The Supersized PhysEd Podcast
The Supersized Physed Podcast is dedicated to providing new ideas, activities and inspiration to our physical education field. Each week a new episode about various physed topics comes out, sometimes with a guest, sometimes it's just me!
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The Supersized PhysEd Podcast
Dave Licari's Inspiring Journey in Physical Education and Sports
Greetings PE Nation!
In my latest interview, Dave LeCarrie reflects on the importance of teaching life skills through physical education, emphasizing activities like archery and biking. The episode explores the need for patience with younger students, the significance of community connections, and the lasting impact teachers have on their students' lives.
• Teaching special skills like biking and archery to foster confidence and ability
• Emphasizing the importance of patience, particularly with younger generations
• Innovating PE to include both fun and educational activities for engagement
• The supportive role of sports in building community and character
• Lasting relationships with students showcase the deeper impact educators can have
Take a listen to a fantastic conversation I had with Dave!
Take care,
Dave (the other one)
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My website: https://www.supersizedphysed.com
Website for the book: https://www.teacherchefhockeyplayerbook.com/
Hello and welcome to the Supersize Phys Ed podcast. My name is Dave and today I have an interview with Dave LeCarrie another Dave, and we've actually had two great conversations. Unfortunately, our first one got erased by accident. I don't know what happened. I couldn't find it and so we did two. This is like the second conversation we've had just about all things phys ed. We talk about archery and just outdoor sports in their community, Bikes, which I'm a big fan of, with teaching PE, and unfortunately also both our teams lost.
Speaker 1:This interview was right before Detroit played in the playoffs and then a week later my team, the Buffalo Bills, lost as well. So, yeah, it wasn't a great run-up. I'm actually recording this introduction on the Super Bowl, so right before the Super Bowl. But I really hope you enjoy this conversation. Dave is a great guy and I'm so glad I got to meet him. And then anybody else that wants to sign up to be a guest on the show, I would love to have you, because I get to meet people from all over the country, sometimes all over the world, and it was just great connecting with him. So, without further ado, here is my interview with Dave LeCarrie him. So, without further ado, here is my interview with Dave LeCarrie. All right, here I am with Dave LeCarrie. How are you today?
Speaker 2:Good, how are you Dave?
Speaker 1:I'm great, so good to see you. You as well, thanks. Coming from Detroit, as we're recording this, we can say this it's a uh weekend for uh, your lions and my bills. So, uh, and you're going to the game tonight absolutely, yeah, yeah yeah, game 10 yeah, oh, wow.
Speaker 1:So, yes, I'd love to. I really would love to see the bills and the lions in the super bowl, because we neither of us have won it. You've never been there. Your team's never been there. Of course, mine lost four in a row, so that was wonderful, right.
Speaker 2:So that would guarantee that somebody would take home the prize and it wouldn't be kansas city exactly exactly, though, if you talk to the conspiracy theorists, that's what it's supposed to be right kansas city and detroit. That's right, according to the script.
Speaker 1:That's right. According to the script oh gosh, just not kansas city. The script oh gosh, just not Kansas City. Anybody but Kansas City, no, no. So yeah, I felt that way about New England for a long time. For 20 years they dominated us. So you know just anyways, great to have you, as we've spoken before, so I do know a little bit about you. But can you tell everybody at home where you're at?
Speaker 2:what you teach and a little bit about yourself. I, after 22 years in the Coast Guard, I went back to school and got my teaching degree and cut my teeth at a couple of charter schools One that wasn't the greatest experience and the next one that I loved. It was an inner city school and I'll never regret teaching there. I still have some great relationships with some kids there, but moved on from there. One because I wanted to get into a public school, and two it was the opportunity to teach at the district that I actually grew up in and that my mom served for 25 years, and so I teach at Algonquin Elementary as my primary and then I walk across the parking lot for my last two hours of the day and do the K-1 gig for the last two hours of the day.
Speaker 2:When I first got there, I coached wrestling and football. After a couple of years I saw a need to get some kids off the couch and decided that I was going to focus on youth fitness and started an after-school fitness club. And it's just. I mean year six now and looking to probably go four more and call it a day and then get in my camper and go have some fun.
Speaker 1:Gotcha, that's awesome. So how does coaching help you? Or how has coaching helped you become a PE teacher, or what? How did that translate? Or what helped you become a PE teacher? How did that translate? What helped you there?
Speaker 2:I think it translated perfectly. I never felt out of place. I never felt like I was learning something new, because I mean, when all is said and done, I was. I mean it was off or on depending on where I transferred to, whether or not I coached, but all in all I started coaching and I'd say the span was 33 years, with a few breaks in between, and I just and it was at all levels, from the youth level all the way up to the varsity level and I think that had really helped me. I think that helped that I could plug into any you know school. I wanted to and I did really I was.
Speaker 2:I started off at an elementary, uh, just to get my feet wet it was the only job I was offered at the time and uh took that. And then uh moved, moved on to a middle school. My counterpart there taught the 9th and 10th grade and he was getting ready to leave and so I requested we moved up to the high school but then ended up getting hired in Algonac, so never did that. But I think that coaching you know one it helped me. I I had already had the move, some movement stuff and some exercise stuff, and so I really and I just think that helped me to transition and and it was, I think it also made it easy to make you know to uh, to get into relationships and be able to relate to the kids and stuff, because I, you know, started on the outside and and and so was able to utilize that. Yeah, I credit my coaching with what I feel has been pretty successful so far as far as a teacher goes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's great. I feel the same way as you're talking. I was thinking about how I you know, I wasn't a, you know, fresh out of college PE teacher. I was a classroom teacher and I wasn't a great one, I mean, especially at first. It definitely took a while and then I well, I was a personal trainer and, you know, worked at the gym, at a gym in North Carolina, and we ran my buddy and buddy and I, who, uh, was a PE teacher at the school I taught at you know, I was teaching fourth and fifth grade and he was a PE teacher we ran sports camps, kids camps and uh. So I think a lot of that prepared me for, uh, like, between the classroom, you know, working at the gym and, uh, kids camps. That helped me transition into a PE role.
