Flash Mobbers Make their way to ground zero.

Who is having more fun, the kid playing or the kid sitting?

Success! On June 28^th we pulled off our very first Sask in motion flash mob!

It was a total experiment with a new tactic for us. Flash mob have been literally popping up out of nowhere all over the world and we wanted to try.

So.. try we did, and guess, we pulled it off! We had around 50 people with a 50/50 split between adults and kids(5-12 years old). We were all decked out in our matching “Only 15%” t-shirts. We had a Vuvuzela, a couple soccer balls and some good music.

Our goal was to surprise down town Regina during their lunch break with the message that only 15% of kids are active enough.

Here’s how we did it:

Our plan was to show the public what 15% actually looks like. So we set a goal of recruiting 50 people to participate in our flash mob. With volunteers including friends, family, business associates and a great group of kids from one of the YMCA’s summer day camps we found enough people.

We sent all of our volunteers a note to meet in Victoria Park close to the Scarth Street mall in Regina where we would be putting on the flash mob. No one knew what they would be doing; although I’m sure they guessed it would be something active (we are SK in motion after all). The lead councilor from the YMCA day camp did know what was going to be happening so she could prep her team and the kids.

Once everyone was at the park and they received their instructions it was now or never! In 3 groups of about 15, about 20 seconds apart we made our way over to flash mob ground zero.

I led group one over with our music ready to go and our t-shirts on. My group was mainly adults; it was our mission to set up the perimeter of the flash mob area. (As illustrated by this beautiful diagram my office buddie Graham created.)

Nicole led group 2 over with a mix of adults and the awesome day camper kids! [Flash mob experiment lesson #1 happened right about now]: Always make sure the correct people have to correct props. Group 2 arrived without the soccer ball that according to the master plan, would start a friendly game of soccer between the kids (hence the adult perimeter) The adults were getting their grove on to the music, so yes, they were being active too. So we encountered our first hiccup, which leads me to.. [Flash mob experiment lesson # 2]: Improvise! With no soccer ball and a bunch of kids who were supposed to be active according to my master plan, I did the only thing there was to do… jumped in the middle of it all and tried to get those kids to dance to the music!

Finally ( after a very long 20 seconds) groups 3 made it with the soccer balls, and we were back on course! The adults danced and the kids scurried around running, jumping, kicking, throwing any active verb you can think of these kids embodied it. It was awesome.

So we had 50 people being active in the middle of a busy down town lunch spot, now it was time to send a message. Graham blew the Vuvuzela (in case you’re not sure what that is, it’s one of those crazy horns you hear if you’ve been watching the world cup). The horn was everyone’s signal to stop being active and sit down right where they were, accept for 7 of the kids.. which is about 15% of the 50 people, if we did our math right.

Those 7 kids kept running and playing around all of us sedentary people. It was a pretty striking image of how few 15% actually is. [Flash mob planning tip]: The active 15% kids were given bracelets to help them remember that they were going to keep on playing when everyone else took a seat.

Not only did the active 15% keep on playing but the other kids were given toy cells phones to pull out and play on (representing screen time.. get it?). The effect was better than we could have hoped for the kids playing were having fun and enjoying themselves while the screen time, sedentary kids looked bored and sad. We couldn’t have asked for a better endorsement for being active.

After a giving the crowd few minutes to soak up the image of Only 15% of Saskatchewan’s kids being active, Graham blew the Vuvuzela one more time as our signal to disperse. [Flash mob lesson # 3]: Big finish. It ended but it didn’t feel over so I screamed out www.saskatchewaninmotion.ca. It was effective in a rush but next time we want to make sure people know what we are there to say, so we’ll have to work on that element.

Overall we accomplished everything we set out to with our first try!

• The public was surprised
• The public noticed us, watched and were intrigued
• We had volunteers participate in raising awareness around the physical inactivity crisis
• We got great photos and video (coming soon to YouTube)
• We even got local media coverage. Thanks CTV
• We successfully completed our flash mob experiment
• Most importantly we had FUN!!!

