A cool day, skies watery and a pale gray. I walk outside sidestepping a few murky puddles.
By Allen Bauman
A cool day, skies watery and a pale gray. I walk outside sidestepping a few murky puddles. Tags dangling from lanyards (hallway passes) at my side, I place the school bells on a ledge. School’s out for midday recess. So where is everybody? If anything, I’m a minute or two late. A few students saunter around the quad - it’s a stark contrast to the usual roar and stampede - nevermind what the weather may be - of students just rearing to play.
Before I doublecheck the time, the “Balloon” - the outdoor P.E. classroom - erupts into peals of laughter, chanting, and cheering. If you guessed a game of football underway, you would be mistaken.
All this cheering and excitement could mean only one thing: table tennis.
Enter the Balloon, and a band of enthusiastic students gathers around a game of impassioned table tennis as Mr. Marko, our P.E. teacher, oversees it. The ball pings and pongs a satisfying click on the long table. It’s great fun and yet the competition is fierce. One Year 6 Student launches the ball forehand as the Year 5 student winds up for a backhand push. When the ball launches off the long table, cheers reach their highest pitch. I’ve all but forgotten I’m on duty. I’m drawn in, a spectator, that is, until a student tugs at my jacket and asks who I want to win?
One of my students, of course.
Given the present constraints on outdoor activities and sports, there is anything but contact sports this year. There are no footballs. Gone are the basketballs. There are no games of tag during recess. And yet, a lively game of table tennis underscores the silver lining to this all - especially on a day like this. I don’t recall seeing students so spirited during midday recess - not even since last year.
