every night from 6-10pm. It is located in Seattle Washington, so those are Pacific Standard times. The number is 1866-TEENLINK or 18668336546. You can also visit the website at http://www.866teenlink.org/. They have a chat service on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday that you can access at the bottom right hand corner.

Is drinking the norm?

I’m sitting in a room full of my best friends. We’re having a good time skipping out on our homecoming. My friend’s mom comes down stairs to tell us they are off to their party and they’ll be home late. We start talking and laughing again. When my friends hear the car leave, they start to pull out the drinks. I’m not talking about Pepsi or Mountain Dew. I’m talking about rum, vodka and coolers. I’m faced with an issue of deciding if this is something I actually want to do. I don’t want to drink because I’m afraid of drinking too much, but I’m also afraid of looking like a loser with my best friends.

Growing up we’re always told to say away from drugs. You always think as a kid, "I’ll never do drugs!"As you grow into a teenager its fairly easy to say no to drugs because you grew up knowing they were harmful to you.  

It’s more difficult to say no to alcohol.   

When talking to a friend about it, she told me,“most of my friends drink. They can drink because either their parents have a surplus of beer or let them drink. Also, some of them have older siblings who will buy them alcoholic drinks because they are older than 21." Alcohol is a part of our society. Everywhere you turn it seems that drinking is portrayed as the norm. We see it advertised in commercials on television, in magazines, and on billboards. We hear it glamorized in popular songs and in mainstream movies. As we grow up we see our families drinking maybe very occasionally or possibly every day. What are we supposed to think about all of these messages?

For some teens, alcohol is more of a social thing, something they do at parties or with friends, while for others it serves as an escape from what is going on in their lives. We are fed all of these ideas about drinking and how everyone is doing it. However, we don't often get to see what happens when drinking makes the transition from being fun or casual to being addictive and all-consuming. Many people don’t realize that there is a problem with drinking until something terrible happens or until it isn't a matter or wanting it, but rather, needing it. Another thing they don't show us is that being an alcoholic is not just something adults struggle with. Their is a myth in our culture that high schoolers and college students aren't really be alcoholics. You know the saying, "live it up while you can, because after college it is called alcoholism." This feeds into the idea that people our age don't have problems with alcohol and that we shouldn't worry about it until later.
The truth is that alcoholism is not reserved for adults.
Many teens struggle with an addiction to alcohol. Those who recognize that they have a problem and want to seek help often do not know where to go to get the support or resources they need to recover. A lot of times they may just need someone to talk to who isn't going to judge them for what they are going through and who will actually listen. For anyone who is upset about something in their life or for anyone who is struggling with a drug or alcohol addiction, there are people who care and resources that can help.

Teen Link is one of those resources. Teen Link is a help line answered by teens. It is available to provide a space where teens can talk about whatever is going on for them and to have someone really listen to them and help the find the resources and support they are looking for. The teens who answer the phones go through lots of training to be able to talk to you about anything that you might want to talk about. We like to say that there is no problem too big or too small. Teen Link is open from 6 pm to 10pm every night and there is an online chat service available on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Teen Link also partners with the  Washington Recovery Help Line to provide support and resources for teens around the issue of drugs and alcohol. If you or someone you know ever needs to talk Teen Link is a great resource.
866TEENLINK (866-833-65465) or www.866teenlink.org

Other Resources Around Drugs and Alcohol:

Recovery Help Line              866-789-1511       www.waRecoveryHelpLine.org
Alateen & Alanon                 206-625-0000       www.seattle-al-anon.org

Alcoholics Anonymous        206-587-28-38      www.seattleaa.org

Narcotics Anonymous          206-790-8888        www.seattlena.org

In Honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month

SURVIVORS: Break the Silence of Violence 

Empty

I will never forget that day, when they stole my life.

I asked them not to, begged them, but they never looked back.

I remember what it felt like to have hope--

to see love down the road.

Now all I see is pain.

I still feel their fingers on me sometimes.

They feel like sandpaper against my wooden skin.

'Asleep or awake?'

Sometimes it’s hard to tell.

Why can't it be enough?

Why can't I be enough... anymore?

Because they took too much,

and left me.

Empty.

~Anonymous teen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cEc3aQOP-o

Spoken word artist Andrea Gibson's powerful poem on violence against women: "Blue Blanket"

RESOURCES:  

Here are some helpful organizations for teens that are looking for resources for themselves or someone they know who has or is currently experiencing sexual assault or domestic violence.

1)      Children’s domestic violence program (206)568-7859

2)      Consejo Counseling & Referral Service-Teen Advocacy (206)461-4880

3)      Domestic Abuse Women’s Network (DAWN): Emergency Housing (24hrs) 1 (866)286-3296

4)      Eastside Domestic Violence Crisis Line (24hrs) 1(800) 827-8840

5)      Northwest Network of Bisexual, Trans, Lesbian, & Gay Survivors of Abuse (206)568-7777

6)      WA State Domestic Violence Hotline (24hrs) 1(800)562-6025

7)      YMCA Children’s Domestic Violence Program (206) 568-7859

Also, if you ever just need someone to talk to Teen Link is open every night from 6-10pm. It is confidential, non-judgmental, and open to talk about and listen to whatever you want to talk about.
(866) TEENLINK (833-6546) or (206)461-4922

Or visit our website to use our online chat service at  WWW.866TEENLINK.ORG

Has Learning Become Inexplicably Difficult?