Speaker 1:Because, you know, like I said, I wasn't, I wasn't the best. No, no, let me just rephrase I was not a great or even really good first couple of your teacher, and I know that there are a lot of teachers that are very good at in the beginning, but I was not. And if I was just a, if I went right from college to PE, I don't know, I don't know how it would have went Um. So I'm glad you had that life experience and same with me. That really helped Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I I always relate my, my, my own, other than you know, I won. Besides the sub stuff, the only classroom experience I had was a couple of years ago. I was sticking around that I had a sub. I chaperoned fifth grade camp. Every year I had a sub there, but I wasn't going till later because we had a football game. So I was going out and meeting them after the football game. Well, there was a teacher that had an IEP and they asked me if I'd go sit in their classroom. They said it's going to be a pretty extensive one. It's his initial IEP and I'm like, all right, I spent two hours in that classroom and I'm like, there's, I made the right decision. Holy cow. I'm like I'm just not, I can't just sit there. I just can't sit there. And initially I was a special ed CI major and decided that to go back with my first love, which is athletics. So I went the PE route, switched.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't think I could have because this is my 20-something year. I'm talking total, with long term sobbing and everything. I took a seven-year break in teaching at one point to work for my family. I should have the 30 years in now, but I don't. I don't think I could.
Speaker 1:If I just did classroom teaching, I don't think I'd still be teaching right now because I was starting to get a little maybe burnt out on that and kind of, like you said, I just needed something maybe different or especially the. I mean, obviously we don't just play sports and stuff like that, but I but that's what we enjoy, right, we enjoy teaching kids skills and activities. It's funny because just as we're talking I never really thought about it you made me think of this. I wouldn't be a classroom teacher right now if I didn't do this. I see what they go through too between, like I said, ieps and I see what they go through too between, like I said, ieps. I mean we have lesson plans, but I mean there's got to be, at least in my district. They have to be more extensive. There's obviously all the testing, there's all that stuff and more meetings at least than I have, and I don't know if I could do it.
Speaker 2:And I see what they go through. Yeah, I don't. I try to figure out where they have the time, because I think that I put a lot of time into what I do. Yeah, I research my stuff. I'm not required to do lesson plans, but I'll always write something down and eventually get it into my. I have a file that's just massive with lessons. And it's more to what, if that switch comes and I get, I suddenly get a principal that says all right, we're going to be on plan book and you're going to turn your lessons in, and you know I don't want to be behind the eight ball, so I just kind of keep those going. I don't want to be behind the eight ball, so I just kind of keep those going, but I and I spend a lot of time there. I'll at least once or twice a week I may stay late outside of my fitness club just to catch up on some things, because you know, so I, they're, they're, they're magicians in my, because I don't know how they keep up.
Speaker 1:I don't know how they keep up. I don't know how they keep up. And my wife's a teacher as well. She's a middle school ELA teacher, so, yeah, so she, um, yeah, there's many nights when me and the kids are, let's say, outside playing basketball or volleyball or doing something, and she's working on a lesson plan, she's making, you know, doing grades, she's doing, I mean, all this more intensive kind of stuff or more actually extensive, let me say that that way. Um, so, yeah, so I definitely give them credit and, um, just cause it made me think of kindergarten this year, kindergarten this year has been just yeah, but this has been my. So this is like my 14th or 15th year teaching PE. I'm just gonna switch schools, so I'm going to call it. I think it's 14, but it's been my, it's been rough, it's been tough, it's it's. This group by far is not. They're just not where there's, where I want them to be or where they usually are. If I don't know how, how's kindergarten going with or for you?
Speaker 2:Same. I mean, and truthfully I it's been a few, I'd say two years at least Um, I, I wouldn't count going any further back, because then we're dealing with COVID kids and you know, um, kids that missed a lot of school and it, but it's just, it's strange and I and I think maybe a lot of it has to do the fact with a lot of them didn't go to the preschools and stuff. And even when the preschool started to open up, there were those that were just paranoid to send their kids because of what we had just gone through. And I think you know there are people, I think that believe it's an excuse, but I think it definitely had an impact. And I see my first graders not a lot different than my kindergartners really and there's days I leave their scratch in my head. Last week I walked through, I walked out the door, there's three teachers standing there and I said did I say four years or four months, like? Because it's just some, you know, and that's the way, that's the way I end my day me too.
Speaker 1:we've kindergarten grade, we've kindergarten first grade yeah. I've kindergarten at the very end.
Speaker 2:If I could start the morning with them.
Speaker 1:Well, now that has in the past, that has helped. So that's kind of the debate we're having with the kindergarten teachers and the administration, because since I've again this is my fourth year at this school the last three years have been kindergarten first thing, like you know, they get their breakfast, they do all that stuff, and it was better. And this year they're at the very end of the day and so I don't know if that's a correlation there. I mean, there's maybe a lot of different factors, but it's definitely been difficult and so you know.
Speaker 1:Oh, and we have a bigger group this year too, because we went from when I first got here at this school there were eight kindergarten classes and then my principal kind of was fighting the district because our school is an older school and it's really not built for like really over a thousand students. So she was trying to and we still have around nine in the nine hundreds. She's trying to, you know, fight the district to get it lowered Right so it could. And then we have outside, it's like an outside school where, um, all the bill, I mean, there's buildings, but it's not one building, it's like all the hallways are outside.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yes, just connected by an on right, something Right, and so there's not like a ton of room.
Speaker 2:My son went to school in Pembroke Pines and that's the way it was.
Speaker 1:So she went from. We went from eight kindergarten to my second year was seven. Last year was five kindergarten classes. It was the best because between art well, we didn't have STEM, last year we just added STEM we had art, music and then PE. We'd only have two or three classes at a time and it was good. But I have two parents, that's true. And then this year again, I don't know exactly what happened, but the district came in and said you know, you got to take more. So now we're back up to eight classes. So we have three classes, but then we have two split classes that come in with them. So it's like a ton of kids and it's just. It's not.
Speaker 2:Especially at the developmental age. I mean, wow, that'd just be frustrating this year.