We’re not done yet.. do you want to be involved in an in motion  commotion? You can plan an event with our help, volunteer to participate, even do one on your own and send it to us. A toolkit to help you is on the way.

Tell us if you’re interested and what you think in the comments below.

Kenji

My buddie Nicole (that also works at SK in motion) handed me a pamphlet the other day. Across the top it reads “…and 49 Other Ways to Empower Youth” it’s a cool resource.

The tips suggest ways people can help empower youth. If you want to take the next step toward empowering yourself you have to let the right people know. You need to show the people you want to learn from, that you are interested in gaining knowledge and skills.

So here are a few of my favorites on the list (remember it’s the young person asking for help to be empowered):

“Involve me in decisions that affect y life.” – Sounds fair to me. If you want to be involved you have to go to the meetings, contact the people in charge, be informed on the issue (for example: increasing physical activity levels in Saskatchewan is an important issue because, Only 15% of children and youth meet the national guidelines for physical activity), and make the decision makers aware that you want your thoughts to be known moving forward.

This leads to “Give me a voice and vote on your committee.” – Once you show your are invested and informed by showing up to meetings and getting involved, pursue the opportunity to be involved with the decision making processes more directly moving forward.

If you have a positive project idea set up and meeting, present your thoughts and suggest to the decisions makers “Invite me to design and carry out a community service project.” They will definitely appreciate your initiative.  

One thing you always have is your voice, and being vocal for what your passionate about is key when working for change. Decision makers and public figures are often very skilled public speakers. Learn from their skills and ask for help in improving your own. “Mentor me in public speaking.”

It doesn’t always have to be a public official or politician who helps you become more empowered. Write down your opinion about the issue you’re concerned about and submit it to be published. “Publish my opinion piece.”

One of the most important things I’ve done for myself, and I think you should do to be empowered is finding someone who supports you. They will remind you to be confident in yourself and your ability to  achieve. “Teach me to listen to my inner voice and trust my intuition.”

When it comes right down to being empowered you have to work for it and ask for it. Remember, “until you ask or try, the answer is always no and you always fail…so always ask and go for it. “ – Unknown

Thanks to Search Institute for their great piece that inspired this blog. Give Me a Guitar…and 49 Other Ways to Empower Youth.

What is the most empowering thing you’ve ever done? Or the most empowering advice you’ve ever gotten? Let us all know in the comments below, I bet you have some great advice to share.

Kenji

 Reprinted with permission from [Give Me a Guitar…and 49 Other Ways to Empower Youth] by [Kristine Mudd]. Copyright © 2008  Search Institute®, Minneapolis, MN; www.search-institute.org. All Rights Reserved.

Smart man that Mr. Adams, and it makes sense doesn’t it:

 If you want people to care about what you care about, they have to know it exists!

You need to make people notice and remember you (/your group) and your cause, so they can start to care about it!

You have to make sure you can get people’s attention quickly and stick in their heads. You have to cause a commotion to get people’s attention (an in motion commotion [wink]).

How do you go about creating an commotion you ask?

Well, how about a flash mob!

If you haven’t heard the term before basically, the goal is to have as many people as you can show up to the same crowded place at the same time. You pre arrange a routine or unique action for/with the group.

The goal is to have everyone blend into the crowd, then on the signal 1 or a few of your group start the “routine”. The rest of your group joins in progressively as the crowd watches (confused and intrigued)until the whole group joins in!

Some examples..(YouTube rulez)

“An Active Mob“  - I love it.. perfect for a physical activity message- HINT Hint!

“A mob with a Cause”  -Be bold with your message

“Freeze Mob Paris”  -Talk about sending a inactivity crisis message

“Choreography”  -I’d like to see someone try to ignore this!

The wiki definition is: a large group of people who assemble suddenly in a public place, perform an unusual act for a brief time, and then quickly disperse.

