Absences At The Beginning

Xavier was a no-show at the gym yesterday.  I also found out that there's a problem with the phone at the front desk counter which partially explains why I haven't been getting messages from parents and guardians.  Maybe Xavier's mom tried to phone me and couldn't get through.  Maybe no call was made at all.  I don't know.  But it's a concern when people start coming up missing right at the beginning of a new session.  The other two new kids who signed up haven't shown yet. 

A look through my old attendance rosters revealed that Damaris has been in the boxing program for a year.  Sahia had to keep reminding her to get into her correct stance and as well as having to show her (for the umpteenth time) how to do push-ups correctly.  I had to remind her to do the other floor exercises and stretches.  Sahia chalked up Damaris' forgetfulness to the month-long break in-between the fall and winter session.  However, I can't buy that excuse based on how long Damaris has been in the class.  The look on Damaris' face usually says that she is not enthusiastic about being in the program. If Sahia or I don't constantly stand over her, Damaris will not push herself to train.  I'm glad Sahia has more patience with her because my patience ran out some time ago. 

Henry and David returned, and it was obvious they had been working out during the break.  David especially showed some great improvements. 

No teenagers showed up for class again.  It's extremely rare for me to make courtesy calls anymore.  "They will be in class," is a lie I've tired of hearing.

The best class this session appears to be the adult class where Leonna is the only student.  We don't follow the exact schedule on the bulletin board.  She's not planning to compete, so I try to tailor the workout to go along with her fitness goals.  If had more adults in the class like Leonna that would help soften the blow of the issues already apparent in the first two classes of the day. 

The Same For The New Year

Last weekend, the weekends-only boxing class I run expanded a little when more people showed up.  It was a good sign that word may be getting out more about it. 

Can't say the same for the park district boxing class.  New Year's resolutions probably helped bring a few more into the weekend boxing class, but that has never had an effect on the park district class.  The number of participants is low as usual.  So far, everyone is new, with the exception of Damaris who decided to come back again.  I let Sahia deal with her for the whole hour as my patience with Damaris' apparent lack of motivation faded a few sessions ago.

Another issue I'm tired of is the blank looks I get from kids when I tell them to do floor exercises near the end of class.  "Do what you would do in gym class at school -- crunches, leg raises, squats, push-ups, etc.," I announce.  Quickly, I learn that most of the kids have no clue about what I'm talking about.  I know that physical education is still a required class in high schools.  However, it appears that few grade schools have that requirement anymore.  Of those that do, it appears that not much is being taught.

For example, Xavier could not do simple null nor leg raises.  I was shaking my head.  After I showed him how to do them, I asked him, "Do they teach these exercises in school anymore?"  His mom was in the gym, and I appreciated that she stayed on him about being focused.  Earlier on in the hour, Xavier kept taking rests during the rounds, especially when he had to do laps around the gym. 

A few parents told me that they tried to contact me at the field house, but either no one picked up the phone, or they received some erroneous information about the program.  I've brought that issue up to staff too many times during the past few years.  From here on in, I'm telling parents and guardians to take their complaints about that directly to the field house supervisor.  Maybe attention will be paid to the customers. 

The few teens who signed up didn't appear.  I no longer call people's homes to find out why.  In my opinion, there's no excuse for people not remembering they registered for the class.  Most of the time, especially where teenagers are concerned, the parents and guardians have signed them up without bothering to ask if the teens want to go to the gym.  I'm not making that my problem anymore.  I just replace them with the next persons who want to register and keep it moving.

The one adult who signed up showed up early in the middle of the teen class.  We had a good class, but I have a sinking feeling they may be the only one taking that class for this whole winter session.