Speaker 1:Actually, first grade is great because we have small groups, real small. Sometimes we have two classes with three adults. It's every other day we have three or two. It's been nice with the first grade, but kindergarten has just been very difficult. So well, I was going to ask you other things, but since we're talking about kindergarten, what are some things you do with them, or what are some strategies, or what are some good games or anything? Yeah, tips, anything.
Speaker 2:You know I spend a I would say my first month and I know there's a lot when I read it, what some teachers do. I'm like you know, how do you get into that gameplay right away when they don't even know how to come in, sit down, line up? So I spend a lot of procedure time and we do movement in between procedure but just getting them to learn and I still feel like they're behind. I had a first grade class yesterday where we didn't get through much more than a warm up. They came through the door ripping and I'm talking to the teacher getting a scoop on a few of their kids, of her kids, and they're walking up on the stage jumping off. So we started out with five minutes silent walk, not, you know, on the lines of the gym and and and started right from there and and, then got into our warmup and then into a short game. But, um, you know, it's you try and move and and it's the confused. You know some classes are right there and then some are so confused Like I'm going.
Speaker 2:Okay, we're doing jump rope stations in February, right, because it's heart health month, that's what we do, yep and uh, you know, I'm just trying to get them to understand warmup stations. I'm anxious to see what jump rope stations are going to look like, you know. But it's the fortunate part about being a PE teacher, right, when it all just falls, falls out of the basket, you just okay, here's what we're going to do, because this, this does work, you know, and just trying to ease them through the new things. But, uh, and and, and, you know, as you and I have talked before, trying to offer them as much variety as you can, but it almost feels like we're stuck on the same five games because it's just not moving, you know, and yeah, so it's, it's, uh, that's a. You know, I always call it herding cats, but I mean that's that's where. Just it's, it's crazy with that group. Um, I don't know, it's, uh, it's. It's been going good otherwise. But right, what was that? I've stepped on you there.
Speaker 1:No, you're good, so it's. You know, what I heard from you, which I agree, is you know you get just taking a lot of time for procedures, a lot of time for just getting the routines down, getting them to know where they're supposed to be, what they're supposed to do, and you know it's. It's just taking longer this year. It really is Absolutely yeah, and can you describe your again? We've talked about this before, but can you describe your PE space and then how many minutes you have each class?
Speaker 2:So I get, I'm fortunate, where. I remember the first time I think I encountered you on Instagram and saw the numbers of kids you had and I'm like holy cow, how does he do this? And then, you know, we talked about the pairs and stuff. But I get a single class at a time. I start out with sixth grade, then I have fourth grade, then I'm on a prep, then I have second and third, you know consecutively, and then a lunch and then I go over to my other buildings. So I start in the morning with sixth grade. I get them five days a week, 50 minutes. All my classes are 50. Fifty. And I start out with, you know, do my attendance expectations, objectives, what we're doing, and then go into a two-lap jog and then they go this you know, right now they're doing dynamic warm-up. So they do a dynamic warm-up. If there's game instruction to be done, then we'll do game instruction and then move into our activity. If we're, you know, this week with they did instruction last week with sixth grade and it was all hockey skills and then we played hockey.
Speaker 2:Um, my space at algonquin is incredible. That's my two six building. Um, I have a large gym because it's an old middle school. Um, so I have a uh, full-size gym with bleachers and everything so when those bleachers are are pulled back, I've got a nice space. And then I have an auxiliary gym as well. So I was running two hockey games at a time last week and we went through. It was just a single elimination round-robin tournament and it was the best tournament we ran all year and those kids going into it were like oh, hockey. And then at the last game yesterday they're like hey, can we do this again next week? And I'm like we're moving on to something else. So, but then and so then I try to, with each grade level, keep it within that. So my third and fourth grade did hockey skills as well, but I see them once a week with the exception of. So Every quarter it switches where a day gets Friday as well.
Speaker 2:So first quarter, Monday got Friday. Now, right now, tuesday gets Friday. Next week's the last week, and then we switch to Wednesday will get Friday, and then end the year with Thursday getting Thursday and Friday. So some of them get a little more Gotcha Fridays. I try to do fun Friday.
Speaker 2:I'll let them nominate three games If I like what they nominate. Otherwise I may say nope, nope, we're not doing that because they'll do it every time if they can. So we'll nominate three games and we'll vote on it and then we'll play it. So we'll nominate three games, then we'll vote on it and then we'll play it. Great, and you know it's. I think I told you this last time. I switched to a theme schedule starting in June and that seems to be working out, and I think once I get it all refined and then I'll plug in some new stuff each year. Because you know, like we talked before, I love variety and I don't think you need to teach. You know the same thing all the time. I saw something I don't remember if I told you this or not, but where the guy said if you spend a 30-year career teaching the same thing every day, then you didn't teach.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I might have told you, you may have. Yeah, my favorite author is robert sherman. He said that about just about work. He didn't say teaching, but he said, yeah, don't teach the same thing for 30 years and call it a career. So yeah, that's what it was. Yeah, so I, I just kind of took that as teaching. But uh, so when you say theme, because I want to go, just so, everybody understands like so, because again, we've talked before. Um, when you said you because I want to go, just so, everybody understands like so, because again, we've talked before. When you said you different themes, can you describe that? You?
Speaker 2:know. So January I started out as winter sports and that's when we did the whole hockey. So we've got, you know, a week left of that, thenbruary is, um is uh, heart health month. So I do the jump rope ninja program and you know, and I use those, uh, paper wristbands. You know like, uh, you get when you go to an event or something, yes, yeah, and so when they earn their belt, that that's what they get, they get their paper wristbands. And so I go with jump rope stations for the first week and then, depending on the grade level, ease them into going with Ninja With sixth graders I just run it for a week and we'll do half the class, we'll do jump rope Ninja, and the other half of class I'll probably let. Well, no, I have some games written down that I'll do Break out the kin ball or whatever, and so then my March will be leading into spring. I want to say I have pickleball on there and I'm trying to remember off the top of my head. Oh, I want to do fishing.