Getting Started

1. Have an original idea- People like being a part of something new, fun, exciting, and silly. Having an original idea is key. People want to be cutting edge.
2. Timing is everything- Timing of the plan: where and when is the best place to have your flash mob? Timing the day of the event: everyone needs to start on cue and disperse when the flash mob is done.
3. Recruiting- Seek out people looking to participate in a fun event! Post to activities and events sections of craigslist, local live journal communities, papers, blogs etc. Post at least 2 weeks before the event, and every other day leading up to the event.
4. Clear Procedures

• Define the rules and behavior expectations for the participants of the event to keep the event clean and police free.
• Make absolutely sure the whole crew of participants knows what the signal to start is.
• Keep in mind that assembling in public places is cool, but when it comes to private property you should get permission (or avoid all together).
• If you use posters attach rip tags or include a memorable way to be contacted. I.e. MySpace address, twitter handle, Facebook group etc.  Then post in local stores, on public bulletin boards, anywhere a lot of people will see it!

1. Day of!- On the day you can meet at a pre set location (away from the site of the flash mob) or provide a general meeting place if there are costumes involved.. You’ll know who you are. You can also use social media or mass txts to organize prior to the event, thus avoiding tipping people off that something is about to happen!

A few more tips:

• Don’t touch or disrespect the people present that aren’t part of your group (it’s rude and could get you into trouble.. it’s a no, no
• Keeping the originator (you) of the group mysterious can add an element of intrigue, set up an e-mail to manage to event etc.
• Try starting a group online with the intention of organizing a flash mob; you’ll have a huge potential participant pool
• Have everyone dress memorably (it’s just one more way to be noticed and remembered)
• One more time, be clear about where everyone should be and at exactly what time

Remember, once it starts, get out of the way! It’s happening, just let it develop on its own. You’ll be encouraging creativity in the people watching!

Finally, you are all there to have fun! .. but you could try to spread a message like only 15% of Saskatchewan’s children and youth are active enough…or just encourage physical activity (just a suggestion)!

The important thing is it to Act Out for what you believe in. Doing a flash mob is just one more way you can guarantee people will notice what you’re thinking about!

If you try it out record it, we’d love to see and hear about it in the comments below! Plus maybe you’re video will go viral and your message spread across the globe.. ah.. the potential!

Kenji

If what our buddie Thomas said is true, it stands to reason that people need a good cause to choose to act.

I found a good one; maybe you’ll think so too. Here’s the scoop.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Canada has launched Pin it for the Planet.  It’s simple and broken down into 3 simple steps.  

1. Walk it (or bike it, bus it, board it…whatever!)
2. Track it (by telling WWF what you’ve done every day.)
3. Pin it (your car key. On your shirt. Do it) ps. Each time you report what you’ve done you are entered to win a great bike!

So that’s the breakdown, now I promised some good reasons to choose the “hard way”.

Since I work for (and believe in the importance of) a physical activity strategy let’s start there.

When you choose to drive less and employ active transportation to get around you’re incorporating physical activity into your lifestyle (which is awesome).

ParticipACTION has provided WWF with a great list of reasons, in terms of health, to Pin it for the Planet.

• Improved air quality – reduces asthma related issues
• Daily physical activity is preventative against Heart Disease and Stroke
• Stress reduction -no traffic =less stress

(Check out the list)

Need a little more?

This one will be obvious but.. the planet!

WWF is of course hoping to reduce emissions and help the planet. According to their website transportation is responsible for 27% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions. Eshk.. sounds like we all need to drive a lot less!

Still, even if all we can do for a start is a little that adds up to big reductions. Plus, just to be repetitive, you’ll be providing yourself the opportunity to get active.

The pinning your key to your shirt element is edgy too. It’s just like wearing a ribbon or a live strong bracelet. You’re telling the rest of the world what’s important to you, and raising awareness. (Very cool, and easy!)

Still not convinced? (even if you’re on board, keeping reading it’s good stuff )

I’ve told you about the physical activity and the environmental impact you can have, but there is one other thing that we all understand very well. Money. Consider how much you would save on gas by using “people power”  (to borrow ParticipACTION’s term).  

So a valid case?

