Believe

December 24, 2010

Dear Santa,

My name is Jack Murphy and I am twenty one years old. I live in Rocky Point, NY in the United States of America. I am sorry that I was unable to send you my Christmas list sooner but I ran out of time. I figured sending you this message would be the best way to ensure that you received it on time.

Each year, the Christmas season is full of joy and wonder, and magic and happiness. We are always surrounded by the spirit of the season. More often than not we get lost in the flashy new toys and marketing thrown at us from each and every angle. It is very easy for someone to lose sight of the meaning of the holiday and as well as their belief in you yourself. It is easy for someone to lose faith in you and begin to no longer believe. Each year, I am reminded of this:

"Santa exists as surely as beauty and joy exist. One must simply have the courage to shun cynicism and have the faith in things that can’t always be seen. And for those spirited ones, Santa will always exist."

It is with childlike wonder and belief in the human spirit that I know you exist. And while some may lose sight of their belief in you, we need to ensure that they never lose sight of what you represent: compassion and generosity, joy and togetherness, and hope and love.

This brings me to my 2010 Christmas list. I know you are very busy and I know I am writing to you late. With that in mind, I am not asking for anything material but rather a Christmas wish. I have truly been blessed with the friendships and relationships with those I have encountered over the past few years. These people have become my closest and sincerest friends. I consider them family. With them, I have developed memories that will last forever no matter how far we may be apart. They truly have changed my life and I am in grateful debt to them. I truly do love these people. My Christmas wish for 2010: please, allow them to continue to be blessed with happiness and love, good fortune and fun. Sometimes, things in my life have not always gone well and by simply thinking of my memories with these individuals turns a frown into a smile and tears of sorrow into tears of joy. They are truly the glue that hold me together and without them I would crumble. Please, Santa, in any way possible, whatever you are able to do, please continue to make them happy and joyous.

These people know who they are and if you can, please tell them that I truly love them all and that I wish them a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year. I cannot wait to see them again.

Thank You Santa. The most proper way I can relay my appreciation is with these two words: I Believe.

With Love,
Jack

What Are You Thankful For?

Today is Thursday November, 25, 2010. I would like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. But before I do that, I would like to ask a favor of everyone. For me, please, look deep within you soul. Search the uncharted portions of your mind. What are you thankful for on this day? What is it that makes you complete? Is it your family? Is it your achievements? It can be anything.

On this day, I am thankful for numerous things. I am thankful for my health. I am thankful for the love and support of my family and friends. But above all, I am thankful for the human spirit. This Thanksgiving, things were not going to be an 'as usual' affair for those around me. Things are difficult and we did not know what to expect. That is until an act of selflessness on the part of a friend came into play. This act reaffirmed my faith in the human spirit to be compassionate and caring, and sincere and respectful. It made me appreciate the love and support of those I know and will now forever call family.

So, what are you thankful for? While you ponder this thought, please do so around those whom you love and those who love you. A Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving to All.

RE-IMAGINING IN PROGRESS -- RELAUNCHING 11.28.10

2010 NYS AHPERD: "Together with Passion & Purpose"

"I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!" - PED 308 Outdoor Education at Raquette Lake

Strength Through Partnerships - 2010 AAHPERD National Convention & Expo, Indianapolis, Indiana

Take a Seat Son and Watch How It's Done: Laying the Fist Pump Down on EDU 256 - Field Experience

From January 4, 2010 - January 8, 2010, January 11, 2010 - January 15, 2010, and January 19, 2010 - January 22, 2010, I was out in the public school system observing physical education classes in the Miller Place School District.

Details and reflections are coming soon...

"I Have a Dream..."

A Very Merry Christmas to All!!

A Christmas Wish

The Story Behind the Legend

One’s life is commonly defined by the achievements they have accomplished and the impacts that they have on society. We sometimes are unfamiliar with their story and how they came to be such a celeb. Xavier Waddles, the creator of broomball, is such that individual. His accomplishments throughout his life are many and known to all. Let’s take a look at how he achieved international fame.

On December 21, 1976, Luis and Alexandra Waddles welcomed their new son Xavier into the world. He was instantly one of the cutest baby penguins in the province of Ontario let alone the entire nation of Canada. Xavier was the second child born to Luis and Alexandra; their first being a daughter, Colleen. With their new baby boy brought into the world, Luis and Alexandra could not be any happier.