Speaker 2:Nice, yeah, tell me about that we have a pond on campus and it's just recently been cleaned up and rejuvenated and there are some fish in there. So with the little ones we'll, just we'll, we'll fish in the backyard They've got, and on Amazon. And I went, I saw a presentation with the Department of Natural Resources at Shape Michigan and they've got these rubber fish and then their their sinker that's on it, rubber fish, and then their their sinker that's on it when they cast, if you drag it into it it'll catch that, and then they reel them in. So I'm gonna do fish, I'm gonna do some golf, um, and then, uh, with my kindergartners, I will start my bikes, um. And so March is as far as I because, like I said, I just started in January when I, you know, saw the presentation on the theme process at at Shape Michigan as well. So I'm still in the process of kind of refining that. But you know we'll do some wiffle ball and stuff like that. So I love it.
Speaker 1:So. So I have a lot of questions for you on that, everything you just said, because I love it. And again, for the people listening, we don't want to keep saying this, but I guess I'll tell them what happened. We did an interview and my recording didn't go very well and I couldn't find it, and so we're redoing this recording. So a lot of things.
Speaker 1:I'm asking Dave. I've asked him before, but he reminded me of a few things we talked about before and a lot of these things came up last time and I want to go a little deeper on this. So I love how you do. First of all, the fishing is great because you're obviously in a fishing. I mean, everybody's a fishing. I mean I live in a fishing community but obviously there are people People specifically go up there to fish, to hunt. Oh, yeah, yeah, right. So, uh, yeah, if you could talk to me about, like, doing the things that are within your community. I like how you're covering these things and bikes. I know I want you to go deeper into the bike thing, because I know we uh spoke about that before and I want to get bikes going again at my school. So, right, give me all that, give me the, the bikes, give me the well you know, the fishing the fishing thing.
Speaker 2:I'm hoping to eventually incorporate it because they have that Take your kid. You know the the DNR sponsors taking your kid fishing and I. So I'd eventually like to get it to where I can pull out enough chaperones to be able to. We have a boardwalk downtown right on the St Clair River, which is one of the. I mean you see freighter traffic constantly through the St Clair River, you know, coming from everywhere. There's a lot of mass transit and they go up through into the Great Lakes and stuff. But I'd like to get them out there and take them fishing out there, and so we'll start it slowly, get into it and then, you know, I'm sure it'll pick up steam.
Speaker 2:As far as bikes go, I just was. I had done a few different grants at Algonquin my two through six building. A few different grants at Algonquin my two through six building, and I was like man, what can I do over there that can be effective for the kindergarten first grade population? And I just started looking at things online and ran into this all kids bike and it's a nonprofit and they arrange through Strider. They've got those bikes, the ones you sit on and push with your feet, and so for four weeks. You do that and then you just put pedal. They have pedal kits. You put the pedal kits on them and you don't even address them, you just put them on there and they just start picking up on it and it's just amazing to watch.
Speaker 2:And then the kid that's really never been able to ride a bike, to watch them when they figure it out. I mean it's incredible. So, and they love it. I mean they, you know, and and the first graders are hey, are we riding bikes? No, that's a kindergarten program. You guys are riding bikes at home, but I would. I really like that and I'd love to be able, because we also have a bike path that is on our property. And then I told you we have a trail system too, and so I'd love to be able to figure out how. You know, first I need to get an outbuilding, but I'd love to be able to just have the kids be able to bike. We can go for a bike ride for class and just drive through the trails and on the bike trail and then eventually, you know, do it as a reward system and go to our state park has a really nice bike path in through there. With kindergarten, no, heck no With the older kids.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay, all right.
Speaker 2:I would like to evolve it further.
Speaker 1:I got you. Where do you get the bikes from again? Do they bring them to you or no?
Speaker 2:All kids bike. Yeah, they ship them to us. Now they can help you or they can put you in touch with people that donate a lot of money. Um, at that point they had exhausted all their resources and had no money available. And I was talking to my principal about it. And our PTO does an amazing job raising money. They do this Glowdash thing. I don't, it's a whole. It's all done by email and and and.
Speaker 2:Uh, they raised $50,000 in one year and my principal had mentioned to the president that I wanted to start a bike program and and she said tell him to present it at one of our meetings. I presented at the meeting, they gave me $6,000, and I got 30 bikes, 30 helmets, 30 pedal kits. That's great. This year I'm using the sixth grade leadership class because I'll walk over from millside, Because I like to do it inside, because if I get bad weather and then I have to move those bikes into my gym and I'm using them outside on the gravel you know I'm going to goof up my gym floor, so I do it completely inside. So I walk over from mill side with them. The sixth graders will have everything ready and be fitting them as soon as they walk through the door and it'll just be a little more efficient. That's great, yeah.
Speaker 2:Try and get 30 kindergartners on it, on on little bikes by yourself, yeah exactly.
Speaker 1:Well, we had. I know I've told you we had a program, that it was. I believe it was a, I think it was a state program. But, um, I took a one day class, um, just teaching, well, you know, as an instructor, taking a few people around on bikes and just going over all the safety things and all the rules of the road and all that stuff, and then we would get our bike trailer for two weeks and we'd have kids on our. Well, I had two things I had an obstacle course on our basketball courts because we had a couple of basketball courts together and we had signs. You know, they have to stop at the stop sign and they have to signal and they have to do all this stuff. And then once they kind of pass that, uh, not not really test, but kind of, they go on the big, like it's our bus ramp is right there. So they go on the bus ramp and that's yeah. And actually, let's see the bus ramp there was, I think, like one fifth of a mile, so five laps is a mile, okay, so, but they can go on there and they had scooters too. So it was, it was great.
Speaker 1:We actually dealt with the older boys and girls, third, fourth and fifth, but I like how you, I like our teaching kindergarten. Uh, that's great, because that's again. These are. These are life skills. Fishing right, I'm not a? I'm not a big fisherman. I'm just gonna be honest with you. Okay, I'm not, but it's a life skill. Right, it's a life skill. If they want to go that way, biking, obviously Talk to me about archery, because I know last time we talked about archery. Yes, all right, go for it.
