Why
the heck did
sports have
to become so
extreme? I’ve
been doing a
little research
on the culture
and consequences
of a world gone
mad over the
adrenalin‑pumping
“extremes” in
sports. Frankly,
with four grandsons
who have tallied
two broken arms,
along with numerous
gashed chins,
bruised kidneys,
sprained ankles,
and assorted
aches, pains,
cuts and hospital
visits, I’m
thinking something
is very wrong.
I have put my
grandmotherly
foot down and
told them all
that from now
on the only
game they’re
playing is golf.
But as usual,
I don’t think
they’re listening.
Loosely
defined, extreme
sports are those
activities that
require great
speed, height,
and a high level
of physical
exertion. Oh,
did I mention
the danger factor?
No, our kids
can’t just ride
a bike; they
have to go flying
out of gates,
up and down
hills, becoming
airborne as
they race around
dirt tracks,
crashing into
each other.
Yes, I have
seen the devilish
sport of BMX
racing, and
it is completely
insane. Perhaps
that explains
why two of my
grandsons, Kevin
and Connor,
love it so much.
My
oldest grandson,
Sean, likes
to go wakeboarding.
Dear Readers,
do not try this
sport at any
time during
your life. Wakeboarding
is something
like skateboarding
behind a boat.
It’s water‑skiing
gone wacko,
and the only
thing between
the wakeboarder
and certain
death is a thin,
little rope.
Watch this on
television and
you will never
want to look
at water again.
Oh,
but I digress.
Extreme sports
are the new
emerging dangerous
games and activities
that attract
our young males
(although girls
are entering
the fray), that
are between
the ages of
11 and 25.
Researchers
say that this
is the “ideal
time” for young
guys to be drawn
into the youth
culture of “spectacular
feats” and dangerous
sports. From
snowboarding
to rock climbing,
the thrill of
taking risks,
pushing all
the limits of
common sense
and gravity,
plus doing death‑defying
stunts, has
become pretty
mainstream.
Hey,
I remember–this
is aging me–when
you had to go
to a circus
to watch death‑defying
feats. Now,
you can go to
just about any
skate park,
BMX track, ski
slope, or lake
and see things
that are positively
hair‑raising.
If you thought
that football
had its injuries,
wait until you
see a five‑person
pile‑up
on a BMX track.
Orthopedic surgeons
claim that broken
bones are “on
the rise” for
American youth
by a pretty
alarming rate.
Parents
of active kids
had better have
good health
insurance, because
a very high
number of extreme
athletes are
going to need
emergency room
care. When a
child is trying
to jump, spin
or twirl, it’s
not always possible
to have a soft
landing.
So
why not encourage
tamer, gentler
sports? When
it comes to
my grandsons,
I’m on a mission.
After Kevin’s
second CAT scan
in one week,
I’m trying to
get him more
interested in
fishing and
golf. Connor,
competitor that
he is, will
be an even tougher
candidate to
persuade. However,
since he still
has a dozen
stitches in
his chin from
his last crash,
now is my moment
to introduce
him to the joys
of ballroom
dancing.
Oh,
did I mention
that I am a
participant
of the most
dangerous of
all sports?
That’s right.
Evidently, horseback
riding ranks
as one of the
most injury‑prone
sports in the
world. Ha, I’m
not so boring
after all. But
if you ever
see me on a
skateboard pulled
at a gallop
by my horse
down Carefree
Highway, please
honk. You’ll
know I’ve gone
over the extreme
edge.
I
have plenty
more to say
on this topic,
but I think
the hospital
is calling to
give me an update
on a grandson’s
newest injury.
Until next week,
stay extremely
safe.
