Sports - What's Missing

Oh don't go getting all hopped up on me, I don't mean ALL young people, but the numbers and level of activity participated in and by our young people is nowhere near what it was just a couple of decades ago. Sure, there are still young people who participate in many activities and there are still a number of organizations like the 4H (which we hardly hear about anymore) who quietly go about doing a fantastic job of creating youth-directed programs, but what I see missing are things such as a group of young boys going on an overnight camping trip or playing softball in a field along side the road. It seems that if there isn't some sort of sponsored activity going on, our young people have lost their ability or knowledge of how to just spontaneously do it on their own.

Even in my favorite pastime of hunting, it takes a legislative act to lower the age to hunt deer with a rifle from 16 to 14 to enhance and encourage this missing segment to get up and get outside! Can there be any doubt that television and video games and iPods and GameBoys and what ever else is in the local electronics outlet store have captured the brains of our young people and turned them into thumb button-pushing zombies? And can we blame them when we see their parents walking around 24/7 with a cell phone attached to the side of their head? I love it when I see a full grown adult walking in the mall or grocery store with one of those ear pieces stuck in their ear as if it were totally natural. "Yes, I am from Planet Zork and my space ship is parked on the roof awaiting my departure."

And now, State Senator Liz Krueger wants to make it even worse by not only retracting the Youth Mentor Hunting law passed last year allowing for the 14 and 15-year-old young people to get out and hunt, she wants to go beyond and raise the age to 18 and increase the age of the mentor from 21 to 23.  Oh! take a guess where she's from... you got it, New York City. And guess which letter follows her name, R or D?  

Here's a legislator who should be seeking ways of getting her constituency outdoors and away from all the things that are currently influencing them and she wants to go in the totally opposite direction. Go figure! From a woman who thinks Central Park is the Great Northern Wilderness.  

So how do we get our young people outdoors? Well folks, I hate to break the news to you, but we all have to set the example. It's our responsibility to be the first ones to get up off our duff, lace up a pair of boots, toss a couple of PB&J
sandwiches into a day pack and GET OUTSIDE!

We are blessed to be living in one of the most beautiful areas of the country and it is the perfect time of year to enjoy our mountains and lakes and hiking trails and picnic areas. If you can't afford gas for a boat, buy or rent a canoe and paddle, it won't kill you. Tired of hearing cars and trucks whizzing by, give your ears a rest and go listen to birds sing for a change or the wind slipping through the newborn leaves of spring. Get out and smell the new grass and spring blossoms. Sit on a hillside and try to count the different shades of green Mother Nature is teasing you with. Take your camera with you and bring home the memories of what I promise will be a fantastic day with your loved ones.

Our young people are missing!  Ages 2 to 42 are missing.  Get out there.  Enjoy what nature offers free of charge.  Suck it in and absorb it and if you have any complaints, email me and I'll show you where to go to fix it.

See you outdoors!

You can reach Dick at rtotino@nycap.rr.com