SOUTHWORDS
January 1976
Three sports reviewed
no author
Do you like outdoor sports in the cold weather or would you rather stay indoors? Three popular girls' PE electives during the winter are cross-country skiing, fencing and self-defense.
Fencing, taught by Miss Goll, is a sport for more aggressive students who like individualized competition. Miss Goll, who took a college course in fencing and has taught it for the past several years, enjoys teaching the course in fencing. She stated, "Fencing is a very tiring sport with intricate footwork and involves many formalities." Few students take fencing twice but she feels they might if it were offered on a higher level.
The students' opinions varied. A common complaint was the dislike of the equipment. Until one can get used to the masks, they provoke a feeling of motion sickness. Ann '77 stated, "I didn't like fighting and I didn't like wearing the equipment." This complaint was common even among those who liked the course. Terri '77 said, "I liked the course because it was unusual but I didn't like wearing the equipment."
Another indoor sport on the individual level is self-defense. Taught by Miss Albrecht, Ms. Voelz and Miss Goll, this activity is challenging to most of the kids who take it. Carol '77 felt that "It gives you a feeling of what it's like to throw somebody safely."
Some judo and many throws and falls are taught in the class and many girls take it more than once. Miss Albrecht stated, "We hope they never have to use it but we feel lit is better than no knowledge of the skills at all. Evelyn '77 thought, "It never hurts to know any type of self-defense because you never know when you'll have to use it."
The final elective covered ... is cross-country skiing. This activity is taught by Miss Albrecht and Miss Goll. This is the second year that the sport has been offered by Maine South. The equipment is shared with Maine West. Together the two schools own 32 pairs of skis--enabling almost total class participation.
This sport has recently gained in popularity because it is less costly than downhill skiing and can be done anywhere there is now. The skies are longer and narrower in cross country and the heel is free to produce a motion similar to ice skating.
Classes are held behind the school, on the foyer rugs, and in the forest preserves.
The student reaction to the class has been favorable. Wendi '77 said, "I liked it but I never would have known what it was like if I hadn't taken it in school."
Another obvious advantage is that in one straight of cross country skiing 1200 calories are burned compared to 594 when downhill skiing and 660 while jogging.