Growing up in Ontario was difficult in the 1970’s. Luis was often out of work as the weather was too warm for ice to form. He then moved his family up to the Yukon province where he flourished in the ice distribution industry. From a very young age, Xavier enjoyed school. He always looked for new and challenging tasks to accomplish. As he progressed through the years in school, he was a standout athlete in ice hockey and won over his high school crush, Angela. Upon graduation, Xavier was atop his class and was accepted into various higher education institutions. He settled on attending the University of Waddles Worth in the province of Manitoba in the Business Economics major. College proved to be a tough time for Xavier. His father died in a freak accident on the job when a whale burst through the ice at the factory causing life threatening injuries to Luis. Xavier was hit hard and suffered emotionally. This made him determined to finish school. He did so in 1998 and attained his master’s in 1999. He then went to the United States for his doctorate in philosophy from Texas Woman’s University. It was during this time that Alexandra Waddles passed away. Xavier was devastated.

In 2002, Xavier moved back to Ontario and married his high school sweetheart Angela. He dedicated the ceremony to his parents and rejoiced. Angela had always been there for Xavier and now, she always would be. They gave birth to their first child, Alexandra, in 2003.

Xavier struggled finding a job following the birth of his child. He eventually began working for ‘March of the Ice Sweepers, Company,’ a cleaning profession. He moved through the ranks and eventually became president and chief executive officer of the company. One particular day was the turning point in Xavier’s career. He and his employees were cleaning the ice one day and began hitting around the garbage on the ice with their brooms. They used the garbage bins as goals and ran around with their sneakers. Having been an ice hockey superstar in the past, Xavier saw something unique. He felt that there was a new sport forming right before his eyes. What Xavier saw was the first game of broomball.

From that day forward, Xavier became an international icon. The game of broomball exploded across the world. Everyone wanted to play it and everyone wanted to have Xavier involved in one of their projects. He was selected as a judge for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games as well as a judge for the new and upcoming iDance competitions. And he ultimately achieved his dream job becoming Professor Xavier Waddles, Ph.D., at the University of Toronto.

Xavier Waddles has faced numerous challenges in his life and has attained the much of his goals he has set out to achieve. He attributes much of his success to the love and support of his family and emphasizes this bond for all people. As his life enters a new chapter, he welcomed a baby boy, Xavier Junior, into the world. New tasks and challenges await him in his future and he will be more than willing to accept. We have yet to see the last of Xavier Waddles.

Red Carpet Premiere Featuring the Biggest Ensemble Cast in Hollywood

An Unforgetable Class with an Unforgetable Cast

As the semester came to a close so did our EDU 255 class. This was one of our first major teaching courses and it was guarenteed to be memorable. Our class began as a collection of physical education majors and ended as a class of close friends and family. We were all elevated to A-list celeb status and had an amazing time in S's class together. Here is a look at our unforgetable class with our unforgetable cast.

Haven't seen enough of the Fall 2009 EDU 255 celeb class? Then take a look at Mike Koral's tribute to the class. As you watch, you may begin to notice that something is happening!

Going the Extra Mile

More often than not, I find that many of my fellow physical education majors work toward their degree by only pursuing what is required for them to do. They go by what needs to be achieved on their CAP report to graduate and do not do much else in terms of teaching or assisting with their time at Cortland. Experience is key in developing as a teacher and sometimes one needs to engage in tasks outside of what is required of them. As teacher candidates, we should be looking for as many opportunities to get involved with teaching in order to improve our skills and help out others.

This past semester, I engaged in a number of hours of teaching/assisting outside of what was required. One of my tasks was being a lab assistant for PED 201: Motor Development. For PED 201, I was a lab assistant and did just that; assisted with the labs. At St. Mary's School Cortland, I would assist the students in Stephen Yang's class with preparing, performing, and debriefing activities. This was a very hands on experience as I was assisting students who were just beginning their teaching experience as well as interacting with the students at St. Mary's. I tried to go above and beyond what was expected of me, I would try and meet with my group as well as other groups for assistance, I would help coordinate the theme and make sure everyone was active at all times, and I also went to both labs in order to use my skills to help those students who were not receiving adequate help from others. The most rewarding part of this experience was helping others. It is good to see yourself improve as a teacher, but it is even better when you see others improve because of your teaching.

Aside from being a lab assistant, I was also a teacher's assistant for PED 288: Rhythms and Dance with Colleen Buchanan. My job was to assist in the teaching of the dances, provide feedback and assistance to the students, and help assess. I was only required to T.A. for one class but due to Ms. Buchanan not having anyone else, I T.A.-ed for two classes and was available for help for her other two. I will detail my experience as a teacher's assistant in a later post. But just as being a lab assistant, the most rewarding experience was seeing students improve because of your help.

