When viewing the popular movie, Napoleon Dynamite, I was reminded of the many benefits I experienced as an asthmatic child from playing tetherball. My earliest memories include the frantic search for breath during asthma attacks and the soothing, hypnotic rhythm of hitting a tetherball. Little did I know when I picked up the sport that I would become a school tetherball champion or that it would eventually contribute to my becoming more healthy and successful in my future.
My family lived in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. By age 5, I’d had pneumonia twice and had contracted asthma and bronchitis, giving me frequent severe attacks. I remember feeling that I was not able to be like the other kids while I watched through my window as they played and joyfully created snowmen.
My parents moved the family to Tucson, Arizona’s dry, warmer climate for the sake of my health in 1953. Even so, I was held back in 5th grade from being sick so often.
In the 1950’s, there were no inhalers available. So, when I had an attack, I never knew if I was going to make it! I do know this–as a fragile little girl, asthma caused me feelings of anger and fear. The attacks also made me feel very alone and scared. But, I was too young to verbally express these feelings to anyone at the time.
Physically and Emotionally Tethering Asthma
Sports were tough for me, though I was naturally athletic. In footraces at school, I’d be out in front of the packonly until I’d start to wheeze and have to sit down to breathe.
I had a tetherball in my back yard in Tucson. We were very poor, and had no TV, but tetherball was inexpensive. I played tetherball every day for at least half an hour. It never brought on an attack because I played at my own pace.
By the 6th grade at Tucson’s John B. Wright School, I threw the softball further than anyone, because my arm swing had become very strong. To my amazement, I also defeated every girl and boy in tetherball, including the tallest boy in the class! When this happened, I couldn’t believe itI could really excel at something physical! After feeling for so long that I could never do anything without triggering an asthma attack, this achievement gave me a new confidence.
By age 15, I outgrew my asthma and came back to Wisconsin. I’m now 57 years old without ever having an attack since.
Insight into my Asthma
About 20 years ago, I came across a book entitled, “You are Not the Target” by Laura Archera Huxley. It included a chapter called “Tetherball.” The author described the emotional and physical benefits to playing the game, the physical release of negative emotions when punching the ball, and the liberation from illness and pain “through consciously directed muscular activity.”
Reading the book’s descriptions of tetherball’s benefits, I realized that I had experienced these results as a child. The sport released my frustration at my disease while also building my strength and lung capacity, and stretching my muscles surrounding my lungs. As I look back, I’m positive that the benefits of my daily dose of 15-30 minutes of easy-paced tetherball contributed to outgrowing and overcoming the asthma.
Redirecting Energies over Time
My greatest desire in growing up was to become a figure skater and go to the Olympics. However, there was no free ice in Tucson and the cold air in a rink would definitely bring on an asthma attack.
It’s interesting how sometimes God can answer the desire of your heart in unexpected ways. In my life, I’ve seen my desires fulfilled, but not as an Olympic figure skater. I believe that my success in tetherball planted a seed inside of me. It gave me the physical, mental, and emotional confidence to accomplish many things in my life.
As co-founder of the Call for Peace Drum & Dance Company, I have served as the group’s Artistic Director. This multi-ethnic dance company features many US and International artists. Since 1990, we have performed by invitation throughout the U.S., in Germany, Russia, and Israel, and at the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Most recently, we performed for all the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates at their 4th Global Summit in Rome, Italy.
Looking back, I realize that my desire to be a figure skater and go to the Olympics was fulfilled through this performing arts company. Figure skating is really a form of dance and the international aspects of the Olympicsrepresenting your country and meeting people from all parts of the worldare central to the experience and mission of our performance.
Dawn Lindloff-Shegonee, with Tom Sisulak, former Wisconsin Badger State Games Athlete of the Year and host of two national gymnastics meets, are organizing the National Tetherball Association. The Association will sponsor tetherball tournaments within each state, and will help to tether asthma by promoting the use tetherballs in homes, schools, and neighborhood organizations. The Association will include a division specifically designed for people with asthma so they can reap the benefits of playing the sport at their own pace in safe environments.