Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1942-11-12
The Younger Side

What this country must have is
enforced athletic training, nation
wide, from the ages of IL to 16 or
Is. Above all, it should include hik-
ing, running, jumping and swim
ming.
Before the war we were facing
legless country, where kids live on
wheels.
The program also should include
such competitions as boxing and
wrestling, basketball and baseball.
A rough, body-contact game, such
as football, should not be compul-
sorry before Is or 16. Kicking, pass
ing and touch football fit in nicely
not hard tackling or blocking.
I believe that Texas, for example,
overdoes high-school football. Too
many hard games for undeveloped
kids can do more harm than good.
Six or seven games season for
those under 10 or 10 is quite enough.
But Texas, at least, has erred on
the right side. In too many other
states the kids are UNDETERMINED, not
overturned
An Example .
I got an eyeful of this poor con-
dition while walking around with
Lieut.. Jack Dempsey of the coast
guard. The coastguardsmen were
volunteers. There were several thou
sand from all over the map. They
were keen, dead game, willing. But
most of them had known little phys
ical training before they came to
camp. I'd say about four out of
five.
AS Jack pointed out: "They'H
tackle bulldog. But many of them
don't know their left hand from their
right hand when they first come
here, and they have a hard time
Ginning themselves just once.
II never saw more willing
bunch, though. They just never had
chance to learn. It's a shame
we've had an athletic system that
developed comparatively few
stars, instead of giving every kid a
chance. 1t means a lot in more
ways than one, and I don't mean on
the physical side alone, which, of
course, is important. There's also
the mental side, which means self
confidence.
"a young fellow who can handle
himself also believes in himself"
the ex-champ went on. eff he can
fight little, wrestle a little, swim
or play some game fairly well, his
head is up. But when he knows he
is no good at any game, it is only
natural that he has no confidence
in HIMSELF
Youth Training
So, how about a national program
of athletic training for all between
the ages of IL and 10? After that
they'll take care of themselves.
This training, in almost any sport,
will help develop stamina, speed, a
certain amount of skill and self
confidence.
There are no finer developing ex-
ercises than walking, running, swim
ming, jumping and climbing.
For hand exercises use a small
rubber ball-or any small object
to be gripped and squeezed to de-
velop finger strength. Ask Lefty
Grove or Charlie Keller about this.
In the way of competitive games
there are basketball, baseball, touch
football, track and field, swimming
Scoring Rules
We never yet have been able to
see any sense in the scoring rules
or regulations whereby long gains
for tOuchdowns are not scored as
first downs also. If back runs IL
yards and is stopped, he registers a
first down. If he runs 40 yards and
scores, there is no first down.
The present system can be quite
confusing. There was a game not
so far back in which one team piled
up 40 to 0 score, and yet was not
credited with first down. All scores
were made on long runs or passes.