Field Day Experience

My field day observation was an eye opening experience. I went to my local high school and got a true taste of inner city life again. I had forgotten that at one point I too had been part of this mix. I grew up in Jersey City, NJ. My graduating class was an even mix between African American, Asian, and Hispanic with a slight minority in Caucasian and Middle Eastern. However, there was something that distinguished me apart from all my other classmates. Over winter break while my friends were playing tackle football in Lincoln Park I was seven hours away skiing Vermont's best mountains. My best friends had never even seen a pair of skis. In the summers, while they sweat profusely on basketball courts all around Hudson County I did the same while hiking the Adirondacks in New York or going on a 60 mile bike ride around the Watchungs. I did this all with my uncle, Robert Chiari, also known as Tico. Tico introduced a new way of life for me. He took me off those city streets and showed me how much more this world had to offer. When I walked into my inner city high school to spend the day I realized I wanted to do the same for my students.
As I looked around I saw kids exactly like me and my friends seven years prior. They were tough, had loose mouths, and held chips on both shoulders. But I really did love the challenge. By the end of the day I had grown attached to the students I taught the importance of pull ups to in the weight room 2nd period. I felt like a teacher to the twelve students I showed how to correctly play volleyball to 4th period. And at the end of the day I knew this was the job for me when several students came back and asked if I was going to be there tomorrow. I spent one day at the high school and I already didn't want to leave. My 7th period health class was talking about the way muscles work. When I mentioned how rock climbing was really a key work out for building arm strength, they were ecstatic about going. I want to open up my students minds. I want them to see new things. I want them to see past the buildings that block the horizon, I want them to see the sun set from a mountain top instead of through smog filled skies and barred windows. I want them to see all the things I've seen, because if i was given the chance, they deserve a chance.

Just Play

"We do not stop playing because we grow old. We grow old because we stop playing."


I went to a physical education conference in New Brunswick, New Jersey recently and these exact words came out of the Chip Candy's mouth. Chip Candy was voted the number one physical educator in the state last year, and spending an entire day with this man really makes you notice why. He really does his job, and he does it well. However, the thing that struck me the most about that day was the above mentioned quote. For my lifestyle, this really means a lot to me. It may seem weird for some, but I want to die while camping with my wife at 86 years old. I want to die while climbing the Alp de Huez on my bicycle at 70. I want to die doing what I love to do: playing. I see my parents come home everyday from work stressed out and frustrated with their careers. I don't want that in my life. I love my parents, and every Sunday before I go to work I try to get them to do something. I'm always suggesting they go for a drive, or go for a little ride on their vintage bicycles. SOMETHING that can take their minds off of work. I WANT THEM TO PLAY. They have lost sight of what playing is in life and this is something common in our society today. It is sad. And although I will probably loose sight of this too, I promise myself that i'll fight as hard as I can to JUST KEEP PLAYING.