       Our current education system is not exactly ideal, and I'm sure some of you reading this would have to agree.  I, myself, have felt much more stress in the recent years and the problem is that we know that it won't get much better.  

There are constant signs from the media telling us that we have to succeed, and grades become the most important, regardless of personal problems, health, or interests.   

What looks best on a transcript? What classes can I take that will make me seem like a better candidate for the freshman class in this university? What internships should I take that will benefit my chances of getting a secure job? Personally, I get through thinking that "it'll get better, just as soon as I finish these next couple years".  The reality is, if that's the mindset you have now, that's probably the mindset you'll keep having, when it doesn't really get all that much better. That is why it's really important that you build a solid foundation for the rest of your life.

        An organization called RSA has a series of videos on YouTube that animate speeches.  One of these is called Changing Education Paradigms, by Sir Ken Robinson. He talks about how he disagrees with our "factory" system of education and points out many flaws with the "normal" methods of teaching.
       If there any of you who agree with what he is saying and are interested in switching to another system, there are schools out there that may better suit your learning needs. I would encourage you to check out some of Teen Link's resources, like

• One World Now!
• Year Up
• Gage Academy of Art

   There are also plenty more sources in Teen Link's Where to Turn for Teens.  You could always call Teen Link, and ask for more information.  You can also talk to your school's counselor and see if they have any resources that may be helpful.

Maybe it is time to start thinking about what works best for YOU!

Muse~ not just a band

MUSE

~it’s not just a band

The term muse is defined in several ways, but is most popular with its definition of it being a source of inspiration.

So where do we find these so-called “muses?”

The map to a muse is different to each person. Some people may find inspiration by listening to songs and others may discover passion through playing a sport. Here are some other ways:

Books

A book could be a muse or source of inspiration. The way a writer molds words can sometimes make the reader think in a new light. Who knows? These books might give off some inspiration:

            Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

            The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

 

            Oh, the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss

            For One More Day by Mitch Albom

If none of these books look interesting, try visiting your local bookstore and ask an employee if they have a section dedicated to inspiration. Or you could even ask them their favorite book.

Pandora Radio— http://www.pandora.com/

This is a personalized radio where the users can start a playlist with a particular artist, genre, song or composer that will find similar music as each song goes.

Gives Me Hope— http://www.givesmehope.com/

This is a website that allows people to share their hopeful and inspirational moments with the world. Ironically, those who post, answer the question, “what gives you hope?”

Magazines

Publications with articles and images can sometimes bring inspiration. For example, if you are interested in sports, Sports Illustrated (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/), may help. For the fashion lovers, Vogue (http://www.vogue.com/), may have what you need. And for those who are captivated by the entirety of the world, National Geographic (http://www.nationalgeographic.com/), might be a good place to look.

Art

Artists must have some sort of inspiration to create their art, and maybe we viewers can use their creations as a gateway to our own muses. Here are some famous art galleries/museums around the world:

          The Lourve in Paris, France— http://www.louvre.fr/en

          The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, New York—                                                                                                           www.metmuseum.org/

          The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia— http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/

          If you are not near these, just type in on your search engine (www.google.com, www.bing.com, www.yahoo.com, etc.) something like  “local art galleries” and see what pops up.

Youtube—http://www.youtube.com/

This site is where people can post, watch, and comment on videos. Some of them are a bit wacky, but everyone gets inspiration differently, right?

Friends/Family

The people who you interact with each day could be the driving force for you. Why not give them a call?

Yourself

You can be the inspiration to whatever you do. Your talents, interests, and morals could be what give you inspiration. Why can’t you be your own muse?

If you read this just because you saw the title “Muse,” I am sorry to disappoint you. As a condolence here is the link to their website, http://muse.mu/.

Teen Link wishes you a fun weekend! 

We are open every night from 6-10pm if you ever want to talk. 

(866)TEENLINK or 866-833-6546

Dance- Something Real Coming to Teen Link's Sweet 16 B-day Party at the Vera Project

Dance- Something Real

"In our society, people place too much emphasis on education and working hard to the extent that the arts, such as dance, are left behind and unrecognized."

Breakdancing.

Even though bboying is one of the most expressive and explosive styles of dance, it is often looked down upon by society because bboying’s origins lie in hip-hop culture and the rebellious minority youth in the New York City. Much has changed since its birth in the late 1970s, but the negative perception still holds.

 In our society, people place too much emphasis on education and working hard to the extent that the arts, such as dance, are left behind and unrecognized. However for teens, education and labor give us stress, and on the other hand, dancing and art give us freedom and release.

At Something Real, a non-profit organization run by young adults, we aim to change that perception and use dancing and the arts to inspire the youth in our community to find their passions. We are just a group of teens who all have been inspired and influenced by some form of art. For most of us, our art is breakdancing. We spread our name and introduce youth to art by throwing dance battles and concerts in high schools.

Next week, some of our dancers will come out for a dance battle at Teen Link’s Sweet 16 party at the Vera Project. We’ll be showing our love for breakdancing, so come out and support us and Teen Link!