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SPORTS & FITNESS

BABY STEPS

It’s interesting how so many people believe it 
takes an enormous amount of time, effort, and 
willpower to exercise enough to benefit their 
health. Many procrastinate because they think 
they won’t be able to do much, for very long, or 
stay motivated over time. They start and stop 
repeatedly, thinking, “What’s the use? Why 
bother? Everyone’s going to die someday, right? 
What’s wrong with just living life to the fullest 
now and not worrying about the future?”

If you’ve thought any of these thoughts or 
know someone who voices them, read on. 
Surprisingly, it doesn’t take much to add years 
to your life and enhance your quality of living, 
enjoying day-to-day activities.

What it comes down to is: do you want to live 
an average life expectancy, which according to 
the CDC is about 77 years, or one that adds 
many more years to your life? When it comes 
to living a long life, pay attention not just to 
exercise levels but also to stress, relationships, 
and your diet. All have a significant impact on 
longevity.

When it comes to exercise, anyone can get 
started with the baby steps approach. It really is that simple. Program your brain to ask 
how you can squeeze a few more steps of activity into whatever you’re doing. Here are 
some suggestions to get you started:

Start with a 10 minute walk every other day, no more. When it becomes easier, make 
it daily. Over time you will gradually start doing more than 10 minutes because of the 
benefits that you enjoy during the walk. Seeing people, enjoying nature, getting your 
endorphins pumping, all kinds of motivators that automatically happen once you start 
moving.

Incorporate extra steps into your daily routine. Avoid raising your blood pressure 
searching for the closest parking spot; park further away and walk. Turn household tasks 
into a mini workout by combining vacuuming, sweeping, and cleaning. Spend more time 
working in your yard or garden instead of relying on a gardener. Take the stairs whenever 
possible. If you even consider using an electric shopping cart, resist the urge. The less you 
do, the less you will be able to do over time.

If you spend a lot of time on the phone, walk and talk. Use that time to walk around 
your home or office instead of sitting. If you make a daily call at the same time, use that 
opportunity to move.

Be open to trying activities you never considered before, such as dancing, yoga, swimming, 
hiking, or pickleball. Even stretching can set you on the right path, helping you connect 
with your body and see small, noticeable results quickly without tremendous effort. This 
is especially beneficial if you are in any kind of physical pain.

Get a pedometer, Apple Watch, or Fitbit. Even if you do nothing for the first month, you 
will see how easy it is to get several thousand steps once you start trying. It’s a way to 
measure your activity without feeling bad, inadequate, or out of shape. Starting from no 
activity, there’s nowhere to go but up.

Take a good look at the time you spend sitting. Even people who are otherwise fit and 
engage in regular exercise can suffer negative health effects if they sit for prolonged 
periods. Stand up frequently and use a standing desk at times to break up the sitting. Use 
a stability ball for a chair so that you are at least moving to sustain your balance.

Adjust your attitude. Having a negative attitude is probably the most detrimental of all. 
Just because you were never active before, don’t know any sports skills, aren’t motivated to 
do much, or feel like you don’t care—it’s not a permanent state of mind. You can change. 
You can get started with very little effort and movement. You can get fit no matter what age 
you are. As long as you care enough about yourself to take one tiny step, and then another, 
and another, you will improve your life.

You’ll be surprised (I guarantee it!) at how different you feel, how you can move better, and 
how you have a better outlook on things. The best part of all is that taking those little baby 
steps physically can not only 
help your physical health but 
also your emotional well-being 
and interest in eating better. In 
the long run, the factors that 
matter most in your odds of 
living to 100 include mindset, 
daily activity, diet, and genetics. 
We can’t control genetics, but 
we can control everything else. 
So take those teeny tiny steps 
starting now. Just focus on one 
to get started, then add another 
later. Little by little. The worst 
thing is doing nothing at all.

Mountain Views-News Saturday, June 1, 2024

HUDDLE UP

With HARVEY HYDE


Michele Silence, M.A. is a 37-year certified fitness 

professional who offers semi-private/virtual fitness 
classes. Contact Michele at michele@kid-fit.com. 
Visit her Facebook page at: michelesfitness Visit 
her Facebook page at: michelesfitness.

NCAA / N$AA? 

“Dollars and No sense?”

What is/ has been happening with the NCAA? Whatever it is, 
it has been a long time coming.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association. Is it for the 
Athletes? Is it for the colleges? What are the rules now? Are 
there any rules now?

A little bit of history. Years ago I was exposed to the NCAA governing rule dictatorship. The 
NCAA officials living large and we coaches fearing them with every move we made. And 
were careful about any efforts we tried to make to help our own student-athletes. 

