The games where everybody wins: My view

LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY –— Taking off on songwriter Don McLean’s hit “The Day the Music Died,” someone could write a similar song about the near demise of kids’sports as fun. Recently, the undue emphasis on winning has begun to take on an alarming prominence. The now famous mantra once uttered by legendary Green Bay Packers’ coach Vince Lombardi, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing,” has, thanks to the media’s celebration of winning, seeped from professional sports into college athletics. Football and basketball programs are pumped up to attract wealthy alumni lured by a winning team. High schools recruit players and seem eager to boost their reputations. The winning mentality has even permeated the younger ranks of AYSO soccer and Little League.

These kids’ games were ostensibly organized to teach basic skills, good sportsmanship and afford every child a chance to play. Unfortunately the leagues are often run by an coaches who have lost sight of their mission, who are abetted by zealous parents on the sidelines. The fun of playing and the affirmation of kids’ efforts have been surrendered to the deities of score and standings. The best kids play while others watch.

And the message those modern day athletes have gotten, intentional or not, has been this: “If you don’t win, you’re a loser.”

This sad state of affairs is thankfully absent at the Dr. Don games in Livingston Manor, an annual rite of fun and frolic that celebrated its 10th year on August 1.

Dr. Donald Simkin began the games to commemorate his 20th year of practicing dentistry in the town.

Strongly influenced by his love for the Olympics, Dr. Don has brought the spirit of good sportsmanship, fun and affirmation of effort to the children year after year.

Simkin, who once carried the Olympic torch in Mamaroneck, NY while it was en route to the summer games in Atlanta, GA, has attended all of the winter Olympics since 1980 and the last few summer Olympics as well. He has even designed and provided mouth guards to U.S. Olympic athletes.

No doubt, most kids that come to the Dr. Don games know nothing of Simkin’s Olympic connection. What they quickly find out however is how much fun a day at Rotary Park can be.

More importantly they rediscover the sheer joy of playing games sans the concern of who wins.

The day began with registration handled by Rotarian Bob Freedman and hot dogs, chips and lemonade gracefully served by Silverman and former Town of Rockland supervisor Lee Siegal. Kids were then divided into green, yellow, blue and red teams and as their first official act they shook hands and gave high fives to the other teams.

Angela Zayas, who will be entering sixth grade this year, had a preference for one of the day’s events. “I would have to say that the most fun so far was practicing the pyramid.” Kids from each of the teams had to cooperatively arrange themselves in vertical array. Esteemed “real” judges Mark Meddaugh, Burton Ledina and Anthony Kane judged the event.

Zayas, who topped off the pyramid of the green team, later went on to kick a big shoe a resoundingly long distance in the Shoe Kick event. According to Simkin’s estimation, “That was the longest shoe kick in the history of the games.” The event, along with the day’s opener, The Quadrathalon, were more recent additions to the games that featured the longstanding “Brush ‘Em Up Plaque Buster,” effectively administered by 10-year game veteran helper George Silverman. Silverman covered a tablecloth with a plaque made of Karo syrup and shaving cream and kids armed with a toothbrush and a can of water had to brush the table clean as quickly as possible.

Nine-year-old Grace Macaluso of Livingston Manor thought that was the best event. “We got the table really clean in a hurry,” she noted. Neither Macaluso nor her green teammates stopped to wonder which team was winning. They were having too much fun.

Red team member Ron Stickle showed great adeptness in the Sports Suitcase Relay where he had to unpack, put on and then repack the contents of a suitcase that included a hockey mask, swim trunks, goggles, a chest protector and sports gloves.

Nine-year-old Ara Yeghissian thought it was fun but hard. “It was hard getting all of that off and on,” he smiled.

Capping off the day with a four-way tug-of-war named after the Rotary’s test of worthiness that asks, “Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build good will and better friendship? and Will it beneficial to all concerned?” The four-way-tug of war run by Rotarian John Cheshire and the proceedings of the entire day passed the test of worthiness.

More importantly on a bright sunny day in small town America, the love of the game was given back to the children.

Thank you Dr. Don.