I hope you’ll give Pinning it for the Planet a try on May 31^st – June 6^th.  The WWF website has a bunch more info, including toolkits with ideas for school, home and workplaces.

The website says “we all need to rethink our relationships with cars”.

It’s true. What is more important our health and the health our of planet and climate or driving cars?

Ps. don’t say you don’t have time!

DYK: In distances up to 5km, cycling is recognized as the fastest door to door more of transportation. —Gotcha there don’t I!

Hit the streets and let me know how it goes in the comments below!

Kenji!

Severn shared a lot of personal stories about her work within the environmental movement to explain how she became a young leader. We wanted the hundreds of youth in the audience and across the province to understand the incredible potential they have to be at the forefront of positive change.

Severn shared a story about a family trip to Brazil when she was young. She witnessed the forests burning in Brazil and it occurred to her that something was wrong. In that moment Severn decided she was not ok with what was happening, and that she would do something about it. She had found her passion.

At Saskatchewan in motion we don’t think it’s ok that only 15% of children and youth in Saskatchewan get their required 60-90 minutes of daily physical activity. Do you?

Severn broke it down like this: Once you’ve made the decision that you aren’t ok with a situation, whether it’s an environmental issue or physical inactivity, you have found your passion.

That is Step 1: Find your passion

Severn strongly believes in the power of education. You have to understand an issue if you plan on influencing change. So get informed, educate yourself as much as you can about what you are passionate about.

That’s Step 2: Educate yourself (Be in the Know)

Educating yourself is hard work, but now you have to put what you’ve learned into action. At this point Severn posed a question, she asked. Now that you’ve educated yourself about your passion what do you do with your knowledge? How do you make something happen? How do you lead?

>>Sounds a wee bit intimidating doesn’t it..the look on every kids face said, ya…a little..

Severn let us think for a minute, and then she explained that it’s easier than we may think. She told us you don’t have to start huge. She didn’t just wake up and go to the UN one day to speak at the Rio Earth Summit, she started small.

So, Step 3: Make a Commitment

The scope of Severn’s work is ginormous so she knows that thinking about the whole issue and how to solve it all at once is too big. Focus on something you can do and start from there. For Severn on a daily basis she focus’ on not drinking bottled water (among other things, as you can imagine). That is one choice she has control over, it is a starting point to lead from.

I am going to commit to riding my bike to work. It’s my way to take on a leadership role in physical activity and help the environment.

Do you have a passion? What are you going to commit too?

Kenji

This will be quick. Today our S.Y.N.C with GenerationAction.ca youth (ages 13-19) contest officially kicks off!

We have 10 days of trivia for you, with a daily prize draw for your correct answer to the questions. We will be posting one trivia question a day, on one of our social media outlets. It’s up to you to find it, and then submit your correct answer to get your name into the draw for each day’s great active prize! (trust me they are good! I wish I could enter, for real!)

I will tell you where to check, we don’t want to make it too hard for you! Watch the blog (you are here, www.generationaction.ca). Watch our Facebook group Generation Action by Saskatchewan in motion, and peep our tweets on Twitter!

You can submit your daily answer by commenting on the blog, posting on Facebook, tweeting the correct answer to @Kenji22, emailing kenji@saskinmotion.ca or txting 306-550-9646! So many ways, it’s almost too easy.  

It doesn’t stop there either. Do you have something to say about physical activity, the physical inactivity crisis, or something connected to these topics? Write a blog and submit it to kenji@saskinmotion.ca. You could be selected as a guest blogger on GenerationAction.ca, this is your chance to be heard! Speak up and Act Out now.

You can submit as many complete blog posts relating to the specific topics as you want. Each complete post gets you another entry into the Grand Prize Draw for a $350.oo SportChek voucher! (Nice eh!) Plus if you are selected as the guest blogger not only will your winning post be featured there is an additional prize in it for you! (You can’t go wrong with that)

As I mentioned a second a go, even after all that opportunity to win there is a Grand Prize Draw! (I know right! more winning!) Each day you submit a correct trivia answer you get one entry into the big draw! That makes 10 chances to enter! Plus each complete blog post you submit relating to the required topic earns you that many more chances to win! Wow.

