It’s all fancy words for describing stations.  Being “in charge” of many people can feel rather burdening at times.  It’s a lot of responsibility on one’s shoulders.  When overseeing a large group of people/kids and trying to use something to occupy everyone for maximum participation, using stations is one of the best methods.  This can be used in a classroom, PE class, sports practice, Vacation Bible School, camps, and etc.  However, there’s more to it….wait, what?

This concept has definitely been around for a while.  I'm not trying to re-invent a wheel, but there’s something we can gain from this teaching strategy/movement concept.  What if we could apply this method to our lives?  There are many things we want to get done in a day, week, month, or year (s).  They may be personal or occupational.

I can definitely attest that in my life, there are so many things I’d like to do.  However, I can easily get so focused on one thing that I’m not able to spend time on something else of equal personal importance.  Time Management.  Yup, there it is.  Get organized.  Sounds simple, you/I may dismiss it, but it just might work…especially if you don’t have some sort of “system” for yourself yet.

Here’s a simple illustration I’d like to share of Cardio Fitness stations (oh boy!) I have taught in the past.  I have also implemented stations for football, soccer, frisbee, specific skills/movements, and several other activities.  Keep them moving.  Move around, while also keeping an eye on everything going on, and give feedback as much as possible of the correct and incorrect performance of the kids.  Relate the activities.  You set the tone.

Over the past few weeks I have had the privilege of getting to know friends more and more.  I’ve even met use to be strangers, but who are now great friends!  How have I done so?  It’s a little trick I use called “ask questions and listen”.  It sounds SOOOO Easy, but it’s a lot tougher than one may imagine.

As human beings, I believe deep down we crave to be known.  Our souls cry out that “We Exist!”, “Look at me!”, “I want to be noticed!”, “My opinion matters!”, and much more.  Do I hit a point?  I can’t tell you how many times a kid in a PE class said “Coach! Look at me!”.  That phrase never stops in a gym, especially at the elementary level.

Time…is precious.  It’s priceless.
You know how our culture and lifestyles are so fast paced and always “on the go”. 

When’s the last time someone actually wanted to get to know you?  When’s the last time you actually wanted to get to know someone else?  Asking and listening not for profit or benefit of self, but to simply be there.  Not judge, criticize, degrade, or anything of that sort.  It's so important for us as humans to verbalize our thoughts and feelings.  This is a message not just for women, but men.  Not to be "mushy", but just raw and real.

As men, we don’t exactly have a good track record of our “selective hearing” abilities.  The whole topic of “men not listening”, “men not caring”, and etc…is a frustrating subject.  The passivity from others can kill us, because there’s no emotion, presence, or kind/challenging words.  We filter out in our minds if what is being said to us Means Anything To Us.  At certain times, it’s definitely the wrong approach.

I think the word I haven’t said yet is being INTENTIONAL!

We love talking about ourselves.  Some of my friends reading this can attest at how much I am able to run my mouth.  As Forrest Gump puts it...

What do you feel when someone actually wants to get to know you?  You may feel welcomed, grateful, relieved, encouraged, that you mean something to someone, and base of what I’ve already mentioned…known.

As I’m typing this, I realize I’m challenging myself the same as everyone else.  I know I have not listened intentionally to others in my past.  However, I realize the devastation I may have created and desire to be more intentional through one reason. Love.

Go a month without talking or messaging anyone via a mobile device or internet. 

I had enough. I was being mentally bombarded by unseen pressure to keep in touch with people, yet starving to find peace for myself.  I decided to do a social experiment.  I’m an extrovert who was tired of being around people.  I realize I'm on what I would call my social island with 2 hours from Valdosta and 2 hours from Atlanta where many of my friends live in both areas.  Even though I’m in an area with thousands of people everywhere, I felt suffocated from…something.  I’m still trying to put my finger on what specifically “IT” may be.

I decided to stop communicating and feeding my desire of attention from others.  I didn’t call, use facebook, or text anyone for a whole month.  I also took out wasted time being “updated” via youtube or other video websites.  Now, I did make 2-4 calls on the weekends for updates on weekly arrangements for meetings and work.  I did respond to anyone who wanted to contact me via phone.  It was almost torture sometimes. 