NCAA officials stayed at luxury hotels for all their meetings, playing golf and watching who 
might be giving a kid a piece of gum. (Why not stay on college campus as a way of keeping 
costs down?) The student athletes helped make the money they lived on: Leer jets, first class 
travel, and high rated hotels. Why? power and image and salaries. They made unexpected 
visits to campuses asking for all paperwork on scholarships, academics, health etc. (like our 
IRS)

Officials told us everything we could and could not do for our athletes. I wondered at the 
time, how could this group really judge what is necessary to help a student athlete. Who 
needs special love? Who needs special attention? If the NCAA would have loosened their 
strict “rules’ and allowed sensible assistance for certain kids, we would not now be paying 
even more for these “students.” Now, a scholarship is not enough. In those “old” days, 
athletes received a full scholarship, a stipend, training table, medical coverage for playing, 
and did not have to pay it back. This was standard and a dream come true for many. But 
there were limitations on what could be paid for. 

I was a stickler for appearances especially for travelling. However most of my players did 
not have suits and ties and fancy shoes. if we wanted all players to look sharp and travel in 
matching jogging suits, (and wanted to let them keep them after) the cost would have to 
come out of their scholarship stipend. (no free extra outfits) We had to deduct payments 
from our players monthly. 

Some parents could send extra money for expenses. Others could not. In the season athletes 
could not have a part time job to earn more money for travel, clothing, food etc. A summer 
job was regulated for how much they could earn per hour. Even buying a dinner out for a 
player was not “legal.” Helping to pay for a dental filling that was not caused by a football 
was illegal. (NCAA said they should not get “special treatment.” Every student is equal. 
Except they were special! ) 

There was always the comment that schools were getting dollars from sales and publicity 
from their football programs. College administrations and staffs were afraid to appeal 
negative rulings and fight NCAA power. If they had done so, the belief was that the NCAA 
would “get even” at a later date. In those times, if certain schools won past their predicted 
win/loss records, questions were asked about how this happened. Did they “cheat?” 

Why wouldn’t “rules” have allowed athletes to work in school and develop his /her own 
business sense and skills while in college. How could that have hurt anybody? Every other 
student could. Couldn’t a family emergency be a reason to help a student get back home for 
a visit? Students who transferred had to ‘sit out’ for a season in order to play. Breaking the 
rules had some consequences. And of course, some schools had more leeway in these rules 
and rulings. 

Now, the times and many rules have changed. And who is making these rules? The courts? 
The schools? The athletes? Kids can transfer when they wish, and play. Are all teammates 
equal? Who can be paid extra money during the playing season -- a lot of money? (Who 
pays this? Who knows? ) Look for some more changes to come. What is an “amateur?” And 
what about that N.C.A.A. now? What is their role today? More to come? Lots of questions 
in college sports. 

Follow me@coachharvey hyde. or harveyhyde. com 


ASSEMBLYMEMBER CHRIS HOLDEN’S LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING 
RIGHTS FOR COLLEGE ATHLETES ALIGNS WITH NCAA SETTLEMENT TO 
SHARE REVENUE WITH ATHLETES

Assemblymember Chris Holden releases 
the following statement in response to the 
National Collegiate Athletics Association 
(NCAA) and Power 5 conferences voting 
in favor of a $2.7 billion lawsuit settlement 
that would enable schools to share millions 
of dollars in athletics revenue with athletes: 

“Hundreds of colleges and universities enjoy 
more than $18 billion in revenue off of the 
talents of their athletes. A lawsuit settlement 
as described would open the door to put 
our young people in a place that more fairly 
reflects the unique position they are in and set them up for success post-college. Due to 
this significant progress toward athlete compensation, I am removing the revenue-sharing 
portion in my bill, AB 252. 

However, this progress means that it has never been more important to approve AB 252, 
which will prevent athletic programs from cutting sports, scholarships, and participation 
opportunities to spend more on football and basketball. 

And as a former college athlete, I know all too well the toll that it can take on a person’s 
physical, mental, and academic well-being. While the progress toward athlete revenue 
sharing is groundbreaking, college athletes lack basic physical and academic protections that 
AB 252 will provide.”

“The National College Players Association has been fighting for over two decades to ensure 
college athletes are fairly compensated. The lawsuit settlement would be a historic step in 
the right direction. However, college athletes desperately need broad-based protections 
included in AB 252 such as the enforcement of safety standards to prevent serious injury, 
abuse and death. AB 252 would make California the first state in the nation to require Title IX 
compliance transparency, enforce Title IX, and guarantee a host of other athlete protections,” 
said Ramogi Huma, National College Players Association (NCPA) Executive Director. The 
NCPA is the sponsor of AB 252.


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