News 2. from NZ

I will continue on education and “money” from New Zealand.   We go to a swimming pool where they have classes for toddlers, www.theolympic.co.nz . 

The oldest swimming pool in New Zealand (1940) underwent many changes over the years; there are no more stairs for watchers and a roof is in place to use it 12 months a year.  While training there, we found a copy of an article written by Victoria Robinson; it was at the pool board. The article does not say the date or the name of the newspaper.  It was a photocopy that brings a educational dilemma; specifically, the education for triathletes who perform at the highest level.  It discusses the guidelines on education for the UK where it said that toddler should “exercise” at least three hours a day.  In the article, it is also mentioned that the guidelines are similar to the ones implemented by Australia in 2009.  The Minister of Health was behind this proposition to institute in New Zealand.

Wednesday 24, 10am school kayak practice in NZ North Shore

According to the newspaper article, the professor interviewed, Lisette Burrows from Otago University said: “With these sorts of recommendations it´s just another thing for parents to worry about and do.  They´re not only being parents and nutritionists, now they´re become play specialists or fitness facilitators.”  THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT WE NEED IF WE WANT TO HAVE CHAMPIONS.  There is no short-cut.   Parents, and I am assuming that Lisette is a mother, do not take full responsibility for being parents.  We have to learn to be an expert parent over the years which it covers all what Lisette says.  If we want to have “good” citizens we have to do our job as parents.  One sixth of the national budget goes to health in the USA, and they are unable to cover the population.  The vast majority of the problems related to being overweight and sedentary.  If we look around the triathletes’ population, the top triathletes have been actives for years and many hours a day since childhood, and they do not have “traumas” we could see as dangerous.   The problem should be how to do the teaching and not giving up on it, that makes all the difference.  

A public school in NZ 

This problem is not just in New Zealand. It is all over the world and that is why we are running out of “excellent” athletes. No wander Paul Bergen said: “Horses do not have parents,” when speaking about training horses versus human beings.  “Our best athletes come from Siberia,” told me once Gennadi Touretski, “they have to dig holes in the snow to come out of their houses during the winter time.”  Our best marathon runners started working as children; Germán Silva, twice New York marathon winner, used to sell oranges carrying them on the head in his native town.  He trains Kenyans and practices ironman nowadays.  Juan Martínez cut alfalfa when a child working in the family land.

I was surprised that a politician, the Health Minister, was behind this initiative that appeared “unpopular” to say the least.  GO for it KIWIS!