Foust Law October 2018

OCTOBER 2018 THE

COMMUNITY CONSCIENCE HERE’S WHY YOUTH SPORTS PARTICIPATION MATTERS

Have You Been Pressuring Your Child?

and basketball court than in any classroom. However, the past 20 years has shown a real drop in youth sports participation.

Raising kids can be a challenging endeavor. When Heather and I were married in 2013, Heather agreed to take on not only a husband but also two boys, Andrew, 12, and Chandler, 11. Now at ages 17 and 18, we’re realizing these boys are growing up in a different world than the one Heather and I experienced as teenagers. We are far fromperfect parents, but we do our best. We hope you can learn from some of our failures and find some entertainment in the moments we share. I have almost completed raising three kids, and there are two things that I know for certain: One, your children are almost never as smart as you think they are. Two, your children are almost never as athletic as you think they are. For most problems in organized youth sports, I blame the second of these certainties, along with a parent’s desire for their child tomake up for their own inadequacies. A legendary high school basketball player frommy home town of Columbia Falls, Montana, Craig Finberg, became a legendary basketball coach in Dillon, Montana. Craig wonmultiple state championships and was considered to be one of the best high school coaches in Montana. Sadly, Craig developed cancer, and his life was ultimately cut far too short. My favorite story about Craig Finberg involves how he answered the following question near his death:“Craig, if reincarnation is real, what would you like to come back as?”After a short pause, Craig answered,“a basketball coach at an orphanage.” Youth sports are my passion in life. I have coached all of my kids from kindergarten to high school, and I currently referee high school basketball. I feel strongly about youth sports because I credit most of my success from the lessons I learned playing football, basketball, and baseball. I learned how to deal with setbacks and successes more on the ball field KEEPING YOUTH SPORTS IN PERSPECTIVE

I was disappointed to learn that 70 percent of kids will quit sports by the time they turn 13, but I think I understand the reasons why. As parents have increased the pressure on kids, many kids are leaving sports when they don’t make the cut. In Bozeman, all-star baseball teams are made up of 10-year-olds. There is no way 10-year-old kids are emotionally ready to be segregated into all-stars and non-all-stars. Tomake matters worse, it’s too soon to tell if a 10-year-old will be an all-star player, so it’s little wonder that over two-thirds of kids call it quits by 13. I realize that not every kid is going tomake the cut. I was cut from the all- star team in Spokane, Washington, when I was 13, and I remember feeling completely devastated. I have watchedmy own kids go through the same struggle of not making a team, and I always wish I could take away their pain. As tough as those experience can be, I amgladmy boys made it through those experiences. The fact is that at some point, your kid will get cut from a team. You will always learnmore from your setbacks than you will your successes. Your kids will turn out just fine not because you kept them from some of life’s pain but because they grew from that struggle. archive.boston.com/lifestyle/health/mdmama/2013/05/parents_lets_ keep_some_perspective_about_youth_sports.html web.usabaseball.com/playball/players-parents/maximizing-youth- experience/keeping-perspective www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/keeping-things-in-perspective-in-youth- sports_us_583cafb9e4b04e28cf5b8a7f Here are somemore articles about keeping youth sports in perspective:

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THE MONSTERS SOME BELIEVE ARE REAL 3 OF THE WEIRDEST CRYPTIDS IN PSEUDOSCIENTIFIC HISTORY

the beast flew up the chimney and fled into the trees. Hundreds of years later, the beast is still said to creep the backwoods on its cloven hooves, glowering from the blackness with shining, red eyes. THE BUNYIP When European settlers began edging into the territory of Aboriginal Australians, they heard whispered, frightened tales of a man-eating “water spirit” that lived in the lakes and rivers of the area. Descriptions of the creature varied wildly. The monster was alternately described as an enormous starfish, an alligator-like creature with the head of an emu, or a massive bulldog- faced beast. But accounts held one thing in common: The monster claimed the lives of any who dared camp near its watery domain. THE LOVELAND FROG One night, near Loveland, Ohio, a man reportedly beheld a trio of bipedal frog- people slapping their webbed feet along the

side of the road. If that wasn’t enough, one even had a magic wand, which shot sparks as the man ran off. Apparently, not all mythical beasts are bloodthirsty monsters; some are a little more Kermit than Cthulhu.

