Teenagers

Last night’s presentation (see previous post) to a junior football team went very well.

Twenty 15-19 year olds attended and they were not sure what was going to happen. Their coach said it would be special and to ‘watch out for the Sabre’.

I was a little apprehensive about the reception I would receive as it was my first presentation in a football environment. And Tai Chi can appear weird and silly in a macho culture.

But my concerns evaporated quickly as the boys got right into the spirit of what was offered by having a go to a very different approach to achieving their best.

Over the years, working with teenagers, regardless of the environment, I find the same themes keep coming up.

If you want to engage them in an activity you need to;

make it fun
challenge them
talk their language
make it relevant
keep things moving
encourage and praise them often

I finished the presentation with some weapons demonstrations to reinforce the difference between Yin and Yang energy. I did a short sword form, staff form and fans. They enjoyed the snapping fans demonstration.

It’s great fun working with teenagers.

And maybe why I enjoy it so much is because ‘I’m just a big kid too’.

This evening I will be delivering a presentation to about thirty 15-19 year old footballers.

The theme is Best Performance – a Tai Chi perspective.

I know from experience that if I present it in the traditional way I will lose the audience in the first few seconds.

Teenagers need excitement, movement, fun to keep their attention otherwise they get bored quickly.

I intend to ramp up the excitement and get them focused by using humour demonstrations and challenges. I’ll bring in the teaching points at the end of the fun stuff.

The key to the success of the presentation will be the language I use in relation to Tai Chi.

I’ll need to keep it simple and relevant to their football skills. Having an esoteric approach will only bore them.

Now excuse me while I go and practice my sabre form for the demonstration this evening.

And iron my Tai Chi shirt.

It’s a bit wrinkled. Just like me.

Working With Teenagers

Tai Chi & Aussie Football