Like I said before the prizes are great, so for the next 10 days (until March 15, 2010) keep your eyes on our socail media, submit, and win!

Go!

You can check out the full contest rules at saskatchewan in motion’s website.

Good luck everyone.

Check out Generation Action by Saskatchewan in motion’s Facebook group for today’s Trivia!

Kenji

Severn Cullis-Suzuki is known throughout the world for her work in the environmental movement. Why then would Saskatchewan in motion invite her to be the guest speaker at out provincial gathering?

There are a few different reasons we choose to team up with Severn. At Sask in motion we are trying to build a provincial movement. We’re trying to promote lifestyle change. An epic goal like that requires leadership on many levels!

Laying the Groundwork

 Severn knows what it means to take a leadership role. She’s been doing environmental and social justice work since kindergarten. By the time she was in grade 5 Severn and a couple friends formed ECO (the Environmental Children’s Organization). Together they raised enough money to go to the Rio Earth Summit in 1992. At just 12 years old Severn took the stage at a plenary session to deliver ECO’s message. During Severn’s address the room of adults was silenced by young girls powerful words of caution.

Severn was awarded the UN environmental Program’s 500 Award the following year. Ever since, Severn has spoken around the world about social and ecological issues, climate change and intergenerational injustice.

Wait!..don’t be intimidated! Severn may take a leadership role on an international scale, but that doesn’t mean you have to. Severn has said that global change starts at the community level.

You Can Too

That philosophy is a huge part of how Sask in motion operates. We try to provide individuals with skills, knowledge, tools, resources, and connections so they can take action and contribute to a making changes that affect our physical activity!

You can take on a leadership role for yourself, and for your family and friends. With every action, this lays a foundation for more efforts in schools, communities, our country and even prhaps on an international scale. You can decide what your actions and goals will be based on what you are comfortable with. The most important thing to remember is that anyone is cable of identifying something they believe in and advocating for that cause on whatever level.

So to recap-> to raise awareness, build a movement and ultimately influence behavior change. We need people to be leaders!

Linkage

One of the other important reasons we wanted to work with Severn is because of the connection between the environment and physical activity.

The connection is there on so many levels, that it only makes sense to team up. At Sask in motion we aim to increase physical activity levels for improved health, social, enviornmental and economic benefits. Severn advocates for the health of the environment which ultimately affects the health of people.

Active Transportation

So many of the ways we can help ourselves go hand in hand with the ways we can decrease or impact out the environment. Active transportation is one of the most obvious examples of this. We provide the power rather than burning fossil fuels, and the reward is green living and acquiring recommended daily physical activity!

Connections Run Deep

By choosing to engage in a more physically active lifestyle people often discover or rediscover nature. By being outside and experiencing the natural world you may develop a deeper concern for conservation and sustainability.

The Greater Good

In the long run choosing to be both physically active and environmentally conscious are (in my opinion) “good” things to do. Being physically active has health, social, economic and environmental benefits. Plus, the environment, in simple terms supports our existence. So it makes sense to make sure we act in a sustainable manner…Don’t ya think?

So that’s the short version of why Saskatchewan in motion and Severn Cullis-Suzuki teaming up make sense.

The Event!

If you are interested in being a part of our Inspiring Action-Jump in 2010! event you can find details at saskatchewaninmotion.ca

The event is going out live through the LIVE Satellite Network and over the Internet. Which means we’re going interactive here people!

As Severn speaks tomorrow I’ll be plugged into the social media world connecting with the world outside the Queensbury in Regina and bringing it back to the event. Meaning - even if you’re not physically at the event you can tune in, and/or follow the discussion, send in your questions for Severn and see what people around the province (or the world) are feeling about the event.

Where To Connect:

Facebook- Event Page: Inspiring Action-Jump in 2010! (confirm your attending the event to comment)

Twitter- Direct message @Kenji22 or use the hash tag #jumpin

E-mail kenji@saskinmotion.ca

Txt- 306-550-9646

(Remember to keep it clean)

If you won’t be able to participate tomorrow post your questions below, I’ll check here too!

