Confidence
This past Saturday we had a sports day at Mighty Oak Academy. Our Elementary students held a basketball and jump rope showcase to cap off the basketball season and our girls’ volleyball team had their first game of the club season. To say we were impressed with the skills and improvement of our volleyball team would be an understatement. The shy unsure girls of the fall volleyball season were gone, and in their place were confident skilled athletes. As I watched the game, I was amazed at the skill I was observing, they were moving all over the floor playing actual positions. They were diving for the ball, unafraid to land hard on the wood floor. They were blocking the ball at the net. I think the most impressive thing I witnessed however was how they were cheering for each other. The girls on the sideline were supportive when anyone made a hit and most importantly when they didn’t.
Back in the fall it was not unusual to see the girls get on each other for missing a ball or yell at each other when they failed to communicate, and the ball hit the floor in-between two players as they looked at each other. But this time, I saw those same girls encouraging each other. Telling each other to dust off any dropped balls, and that serves that went out of bounds were ok, they would get it again next time. The emotional growth in all the players was remarkable. I saw the most growth at the end of the game though. They didn’t win, and while that would have been demoralizing for them in the fall, this time they held their heads high as they went through the line to shake hands with the other team. In the fall when they lost a game, one of the girls was so emotional and couldn’t handle the loss that she punched a brick wall in the locker room and injured her hand. The fact that there were no emotional meltdowns over the loss was a huge win for the team and each member on the team.
It was also a testament to their growth as individuals and the effort that they all had put into practices and listening to their Coach, Ms. Beth, who is also our Behavior Interventionist at the school. I saw them now be able to not only communicate with each other on the court, but also off the court. They now could put into perspective the loss rather than blowing it out of proportion. They could remain emotionally regulated rather than taking on a loss in a game as an indicator of their worth as a person. The loss became something to learn from, rather than something that was crushing. Even though the points on the board indicated a loss of the game, this was a massive win for our girls.
I am so proud of them for learning so many life skills that will serve them well on the court, in the classroom, and in life. It’s the kind of thing that encourages us all to keep going.
Inga
MOA Girl’s Volleyball Team after their game on Saturday
Field Trips!
As the weather gets warmer we are excitedly planning learning activities outside the classroom! Our educators have lined up some amazing opportunities but we need your help to make it happen! Our goal is to visit Payton Glass Creative Center and the Louisville Zoo in the next couple of months before school lets out for the summer. If you are interested in helping support our school's field trips, please click the link below to contribute to the field trip fund!
Fish Fry!
The Fish Fry is open on Friday March 29. We will be closed next week on April 5, for Spring Break so be sure to come by and grab your fish today!
If you are interested in volunteering or to find out more information about supplies needed please email: info@lovecityinc.org or call (502) 272-078.