Speaker 2:So through, you know, I got there and again, I'm not an archer either, I'm a. I'm your traditional sports, you know baseball, football, basketball, wrestling, you know, and, but my brothers are hunters wrestling, you know, and uh, but my brothers are hunters, Um, and I saw where there was an opportunity through the national archery, uh, in the schools program, um, so I uh looked further into it and it's through the DNR and, uh, I applied for the grant and was awarded. It was, uh, $1,500. And then I think we had to put $1,500 in as well Went for a one-day training out to Heartland Michigan and did that and then brought it back to the school and the kids love it.
Speaker 2:The thing I'm discovering is fourth graders have a heck of a time pulling back a 20-pound bow, I mean, and I could take it down to 12 and a half pounds and it's. They still struggle. So I did also purchase on my own some uh recurve bows so they can at least stand up there and throw a few arrows after sitting through all that boring classroom stuff and, and you know, this gives them an opportunity to still be able to do that. So it's very abbreviated with them, but they get through the procedures and then fifth grade a lot of them are a lot, you know, get stronger and understand it and it moves a little quicker. And then my sixth graders. You know I go about two weeks with them. I have three left-handed bows, nine right-handed bows and they're all nice. Gibson compound bows, five Merrill targets and a fiberglass. It's fibers but it's a net that I use to catch. You know, it's a backstop for the arrows and it's the backstop for the arrows and it's phenomenal.
Speaker 2:I mean, when I first said something, there were people that are like that's crazy, you're going to get shot one day. And I'm like, no, no, I'm not, the kids love it. And I start. You know, I'll do a month after school too for those that want to shoot for a month and it costs them like $20. And then I use that for all my repair equipment.
Speaker 2:Cause that was the uh, uh superintendent. All he said to me was I think it's a phenomenal program because it's where we live. And he said, um, but how will we maintain that stuff? And I said, easy, you know, we'll do a club, get a little bit of money out of that and then get a little bit of money out of that and then, uh, not not worry about it. I mean, that's it'll all take care of itself and you know, and repairs are just little things, the fletchings and maybe some new strings. So I mean it's nothing's ever really costly, right. But then I need to look into, because I was told that matthew's bows um will donate a bow, a nice one that you can raffle, and there's money right there too. So I just need to look further into that one.
Speaker 1:I haven't yet, but that's great. Yeah, that's something I definitely want to get going in my school. So you know, again, I like what you, because again you're in, you're in Detroit, so you're teaching them fishing and you know archery, you know, because there's a lot of hunting going on up there. You have, you know bikes, obviously, that's, you know, universal, I guess Right, and you know all these things that are in kind of community. They can play, they can do as they get older. They don't have to, like I said, neither of us are fishermen, are fishermen, but you know we could teach them these skills.
Speaker 1:Um, so I, you know I was thinking about in my community we have, you know, there's a lot of pickleball. You know, a lot of the retirees in florida, you know. But but even kids are starting to play pickleball more. So I'm starting to, um, I do that more kind of, like you said, in the spring. Um, you know we have a lot of well, not a lot but frisbee golf around here. So so definitely do some Frisbee targets and things like that. You know I try to play to our students what our students enjoy, but also give them obviously other opportunities. And I read a lot of soccer. I'm sure you do too. I mean, soccer is kind of a you know, I'm not saying big everywhere, but pretty much and you know, trying to give them these, these, these different opportunities. I guess is what?
Speaker 2:I'm saying yes, absolutely, absolutely.
Speaker 1:So yeah, what else I?
Speaker 2:just received a grant for it was like $750. I think I told you about that one where I get it every year from the bank that I belong to our Michigan Schools and Governments Credit Union and I'm actually purchasing nine the disc golf goals and it actually through MVP. Mvp discs, they have a twofer program $125. You get a pretty stable goal, two goals and then 25 discs Great yeah. And I'm like heck, yeah. And then 25 discs Great yeah. And I'm like heck yeah. So right now I'm negotiating with the guy because he wants to. With every two you get 25 putters and I'm like dude, I need some other, I need some mids, I need some longs, you know, yeah. So hopefully I can get him to get me that, because I don't know what.
Speaker 1:I'm going to do with 75 putters. Well, speaking of putters, I know we're talking about Frisbee golf, but yes, we also have first tee golf. I don't know if you have that, I do Because obviously Florida is big and everywhere is big on golf. But these are all life skills. You can golf my dad's golfing he's in his well, not quite, but mid-70s like you can golf your whole life, you could. You could bowl your pretty much your whole life, you could, and there's a lot of things you can do. You fish, oh yeah, you know all this stuff. So, um, I love that, that's you know, as much as I love teaching kids. Other things you know. These are you know, pickleball. Yeah, I see these 80 year olds out and playing pickleball. You know it's right, right, I mean it's great. It's great that we can kind of give them the foundation.
Speaker 2:My kids love pickleball. The first time I got that grant from the credit union, I bought 10 pickleball nets and set them up and they're like what in the heck? And I mean it's a thing they look forward to every year. Now I do with sixth grade, like I said, since I get them, we do a lot of tournaments, since I get them all week With sixth grade. Like I said, since I get them, we do a lot of tournaments since I get them all week, and we'll do a full week where we'll do a double elimination doubles tournament and then we'll do a single or it's a double elimination singles tournament as well and they love it, they absolutely love it. That's great.
Speaker 1:That's cool, love that, all right. So let's go on to some more practical, I mean like hands-on tips here. So what's a? Just a go-to game? I know you don't, you might not have exactly what I have as far as, like, the weather concerns, but there are things that sometimes things just happen Like what? Like give me a game, or even just a. A game like an instant activity, a thing you can just go to the kids know what the kids love it, and it's something you could do. Um, I don't know five, ten minutes. It just in case there's I don't know some kind of whatever for us. It's the weather hits or there's lightning in the area and I gotta figure out where we're gonna go inside and play a game, and but anyways, what kind?
Speaker 2:of three things they beg for. Tell me, like when we do fry fun fridays. They love sharks and minnows, which I try to limit how much we do that. They love turtle tag, which I also, and actually it's four turtle tag, beanbag, toe tag and kickball. Um, and I always I, when I first introduced kickball to them, they're like what is that?