This is an opportunity to be heard.. will you take it?

Kenji

Where did a new year sneak up from? It feels like only a year ago we were all freaking out about Y2K and ringing in the new millennium. (Ah good times at a 60s/70s/80s disco throw back party with the fam- it was hilarious watching people relive their glory days.)

Resolutions

So it’s a new year and that means a fresh start, big plans, and resolutions of course! What exactly is a resolution anyway? (ps.- I love dictionary.com) Basically its deciding on a course of action. What you’re gunna do; how you’re gunna do it; and when you’re gunna do it by. You set a goal and aim to succeed! Sounds good to me, but we all tend to be great at working out what we want to accomplish; it’s the follow through that’s a bit more dicey!

I’ve made and shall we say graciously abandoned many resolutions myself. Usually involving working out and getting in shape. I hit the gym, or take some classes for a couple weeks but then something happens. One day I decide to “take a day off”. Inevitably taking that one day off usually spells the beginning of the end of that resolution. Then without fail there is a mid-year resurgence of the New Year’s resolution,  in which I give it one more shot! This time when I quit I say: “it’s ok, next year!” It’s a vicious cycle haha.     

It’s the dawn of a new era

Not this year though!  Oh no, this year there will be no resolution. Instead this January 1, 2010 will mark the first day in a gradual endeavor towards a lifestyle change. See I think I figured out why (for me anyway) resolutions don’t work…

I get this idea in my head of getting toned, being active and eating healthy. Rather than ease into things slowly I toss myself off the deep end. I get up at 5 am and work out. I throw out all my junk food and vow to eat 5 small meals a day. For the first week it’s awesome! I’m like a healthy lifestyle machine. Then… like clockwork, that day where I’m really tired and decided to skip the work out comes.  A couple days after that, the candy isle at 7-eleven is empty and my list of reasons why I gave up is written.

This year through I’m resolving to have no resolution. Instead I’m going to remind myself everyday that no one else will look after me. It’s up to me to make healthy choices for myself every day. [So I guess that is a resolution, but you get what I was trying to do there ]

I think I can, I know I can

The best part is why this new plan is going to work! It’s all about accountability. Here I am every day spreading the word about living a healthy active lifestyle .. well step up Kenji! It’s time to lead by example. If I expect my family and friends and all of Saskatchewan to be active, I better be too!

As the quotable fridge magnet my lovely co-worker gave me for Christmas says, “Be the change you want to see in the world. – Mahatma Gandhi”

Are you all about the resolutions? What is yours for this year? Fill me in on your thoughts below… maybe there will be something I missed in my new lifestyle plan.

Good luck!

Kenji

They pulled it off! The Riders are headed to the Grey Cup and Rider Nation is going with them in one way or another! At this point it doesn’t matter if it was luck or talent we’re all in it to win it!

I gotta say even if we get some lucky calls [every team gets some favors and some rip offs during the season] the dudes that play on that team are real athletes! They train their bodies and their minds  for success.

Little Ones with Big Dreams

Most of these guys have probably been working to get where they are for the better part of their lives. Everyone knows you don’t just decide you want to be a pro athlete and get it. I’d be willing to bet they all have stories of learning to throw the perfect spiral or making the game winning defensive play back in pee wee. It really does take a lifetime to get to that level. Being elite means sacrifice, hard work, perseverance and dedication.

Some things are naturally out of every athlete’s control; you can’t decide if your body will be the “ideal” for your sport. As an athlete you have no say which players the coaches choose. The amazing thing about being an athlete is how much you can do, depending on how hard you are willing to work for it. You can study routes, defenses, individual opponents and where you need to improve. You can train your body to be stronger, faster, last longer and push harder [I’m gunna stress working for it, naturally!]. You can make good choices Socially. You can choose to work hard academically to earn scholarships, that will give you the opportunity to be coached by the best in the business. You have the ability to structure your attitude to carry you through to success. Finally, you can build a support system that consistently and positively motivates you.

