As the laughter finally died down, I raised my head up and looked at the TV screen. There it was in big bold letters “YOU LOSE” I then looked over to the other side of the TV screen, there were also big bold letters but these said “YOU WIN.” I couldn’t believe I had been beaten, beaten by a.... 5 year old. That’s right I had just been beaten by a 5 years old in Wii tennis and I was not happy. I demanded a rematch but he wasn’t an idiot he saw the fire in my eyes and told me he didn’t want to embarrass me again, another round of laughs fills the room. I now being the joke of the party took off my Wii controller and gave it to his next awaiting victim. Later on in the night (he had grown bored of beating everyone) I asked him how he was so good at Wii tennis. His answer was short “School” on more questioning it turned out to be after School care, but he said his school was planning to get it.
As he ran off, I wondered about this weird new concept of Wii in schools. I had heard of Wii being used in retirement houses and I thought that was a great idea, grandma vs. grandma in a boxing match. Great don’t you think? But Wii in school, maybe this is the way to future, the next level of sports training? Maybe the Wii is the key Roger Federer success? Or was it more likely just another waste of more tax payer money.
The education system in this country has already created a major shortage of skilled workers. The number of people getting into university to become doctors, mathematicians and scientists are so low we are actually lowering the requirements to get in, soon enough all you will need to become a doctor is a pencil. And it seems the same mistakes the department of education made with teaching our young kids to read and write they are making with running and playing.
Kids are being kept locked away, safe under lock and key. No longer can young kids play outside because “they might be bitten by a bee” or “they might eat some dirt”. Kids are no longer allowed to let their imagination run wild with Lego blocks because “they might eat a piece”. And now they’re worried parents have found a great “safe” way for kids to play outdoor games inside, Wii sport.
Of course this is not what the government and schools are saying they say it is a legitimate form of exercise. But as statics show playing Wii games even combined with the Wii balance board is no WHERE close to level of exercise obtained by outdoor activity. Statics also show that over 1/3 of Australia’s kids are overweight or on the board line. Staying indoors and swinging a 20cm stick is not an efficient way of combating this epidemic. Getting out doors and playing some actual sport is the best way to lose calories and have fun. Kids need to actually feel the ball come on to the racket, bat or club; they need to run after the ball instead of letting the game do it and they need to feel the grass under their feet.
Team sports such as cricket, soccer, NRL and AFL all have a way of bringing people together. From the highs of wining to the heart break of losing, being involved in a team sport means your friends will always be there. Sports are also a good way to build self esteem and social skills, skills which kids will need throughout their adult lives, and without them they will no doubt crash and burn.
With the immediate skilled worker shortage, the government has found “genius” solution instead of fixing the system that creates the shortages; they are just going to fly in people from overseas who can do it.
This is the same solution I see for what will one day be a sporting shortage. With the obesity rate on the rise, and virtual games in schools, the number of well trained sports stars will no doubt fall. And what might the government do about this; they will most likely get more realist simulators, maybe even in 3d. But as a quick fix they will probably fly in sporting stars from overseas, no doubt another “genius” solution.
So don’t be surprised in the not too distant future to see fat, uneducated, sports oblivious people walking around. And these same people will be the ones complaining about some Indian swimmer, who can’t speak much English, and has only been in the country for a couple of months, representing our country in the Olympics games.
