SEPTEMBER 27, 2014 -- HOUSE DODGEBALL COMPETITION

HOUSE DODGEBALL COMPETITION AT SCHOOL

September 27, 2014

This competition was one of the funnest things I have ever watched!  There was competition but not a "fight to the death."  Kids were "taken out" when hit and no one got mad and lost it.  It was a good competition with great sportsmanship.  So fun!!!!  Are we capable of doing this in the USA?

JOURNAL ENTRY:

.... we went to the “pitch” to watch the house competitions.  It was so much fun to watch the kids and to watch the Chinese students compete.  They had a dodgeball tournament with nerf balls that were the size of soccerballs.  They had very structured rules and it was great fun!  

Ben

A few things we observed about the Chinese students 

as they played the game and competed:

1.     The Chinese students don’t seem to be as intense in their competition but they were still competitive.  No one was out of control in anger or emotion.  

No one threw balls at other people’s heads.  

All throws were done with forethought and no one got hurt with a ball.

2.    When students got “out” there was no complaint and no arguing.  If a coach or even another student said “you’re out” then the student went out.

3.    There was genuine laughter and fun expressed by all and by all teams.  It was just a real fun competition!!  We really enjoyed it!

4.    When it was time to organize for the next round, the coaches didn’t have to yell or use a “blow horn” to get them organized.  Students listened to each other, they quieted down and could hear the coaches instructions

Rachel, ??, David and Daniel

Richard

Rebecca

Dad, Amy and I talked about this and wondered if we could see this same type of competition scenario happen in the USA?  Could it happen at a stake youth activity??  I am not sure that it is possible.  We (our culture/our youth) seem to have more intensity in competition and “need” to win than what I saw here amongst these students.  Is it cultural?  Is it that the kids are used to this sort less competitive competition and have learned to work that way? Is it boarding school training?  I’m not sure.  I will have to keep watching.  

We have much to learn from our Chinese friends here.

Bethany

Rachel

David

Daniel

Rachel says "hi" to her opponent -- Bethany!

Teachers vs. students

David in the "house captain" cloak

  After the “House Competition” we dropped off our stuff and then took e-bikes out for street food.  This is the second time we have gone to this street area that is lined with carts and vendors.  It is very busy and fantastic!  This week for the kids job charts, they earned stars for everyday they completed their fancy five and then those stars turned into money that they could spend on street food tonight!  Some of the food we bought was “bracos”, fried jaozi, cantaloupe on a stick, ice cream cones at Family Mart, candied crab apples on a stick, chow mien, and enormous burrito type things with the long fried bread inside.  It was delicious.  My favorite are still the fried jaozi.  MMMMMmmmmmm.

We came home and went to bed.  We have early church.