More Than a Game

To me sport is about competition, physical development, striving for success, and applying what you learn to your sport and to life. Sport gives us a taste of things we may encounter through life, like being gracious in defeat. No doubt there can be rough and discouraging times when you are involved heavily in a sport. I do think that the ultimate goal of being involved is enriching your life though.

The Power of Rider Nation

The dudes that play for the Riders are definitely in the category of athletes who work for it, and whose lives are enriched through sport. All of that doesn’t account for the amount of support they get from all of their loyal fans. Win or lose the people who support the Rider franchise are back next season. The support around this team is a movement of its own.

My hope is that the Riders inspire the people of Saskatchewan to harness the benefits of being active for themselves. I’m not saying everyone should go out and try to become a pro athlete [that’s just not realistic]. That said, there is a reason athletes are able to dedicate their lives to an activity. The adrenaline rush, the physical improvements and health benefits [even when guys are busted up, they are only concerned with the date they can get back in there] the mental escape from stress, the friendships they  build, and basically the pursuit of happiness.

What It All Means To You

If you watch the games and are inspired to push themselves to be the best at something, great. If you get up and toss a ball around with your kids or a buddy, that’s awesome. If you decide, “even though it’s been a few years I’m joining a touch team”, wicked! The important thing is recognizing that whatever activity you choose is an opportunity. You have the opportunity to better your body and mind, build friendships and enhance relationships. You also have the chance to feel a sense of accomplishment and pure joy – just like  the dudes playing for a living without the pressure;).

Sask on the Move

Saskatchewan already has a crazy strong “movement” in the form of Rider Nation and it  isn’t much of a stretch to make the link to physical activity. It’s almost a given:

You support football [Deadly!]→ so.. you support Sport [Sweet!]→ so.. you support Physical Activity [Love it!]→ so.. you might as well jump on in and be a part of the Saskatchewan in motion movement [That worked out so nicely…didn’t it ]!

And…

Just because I can I’m gunna go ahead a releate all of this awesomeness to the power of young people! You ready for this..[it’ll be quick, keep reading]

The Power of Youth

Our Rider QB Darian Durant is only 27. He doesn’t have years of experience leading a team like a lot of QBs. He had moments where he struggled and was questioned by the public. But he had a goal; he put his head down, stayed dedicated and focused. He learned from past experience in games and from mentors like his dad. He took the support where it was given and proved to everyone it can be done! Basically his legitimacy was questioned and he was underestimated. That happens a lot with young [or inexperienced] leaders. I look at Durant and see a guy with a goal. He’s a guy who had something to prove, who wasn’t afraid to try and make it happen. That is the best part of being new on the block, there is nothing to lose, so go for it!

Are you part of Rider Nation? What does that mean to you? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

Later

Kenji

Have you ever been so amped on so many different things you just didn’t know where to start?

That’s how I’m feelin’ lately. I get to do so much browsing and explore so many different things with my job I just keep finding things I want to impact! There is a lot of sketchy stuff going on out there that I was not aware of. It was kinda starting to get me down. But then I finally came across something that made me say to myself “heck ya!”

Fact Finding

I stumbled across some information on the rights of the children of the world. The leaders of the world had one of their big meeting and adopted the UN Convention on the Rights of Children. All the countries of the world picked a day to focus on the wellbeing of children. Canada chose November 20^th as National Child Day because it celebrates the day both the Declaration on the Rights of the Child (1959) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) were adopted [important stuff worthy of attention for sure].

All these declarations and conventions got me thinking. Once you turn 18 you’re an “adult” - you can vote and have a say. What about the 17 years prior to that?… The docs recognize basic human rights and protection from harm, rights to education, health care, freedom from exploitation, and the list goes on. I immediately considered myself lucky that I grew up in Canada where the rights of children are taken very seriously. However as the world gets smaller because of technology one basic right of children is being lost. The Right to Play!