Each week, I would go to at least one PED 201 lab at St. Mary's School and I would go to four dance classes during the week. This was my decision and I'm glad I did this. Some of my fellow students do not see the value in taking up the opportunity for volunteer teaching. However, I feel that the more experience I have, the more I will improve.

World's Fair Hits SUNY Cortland!!

On Friday December 4, 2009, the 2nd Annual ExerGame Expo was held in the dance studio in Park Center. On showcase in this world class exposition were some of the lastest and most technologically advanced exergames out on the market. As this was the last day of EDU 255, we all were expected to attend, and we anticipated the day...

ExerGames are new ways to incorporate physical activity into not only physical education but also daily life. As more and more people are remaining sedentary, it is difficult to get them active and engage in physical activity. Many of these people play video games which add to their sedentary lifestyle. What better way to combat this trend then to incorporate fitness into video games. Here at the expo, we had numerous exergames for everyone to try out.

One of the flashiest exhibits was the street fighter game. Here, there were two motion pads and two sense towers available as controls one for each player. In order to defend one's self in the game, they would move using the pads and punch the tower in order to combat against an enemy. This was very unique and I had never seen such a thing before. The NBA 2k8 video game set-up made its return. The object here is to remain on one's 'mini-eliptical' and keep walking while playing the game. The catch? If you stop walking, the game controller stops working. This is a great way to keep people active as it is crucial to play the game. The exercise bike and video game set up made its return as well. One would use the bike to control a car on the video game set-up. The movable controller acted as the steering wheel and the pedals as the gas. DDR was set up for people to try this classic game as well. But it may be becoming obsolete...

The crown jewel of the exposition was the brand new iDance system, a next generation DDR platform. With 19 dance pads and detailed individual feedback and results, this is the one game that was designed for physical education class. We were excited to use this again as we learned it all week. Seeing the reaction of people new to it was priceless. They were truly amazed by the complexity of it.

The 2nd Annual ExerGame Expo was a success! There was a far larger turn out than last year and everyone had a lot of fun. ExerGames are beginning to make their way out into mainstream society as alternatives to traditional physical activity. As this change continues to happen, we as physical educators must work with this and incorporate it when possible. This truly could be a look at the future of physical education.

American Cancer Society: Relay for Life

On Saturday November 21, 2009, an American Cancer Society Relay for Life was held at SUNY Cortland in the Lusk Fieldhouse. This is a very special occassion as people put together teams to walk throughout the night to raise money for cancer awareness and cancer research. The relay went from 6pm November 21 to 6am November 22. This was my first time participating in the Relay for Life so I was very excited to be involved.

Earlier this semester, myself and my good friend Patrick Wingler were approached by Alliance of Physical Education Majors (APEM) club president Brandon Herwick to put together a team for relay for life for the physical education majors of SUNY Cortland. Being event coordinators, this was the first task we were given and were excited to get it together. We set up the team online and promoted it through the APEM club meetings, emails online, and word of mouth. We were very happy to be putting something together that would be a part of such an excellent cause.

When it came time for Relay for Life on November 21, myself and Patrick met to gather all of the things we would need for the event. We borrowed a projection screen and dance dance revolution pads from our professor Stephen Yang and brought other activities including an indo board and kan jam for others to play. Set up was a little rough as we were unable to reach the outlet to plug the equipment in but luckily, our good friend Bradley Velten brought an extension cord and we got everything up and running.

Everyone at the event was having a great time. Different tables and booths were set up fundraising for the event. We were going to ask for donations for using our set up but ultimately did not. Throughout the event, there were numerous ceremonies, performances, and activities for all to participate in. The Luminaria ceremony was very touching. Bags lined the track with names of those who have, passed away from, or have beaten cancer. They were illuminated as the fieldhouse lights were turned off and people walked in silence. This was especially meaningful to me as my father has lung cancer and I had a bag placed in support of him.

This was an extraordinary event. I tried to stay all night but ultimately exhaustion and fatigue set in and I had to leave and go to sleep around 1am. We had been at the NYS AHPERD Conference for most of the weekend so I was pretty tired. But all together, the SUNY Cortland Physical Education team reached above our goal of $1,000.00 through donations and sales of wristbands. I am very proud of our accomplishments and hope to exceed this next year!