Speaker 2:and I'm like are you kidding me? It's the greatest playground game ever invented, right and uh. Now there's certain classes that just love, love it, you know, and uh, but uh, the beanbag toe tag takes a little bit longer to set up, but, like you say, instant game. As far as turtle tag and sharks and minnows go, they like that. There was a game I'm trying to remember Spiders and flies. When I first got there they talked about that. They played it all the time. But that is one of those games where I don't know have you ever done it?
Speaker 1:No, I was going to ask you to describe it.
Speaker 2:As you get caught by the spiders, you increase the width of you know. It adds the kids where they're covering the width of that space. Okay, yeah, you know, sometimes you just can't control that type of game. I mean they're trying to plow through each other and so there's enough of that. I mean there's just too many getting hurt. So I ended that one. It just gets too congested. And then there's another game that they enjoy three ball. There's another game that they enjoy three ball.
Speaker 2:I use the court space and we talked about dodgeball and use the court space and you put one ball on one foul line, one ball on the other foul line and one ball in the middle, and when the music starts, the first person to the balls start it out and you have to hit below the waist and it's an elimination but they're out. And then any ball that goes out of bounds. That's how they can get back in Gotcha by hitting somebody to come back in Right, and that's something they like. We don't play it often, but they do like it. I saw a band the other day. Day they come to me and they're like hey, uh, band teacher's not here. So our teacher took half the kids, I took the other half and that's what we did large class game, just get it done and get it out of you know, yeah, things happen that's what I'm saying like things just all of a sudden you get extra kids or you whatever, something happens and right.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, these are the kind of games yep, um, can you describe again turtle tag, I forever tag is.
Speaker 2:So I have a boundary. I usually use a basketball court with the smaller ones. I'll go half court just to kind of keep them caged in, you know. So there's. I mean, you get those little ones. They run it all over, nobody's getting anybody, um and so, uh, when you tag someone, they have to go on their back like a turtle, and you know how a turtle is trying to get up. By their the use, all you see is their feet and they're. They're moving and moving and moving, wiggling them. Well, that's how they have to lay down and then, if they get, somebody will come by and tag them on the foot. They can get back up In order to be safe and keep from getting tagged. You can also drop down into your shell, where they're down, just hovered up hands over their head, and then, once the tagger leaves, they have to get up. But they just love that game. There's another one that, especially over in the K1 building, they like Mousetrap.
Speaker 1:All right, tell me about that one, I'm not sure.
Speaker 2:So you've got your one group. You split the class in half. You've got one group circled up. You've got the other group. They're the mice. When the music starts they go in and out of that circle.
Speaker 2:Oh, I think I've heard of this when you stop the music, they drop to one knee. Anybody caught inside has been trapped. Then they join the trap until the trap becomes bigger. Last person standing wins. Oh, I like that. It's a better game to play with the little ones because they don't try and bust each other up more so, um, but uh, yeah, they like it and it's another quick hit in game. Um, I'll use uh what time it, mr Fox for the kindergartners to try and get them to listen, to try and get them to count correctly. Uh, but uh, you know, just little quick things.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the kids. You remind me when I said that. Uh, what time is it, Mr Fox? The kids love red light, green light, they love that of that. What time is it, mr Fox?
Speaker 1:The kids love red light, green light, they love that. I even have we were doing what the brain balls are, but every ball has a letter and a number on it. They're not huge, smaller basketballs like a size one or something. Every kid has one and we're practicing dribbling skills but also do a little literacy involved in that. But at the end I say, okay, if you do a good job with that, we'll play red light, green light, and they absolutely love it. It's unbelievable. I mean they, yeah, they, they love you know the dribbling, and then obviously have to freeze. And it's funny because every time, every single time, I'll say okay, remember, green light means go, red light means stop, and I'll say okay, ready, set, go, and they all run. I'm like, nope, everybody go back. Yep, I didn't say green. So, yeah, just stuff like that, they love that. Even, like I said, even up to like third grade.
Speaker 2:I mean think about red light, green light for a basketball skill game too, as far as dribbling goes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a lot and I tell them if they lose control of it. Like it depends on the age level, but if, if I say red light, I might give them three seconds to get, you know, get the ball and freeze if they're younger and then if they're older, they got to pretty much stop right there. Sure, if they lose it, I'll tell them to go back one line. So our, we have enough lines pretty much where I'll say, okay, you'll just go all the way back, but go back to the nearest line, are at um, things like that. So, um, yeah, I think they love that.
Speaker 2:It's unreal, uh freeze dance, yeah, yeah, they love that. I mean we just say a lot of them. It'll take a couple extra steps because my, if you get caught, then you have to do, uh, five burpees or 10 jumping jacks, and they'll purposely do it so they can do their five burpees or 10 jumping jack.
Speaker 1:So that's great. Yeah, I like that. I like that where they're not eliminated, because I don't play a lot of games that are elimination, because then it's like, well, you know, that's so. I like how they can get back too much downtime, right, oh yeah, and that's. There is one game I play that has elimination, but I've kind of curbed it because I'm like the kids love it, but I don't like like you got to find a winner, but at the same time I don't want kids sitting for a while, so I'll have them go right, do an activity, um, either with the cup sacks or with something hula hooping, jump roping for a minute or two, and it's, they're quick games, but, um, it's called man overboard and it's, uh, it's, it's.
Speaker 1:I've heard it called different things, like captain, some of the captain, and I'll tell them to go to the. I'll tell them the, um, what the. The basketball court is a boat and they have to picture, they have to be on. You're standing on the end line, okay, that's the back of the boat, and then there's a middle of the boat and then the is the midline and then the front of the boat and I'll say, okay, everybody go to the middle of the boat and they have to. Or I'll say, girl, if it's a big group, i'll'll say, okay, you know, girls go to the middle of the boat, and then I'll kind of split them up a little bit.
Speaker 1:The last person there will be out, or last two people, or if they go over the line, or if I say, okay, everybody run. Or if they're on the back of the boat, I just it's kind of like red light, green. Um, obviously, the younger ones I give more grace and I usually don't even eliminate. But, um, again, I don't love elimination games, obviously, but right, that's one of those games. But again, if they're out, I don't have them just sit there, they do something and then it's pretty quick games and they get back in and they, they love it.