The Simple Things

When I think about myself and kids in general I think about being overcome with joy by running, climbing, hiding, catching and jumping, simple things. Do me a quick favor – use your imagination [remember that thing, we used to play pretend with it back in the day haha]. Or think back to you and a group of friends played touch football or kickball at recess. [My friends and I would do our own version of yoga in the field haha].

Where is Play Hiding?

 It’s sad to think of children who can’t afford a ball to kick around. Even worse is the thought of kids who have no idea what it’s like to kick a soccer ball except through their Wii character [I love Wii just as much as the next person, but that thought is just sad].

There are a lot of reasons the basic act of playing is becoming scarce. Everything from expensive sport program fees that some families can’t afford. To easier options like remotes and controllers that mean kids don’t have to move to “play” a sport. Then there is fear. In today’s society, parents are afraid of “what’s out there”.  While the world can be dangerous, most of the time it’s just full of adventure! There are parks, fields, nature, friends and possibilities.

If I wouldn’t have played outside as much as I did when I was a kid I don’t know if I would care so deeply for the environment. When you live in isolation from something your connection to it is nonexistent so why care about it? [Side note: I think with all the problems with the environment we need people to care!]

If I would have had video games full of fantasy and imagination, I would never have had to use my own.  I don’t think I would be nearly as creative as I am today [this is just me, not saying I NEVER played a video game I just know I played a lot more with sticks and whatever I could pretend with].

As per usual I have filled you in about all the negative and now I will dazzle you with all the potential to make a positive impact on play [it’s a good system..get you all worked up wondering what can I do? Well… read on my friends]!

There are a lot of reasons to encourage play, one being; when you play more often than not, you are being physically active.  As you know, that is what I am all about. If you’ve read a couple of my blogs you’ll notice I’m big on making the connections. Nothing stands alone and physical activity is connected in one way or another to a lot!

My Why

The video that really inspired me write this blog is a Master Card commercial [you know those priceless ads get you every time]. This one is not just cute though, the message is really powerful.

Master Card teamed up with Roots and Right to Play (you can catch the ad at any of these sites) to send a powerful message around universal need for children to be able to play. Right to Play operates in 23 countries, supported by a team of top athletes from over 40 countries! Children all around the world deal with adversity every day.  By being given the opportunity to play kids can gain self esteem and a sense of belonging. With the influence of positive role models kids have the opportunity to grow up with similar positive values. The message is: When children play, the world wins. Through Sport and play kids learn important life skills such as teamwork, co-operation and fairness.

Free Range Kids

There are tons of barriers to play these days. Parents feel like they need to protect their kids, which is good, but a little freedom to explore and play goes a long way! There is an awesome book called Free Range Kids that suggests safety without a security detail [I didn’t read the book but got my version of cliffs notes from checking out their website]. Lenore, the author of the book, talks about instilling kids with values like self reliance and exploration. They aren’t promoting irresponsibility or letting kids wander in dangerous areas. Think about our parents playing blocks away from home and running around in nature. You don’t see that a lot anymore. Exploration leads to creativity and questions. It’s good to want to know things about the world beyond the hard drive.

For me I know that most of the good qualities I have I learned from some sort of play. I learned about fairness, teamwork, respect, and met a lot of my greatest friends playing sports. I learned how to appreciate and handle success and my fair share of failure [some close seconds and some 0 / 16 season haha]. I love to just play to this day! When I was little I would climb trees and dance around the yard to classic 90’s songs like “Hammer Time”! I don’t think I’ll ever grow out of the desire to explore. I want to see jungles in Thailand and deserts in Egypt. I’ll never be too old to play! As a matter of fact I better go practice my mini stick skills, Christmas is coming and it’s on when the fam gets together!

What’s your favorite way to play? Let me know in the comments, maybe it’s something I’ve forgotten all about…

I’ll leave you with this. Later! Kenji.

“When we come together to play and we are truly ourselves. When we are truly ourselves it is wonderful and when we act collectively in that wonder we do transformative work for our community and our world.”

                -Brad Colby