Have you ever intentionally done something like this while you have access to the world in your palm?

Our ability in technology these days, especially in the palm of our hand with a smart phone, is absolutely mind blowing.  I can easily pick my phone up right now, touch a button, and call friends in 24 countries around the world and 24 other states in America.  Maybe some of my friends are intentionally trying to ignore me?  I’m left only in my thoughts. 

Here are my 13 conclusions from this “experiment”.

-       I truly do become exhausted of being around people too much
-       I deeply yearn to be poured into and find peace
-       It takes a lot of effort to be intentional and maintain communication
-       Very few of my friends actually contacted me during this time
-       I have usually been the one who initiates conversations
-       I have wasted so much time with youtube and games
-       The temptation to connect with people was more controllable than thought
-       I found the time of “fasting” great for reading, writing, and research
-       As a Christian, I deeply desired to hear from the Father
-       The Father speaks in the stillness
-       After a while, I was starving for community and connection
-       I was way out of the loop on social media and events, but I didn’t really care
-       I was able to intensely focus and analyze current and past relationships

I was able to live a life-style of being disconnected from many people whole I traveled on the World Race for 11 months, even though I had a smothering of community with the whole time on the trip.  It was great to relive similar restrictions, yet more challenging than one imagines in our “communicate now with everything frenzy” culture and ease of access.

I learned about this game/activity while at an elementary school for three weeks of practicum required by my major.  Honestly, it was the only game I wanted to play everyday after I learned about it.  Star Wars as a game?!  I want to play this game right now as I type it up.  Some of you have an idea what this is, because maybe you even played it as a child.  However, I had no such privilege.  This game is a team based dodge ball game.  It can be played at any age level with only minor modifications.  So many different terminologies or other rules could be added to this game.

There are 2 equal teams, each team has 3 “Lifesavers/Jedi”, and a large area divided in half (gym or giant room is best).   The goal of the game is to knock out the opposing team’s Jedi. During the game, the students cannot cross the dividing line.  I like to use a giant rope, but tape or polyspots work well too.  If students are hit by a ball, or their thrown ball is caught they must sit down where they are.  Don’t let them lay down, or they’ll probably be run over.  The Jedi are able to bring people “back to life” with their Lifesaver (I know, it goes totally against what a Lightsaber actually does) by tagging their teammates on their shoulders.  I like to use short cut pieces of the floating noodles for a swimming pool as a tagging instrument.

Above is the layout where the equipment should be placed at the beginning of each game.  The hula hoops are the only safe zones in the game.  If a Jedi is hit by a ball when they are outside of the hula hoops, then they must place their “Lifesaver” in the hula hoop and sit down outside of the hoop.  That “Lifesaver” is gone, and may not be used again.  Nobody else may go in the hula hoop other than the Jedi.  The game is over once all 3 Jedi from a team are out, or you may set a time limit.

If a student is hit in the face or head by a ball, they are not out and whoever threw it must sit down.  If a ball bounces off the ground, and then hits a student they are still in play (you may even add the rule is it hits you at all even after bouncing off the floor or walls then you're out).  Students who are running around hitting others with the noodle in a violent way are immediately taken out of the game as a disciplinary action.  If a student crosses the dividing line for any reason, they must sit down on their side.  Students sitting down may not pick up or throw balls.  The game starts with everyone, except Jedi, standing and ready to go in the back of each divided section.

Learning objectives are to focus on correct throwing and catching mechanics, use of multiple locomotor skills, and learning how to work with others.  It’s very important to challenge the students to work together, be honest, and create strategies.  Stress for low throws, especially if you may be knocked out even after ball bounces off the floor.  Relate the game to other sports they could use similar skills.  Enjoy!  Play Star Wars Theme Music while the game is going on!  This game is So Much Fun!  Remember, the Force will be with you…Always.

Equipment needed:
6 Hula Hoops
6 Noodles
14 or more Gator skin/soft balls depending on group size
Tape/polyspots/rope