Speaker 2:So yeah, those kind of things I I try and keep the elimination stuff to a minimum or not do it very long. Like beanbag toe tag is an elimination. They have to come off and sit to the side.
Speaker 1:How do you play that? Is it like kicking a beanbag?
Speaker 2:Your underhand throws the beanbag and it has to slide.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:And if you hit, you know, know, below the ankles they're out, um. But uh, you know that opens up for cheating and you know because, try and watch 60 kids, right, or?
Speaker 2:exactly, exactly um, you, you can't watch it, and so we talk about integrity and you know, but it's just constant argument over that one. Yeah, but it's a game they love, and the kids at my very first job, mount Clemens Montessori Academy, taught me how to play that and I've just taken it wherever I've gone. Heck, they loved it. The junior high kids at Michigan Collegiate when I was there loved it. And how about Gaga Ball?
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, and I'm not sure if I told you this, but that was the great I write a grant every year and the grant I got was for gaga ball. It's for an inflatable like a, I mean like a, like a bouncy house, that kind of inflatable. And so it's a. It's a gaga ball pit. Um, I don't. It's funny because I was supposed to get it a long time ago. I still haven't got it yet it's. It was supposed to be in. I think it's going to be in in a couple of weeks because they were going to put like, but they're going to try to put our logo on and also I'm like, just give me the thing. I don't need like special colors and logos, just just send it to me. And I still don't talked about this.
Speaker 1:With the dodgeball or targeting thing, again, I see people on far ends of the spectrum right, and actually Gaga Ball was kind of in that not gray area, but there's some people that like some never targeting Again. I even saw this a few years ago because at Shape, you know the position is, you know, no human, no human targets. So some teachers again, I'm not, I'm not, this isn't a judgment thing, I'm just saying, um, some people are on, like on the far end, where they're like, well, we can't even target them as far as you know tagging, because that's targeting, and then, and then some people are on the other end, where you know it's, it's dodgeball all day, every day. And you know, I'm, I'm not I don't even want to say I'm in the middle, I'm definitely more towards the no dodge. I don't do dodgeball, but gaga ball would be the one that you know it's.
Speaker 1:It's a little bit closer to that. It's obviously hitting and you know kind of whacking a ball. You know towards legs. Yeah, and I think I told you before we play a game called rollout where I mean they they're just rolling a ball, we're in a circle, it's. It's kind of like Gaga ball, I guess, but there's no walls, they're just in a circle and they roll the ball and if it's somebody like, if it's their shoes, if they hit somebody's shoes, you switch with them. So it's, it's a fun game, they love it. Okay, you have one or no, we have two out on our playground, wow.
Speaker 2:And so my job every year, when they come over from the other building because they don't use the same playground, they have their own playground over there is to spend two weeks with them, since I only get them once a week, most of them Doing Gagaball, and especially just reinforcing the rules. Reinforcing the rules because it can make for the biggest playground fights in the world. Oh sure, just the arguments, the lunch paras. Just get tired of it and I'm like you know what, move them back by my space, then We'll just use them as a PE thing That'll open up more space for you there, my space, then we'll just use them as a PE thing that'll open up more space for you there. But uh, they're, they're going strong and leaving it there because the PTO purchased them, uh, for recess, so um, but uh, then I play in the gym. I play something called striker ball where you put the cones in a circle. You've done that one, yeah.
Speaker 2:I know, go ahead describe it yeah you put the cones in a circle and then every kid that one yeah, I know, go ahead describe it. Yeah, you put the cones in a circle and then every kid is in between a cone and they hit it the same way underhand open fist. And if you go in between the cone you've scored a point and that person goes out. Next person comes in, but I set up enough in the gym to where you've got one waiting, but I set up enough in the gym to where you've got one waiting. So you know, though, it's an elimination. It's elimination for mere seconds in most you know most instances, because you know you don't sustain a huge rally and they love it. They love it because it's just like gaga ball and I think it creates less argument because you're not running around this pit and you know there's no wall to grab onto, to jump off of, so that they argue about that.
Speaker 1:And I have something to look forward to. But you know, this goes back to the one of the reasons why I phased dodgeball out. It was a while ago. It wasn't just the kids, it was Well, it was, it was the kids. But when I went to shape florida again, this is I don't know what year, this was 2017, 80, I don't, whatever it was.
Speaker 1:I saw a game I'm not going to say it because of whatever, but there was a, you know, dodgeball alternative game and the teachers were playing it. You know adults and I saw the same thing I saw from kids. I saw cheating. I saw people like not yelling at each other, like they're going to get it, you know, but, but but, like I got you, I got you, and they're like, no, you didn't. And it's like, oh gosh, it reminded me of why I, I. So it's not just the safety thing, it is the safety thing for me, but it's also the um, the cheating, the arguing, the bad sportsmanship. It's yeah, well, yeah, and so again, um, I always say this I don't, I don't judge anybody, for you know what they do or or or not do, but that's just my reasoning, so I'm hoping yeah, I'm hoping Gaga ball goes a little better than that.
Speaker 2:So yeah. I mean you know all you have to and you're going to be the one under control of that right. You're not. You're not putting it on your playground.
Speaker 1:Yeah, myself or a para.
Speaker 2:Totally different. They get the same person all the time Consistent. You know, there's two things I wouldn't want to do Be a lunch recess, para and drive a bus.
Speaker 1:I would never drive a bus. I would never drive a bus. No way, no way. Never drive a bus.
Speaker 2:We have a bus driver who's retired and so now he's driving a bus and I'm like, dude, doesn't retirement sound a whole lot better to you than driving? Yeah?
