Education, environment, politics, sport… Here are your reactions to the topics of the week.
Posted at 12:00 p.m.
improvisation in education
Hey, hey, here’s one that asks the question I’ve been asking myself since the beginning of August. It seems that once again, it will be chaos in the school environment for the start of the school year. How can you be so disorganized? It seems clear that for the government, improvisation in education remains the norm!
Chantal Rheault
Martine Biron: it’s up to voters to vote
It’s a storm in a teacup. That Martine Biron resigned two months before running or that she did so at the same time as the announcement of her candidacy does not change the fact that she is running in politics. Do you really think that everyone who is elected does not communicate with their past, present and future contacts? In politics, backstage games are very present and all elected officials consult their sources regardless of their political allegiance. It will be up to the voters to vote.
Christine Raymond
Healthy soils
To defeat worshipers of Kentucky Blue Grass and other ostentatious deviations, why not oblige owners who wish to sell their homes to produce a soil analysis demonstrating the good ecological health of the lawn. In the event of a faulty analysis, the land must then be cleaned up at the owner’s expense before the sale. You have to hit where it hurts. Thus, it is not necessary to engage an ecological patrol to enforce the law. Plus, responsible gardeners who manage to keep their grounds spotless without cheating would have nothing to worry about.
Raymond Roy, Mont Tremblant
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
For young people, “what matters most is to improve and have fun in a spirit of healthy competition,” writes coach Martin Michaud.
Preserving the pleasure of sport for children
I’ve spent a good part of my life teaching young people to have fun playing sports. I got involved in downhill skiing, tennis, boating, then played soccer and basketball when I was in high school. I combined my coaching education with a sincere passion to see athletes of all levels succeed, especially before the elite levels, or the game seems to change completely.
I have always adhered to the Norwegian model which could serve us so well as an example, including their philosophy of pleasure before medals. What matters most is to improve and have fun in a spirit of healthy competition.
The way to get there could be so simple, young people should engage in as many sports and activities as possible before reaching majority and even after.
The most important factor to respect is that the many sports and activities practiced do not need to be done within a federation or in a complex organization where all your time is devoted to specialization.
Sport, music, curiosity for the nature that surrounds us, these are all important ingredients to nourish the spirit and allow us to keep our balance.
The quest for medals or obtaining a contract to play in the National Hockey League should not be an end in itself. When we forget the journey that will take us to a goal and focus our energy on fame and money, it is clear that we are on the wrong road for our mental health.
I’m 54 years old and I’m still enthusiastic about practicing new ways to move for fun. My spouse, being a psychologist and specializing in children and adolescents, sees the same things as me. Our children live this multi-sport and multi-interest vision to promote their development in a balanced way.
We want to help children thrive in the healthiest way possible for their future.
As a career coach, I find it heartbreaking to watch year after year how the pursuit of elitism when children are too young can have unhealthy effects.
It’s the business of everyone involved, not just coaches and athletes, but also parents, sponsors, and let’s not forget the federations.
No one ever asks the question: why do we use young athletes the way we do? I think we all know the answer.
The right to have fun must be put forward. Ultimate Frisbee is a perfect example of this, a mixed team with no referees and respect for all participants, not just the winners.
Martin Michaud, certified professional trainer, Saint-Cléophas de Brandon