Music & sports enhance students

I hear quite often, people say, “Oh my kids used to do music, but now they do sports!”  Recently, I have been giving thought to the number of people, primarily students, who are involved in both music and sports and are successful and enriched by both.

This past summer, a men’s chorus was organized to sing as part of the 9/11 concert we presented at the NPAC with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic.  I was pleased to have as singers several football and soccer players. Because of practices, they showed up a little late to our rehearsals, but they were able to attend and reaped the rewards of a very memorable performance.  I think they were quite pleased they made the effort to make both work.

There are many examples of professional athletes who are active in music, even with their professional sports careers. I recently saw that New York Yankee outfielder Nick Swisher loves to sing and has even cut a recording. I was very surprised to learn that Detroit Tigers Manager Jim Leyland used to sing in weddings. Now that was a shocker!

One thing that made me very proud as a parent was that my older son, Tim, was a captain of both the Cougar football and track teams while a student at Van Wert High School. He also was a member of the band and choir and was selected to All-State Band as a senior. He now has been on the field of the Rose Bowl, the Sugar Bowl, Paul Brown Stadium, Cleveland Browns Stadium and is a regular on Saturdays in Ohio Stadium in Columbus.

After a successful high school athletic career, it was music that got him on these fields as a member of the Ohio State University Marching Band.  I think he’s glad he didn’t give up on music!

There are many others who made the choice of both, rather than one over another.  Each activity or skill teaches some of the same values: teamwork, practice skills, determination, cooperation, and eventually personal fulfillment of accomplishment.

I know it is difficult to successfully participate in both throughout school.  And although schools try to accommodate both, there are many obstacles that seem to challenge students from doing both.  And the more the government requires of schools, the tougher it is for students to schedule classes and yet still enjoy the release time that a choir or band class can offer.

We are very stuck on pushing students in math and science, but don’t give much concern to those wishing to think and develop the other side of the brain. It was this creative thinking developed in my daughter through music that attracted Google to hire her.  She is now equipped to offer one of America’s top employers the thinking they value in the business world.

Let’s not give up on the arts. It has been said that knowledge is in the head, but music stirs the soul.  Let’s not forget about the souls of many who try to develop their artistic, athletic and cognitive sides.

All the things we do at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center are controlled by three words in our mission statement: educate, entertain, and inspire.  I think all three are of equal importance.  A well-rounded person has much to offer mankind.  It’s good to be reminded of this from time to time.

FINÉ.