Speaker 1:yeah, we have a, I have a neighbor. He was, um, I mean he's, he's in his. He's got to be in his late 70s and he's still. Because he actually started he volunteered with with me because at my former, my former school, honestly, is like within walking distance, it's right in my I mean, oh wow, but I left for various reasons, but sure he volunteered with me just to, because he was a former basketball coach and stuff like that and he uh, so he volunteered with me and then he got his subbing, you know certification and he got his subbing certification and he's been subbing ever since and he's in his like he's got to be 77, I'm guessing Definitely past 75. And he's still subbing. He loves it. But I'm like I'm thinking I would never. I mean I love it, I mean for him, I think it's great, all right, but I don't, I couldn't do that. I couldn't do that. I couldn't. I mean just enjoy your retirement.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, but when, when I'm done with this, that's it, man. I mean, this will be retirement number two, right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and somebody said, so you're going to sub, and I'm like, no, no, I'm going to be 65. I'm not subbing, no, thank you. Yeah, and I admire the people that do. And I'm not saying, when you retire, stop learning, stop doing anything but teaching. I don't know if I could, no, just go travel, enjoy yourself. Absolutely, yep, absolutely, that's just me. So, all right, well, I honestly could talk to you all day, but, honestly, we got to well, you got a game to go to, not quite yet, but it's immensely prepared. So I got a few more questions for you, all right, all right.
Speaker 1:So how do you want to be remembered by your students? Like, how do you cause I and I, I just saw a student last night. Actually, I work at the local hockey arena. It was a hockey game and we have concerts and things, and I just saw one last night. It was like hey, coach Carney, how are you? And just got to talking to her and, um, and I love that that I get to see my students out in the community and hopefully I gave them a positive, uh, experience and I'm hoping I treated them kindly. So, um, it's nice to see them. So how do you want to be remembered by your students?
Speaker 2:Just as someone that made a difference. I mean, I don't, you know, obviously we've talked about it I started out as a football coach and did some baseball coaching a little bit too, and then eventually wrestling. But you know, I still have one of my strongest relationships is a kid that played for me as a freshman, um, and he the next year. I mean, he was such a stud, he. He moved down to varsity as a sophomore Um, and you know he he went on to to play at Grand Valley State University. They in this, in his five years there there they won four national D2 national championships. Wow, um ended up going, uh, seven years in the league um, most of it as a practice player. But, uh, that's amazing, yeah, it's incredible, and we still have maintained.
Speaker 2:I went to his wedding in Mexico, uh, and I can remember it because it was, it was ago, they wanted it 12, 13, 14. So December 13th of 2014 down in Mexico. But and I still I have a lot of kids from my last job and so you know, I had that feeling before I, well before I got into teaching, and I mean, that's just, you know, to be able to, like you said, somebody walk up to you go. Hey, coach, I mean to you know, to me there's two of the coolest things to be cold caught. Well, now three, uh, since I'm in that phase of my life, are our, our coach, dad and and and grandpa. You know, um, and you know it just when you come up and talk to me after not seeing you in 20 years, then I know that I did something. I had a kid that um gosh I, I threw him off my one of my teams, uh, as a football player, it was just, it got to a point where it just it wasn't working and it and it, and he had a million different chances. And then I'm in the mall one day and all of a sudden I see this kid fast walking toward me and I'm like, oh, this could be good or this could be bad. And he walks up and he's like, hey, coach, how's it going? And he could talk about nothing but the good things that happened back then, you know. So it made a difference. I still talk to that kid, you know, and it's just those, those, you know.
Speaker 2:I want to know that I did. I don't want to be popular because I'm cool, I want to be popular because they know I cared and not necessarily popular, you know what I mean Just to know that you touched somebody and you made a difference. I mean, you know, I look at it and I think it's well. It's a reflection of who I came from, it's a reflection of the community I grew up with or in. And then you know, I think, if you look at both lines of work, I was in a Coast Guard and that's what we did, and then now this, I just it's incredible and I think that I have and will always have received more than I've ever given, just through these relationships and through what I've been able to do you know I could mic drop it right there.
Speaker 1:That was that's a. That was fantastic. It's fantastic. I love hearing about that with former students and you know I totally agree. That must be a great feeling to know that you know you make a difference, right? I mean that's the whole thing, right.
Speaker 2:It's just, it's fun. You know, I mean I, I've got there's. There was a group of six seniors on the very last team I ever coached at Michigan Collegiate Wrestling Team and I coached alongside my son and I still talk to them and I get texts on my birthday, texts at Christmas and it's always finished with love. You coach, I mean it's awesome. Oh, you know what? What you know? I asked for.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean it's awesome. Oh, you know what? What you know I? Yeah, it's just uh uh I, you know it'll. It'll never show in my bank ledger, but I feel like I'm the richest person in the world sometimes you know Exactly, I love it.
Speaker 1:So, um again, I could, I could end it right there and I might, but I'll give you another question. Um so again, because because you and I started when we were, we started PE teaching when we were later in life, not 21 years old or whatever. So what advice would you give for a first year teacher, pe teacher?
Speaker 2:It's funny because I talked to somebody earlier this year. She left two months into school, couldn't just? She had a class that was on, at times unbearable, um, and I say you just have to be patient and know why you're doing, you know. Know what's your why, know why you did this, why did you go into this. And it might, you know, it might not all show at the beginning, because you're learning along with them, but be patient and don't don't take your first job or your first year as what this is all about, because it's about a lot more than this. And just be patient, leave work at work and and have an outlet, you know. Don't spend all your time in your classroom after everybody leaves. Don't spend all your time on your weekends preparing to do this, you know. Pick when you're going to do this, but have an outlet, have a hobby, you know. Have a group of friends, you know. And and you know, no, why did you get into this?
Speaker 1:Perfect. So why don't we leave it at that? Because I want you to get mentally prepared for your game this tonight and then I need to get prepared. I know I have another 24 hours actually more than that for the bills. So good luck tonight to your lions and hopefully we'll, we'll, we'll meet, we'll meet in the Superbowl for the bills.
Speaker 2:So good luck tonight to your Lions. Thank you, and hopefully we'll meet in the Super Bowl. Yes, good luck with your bills.
Speaker 1:We'll have to figure something out then. Yeah, definitely. So, yeah, we'll definitely have to. Either way, we're going to have to talk again and do another podcast. So yeah, I appreciate you, dave, and thank you so much. We'll talk soon. Same here, dave, thank you. Thank you everybody for tuning in today. I really do appreciate it. As always, go to supersizefizcom for more information or check out my sub stack I shouldn't say or and check out my sub stack. Link in the show notes. It is where I do most of my writing now and and let's keep pushing our profession forward, thank you.