There are people who would have you believe that monsters live among us all year long. These individuals, referred to as cryptozoologists (or just “wishful thinkers” by their skeptics), believe a hidden animal kingdom exists just beyond the edge of mainstream biological science. Here are three of the weirdest, almost-certainly imaginary “cryptids” to ever capture the human imagination. THE JERSEY DEVIL According to legend, the 1.1 million-acre Pine Barrens of southern New Jersey are home to more than just birds and deer. The story goes that when one Jane Leeds gave birth to her 13th child, she was dismayed to add yet another kid to her responsibilities. She cried out, “Oh, let this one be the devil!” Shortly after the child was born, the boy was transmogrified into a twisted creature with the malformed head of a goat, leathery wings, and a thrashing, forked tail. After slicing the midwife with its ragged claws,

Going Beyond ‘Get Well Soon’ 3 Meaningful Ways to Support Recovery

If you’ve ever had a friend or loved one suffer a debilitating injury, you know how powerless you can feel to help. You want to make a difference, but in the face of severe medical challenges, it can be hard to know how. It’s important to remember that, while you may not be able to have a direct impact on your loved one’s physical recovery, there are concrete actions you can take to support them in ways doctors can’t. SUPPORT THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE. Traumatic injuries can make many aspects of day-to-day life difficult or impossible. Simply making dinner or taking their kids to school may now be herculean tasks for your loved one. Offering to be a volunteer driver or

preparing a home-cooked meal can give that person a much-needed breather. Taking the time to help your friend with everyday tasks is more than just a practical gesture — it lets them know they don’t have to bear the burden of their injury alone.

through makes a world of difference. Having someone who is willing to listen without judgment can provide a salve for emotional hardship. SUPPORT THEIR RIGHTS. Sometimes an injury can leave your loved one tangled up in disputes with opportunistic insurance companies or individuals they feel are responsible for their injuries. While you may not be able to represent your friend’s legal interests in these situations, you can introduce them to someone who can. Referring your friend to a personal injury firm you trust can help them chart a path toward just compensation for their injuries.

SUPPORT THEIR EMOTIONAL RECOVERY.

People faced with injuries, disabilities, and illnesses can feel emotionally isolated from their friends and loved ones. They may feel that others won’t understand their pain or that they should put on a brave face and not complain. You can’t force your friend to talk about their issues, but simply being there to listen to what your friend is going

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The History of Trick-or-Treating Why There Are Kids on Your Porch Asking for Candy

through town begging for food and money and singing a song or prayer in return — a practice called “souling.”

As Halloween looms and you load up your grocery cart with candy, you may ask yourself, “Why do I provide these spooky gremlins with a sugar high every Oct. 31, anyway?”Well, when your doorbell starts ringing around 6 p.m. this All Hallows’ Eve, you can thank the Celts for this tradition of candy and costumes. Halloween itself is a kind of mishmash of four different cultural festivals of old: two Roman fêtes, which commemorated the dead and the goddess of fruit and trees (not at the same time); the Celtic Samuin or Samhain, a new year’s party thrown at the end of our summer; and the Catholic All Saint’s Day, designed to replace Samuin and divorce it from its pagan origins. Long before there were young’uns on your porch dressed as Thanos with candy-filled pillowcases in hand, the Celts believed that Samuin marked an overlapping of the realms of the living and the dead. To trick the spirits leaking into our world, young men donned flowing white costumes and black masks — a great disguise when ghosts were about. The Catholic Church was never a big fan of these pagan traditions, so they renamed it “All Saints’ Day” and gussied it up in religious garb. By the 11th century, people were dressing up as saints, angels, and the occasional demon instead of spirits. Eventually, costumed children started tearing

But when did they start dressing up as Minions? Starting in the 19th century, souling turned to “guising,”which gave way to trick-or-treating in mid-20th-century America, and the costumes diversified. So put on some clown makeup and a big smile, scoop up a handful of sweets, and scare the living daylights out of ‘em— ‘tis the season!

Take a Break!

Spiced

PUMPKIN SEED CRUNCH

INGREDIENTS

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1/4 cup shelled sunflower seeds

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1 large egg white

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1 teaspoon light agave syrup

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1/4 cup raw cashews, coarsely chopped

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1/2 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder

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1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

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1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

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Nonstick vegetable oil spray

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1/4 cup shelled pumpkin seeds

1. Heat oven to 300 F. 2. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 3. In a mixing bowl, whisk DIRECTIONS

4. Using a slotted spoon, strain spoonfuls of mixture over bowl and transfer to baking sheet. Discard excess egg white mixture. 5. Bake 20–25 minutes, tossing once. 6. Let cool and serve.

together egg white, agave, salt, and spices. Add nuts and seeds and toss until evenly coated.

Solution on page 4

Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit magazine

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Foust Law Office

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

www.lucasfoustlaw.com 406-587-3720 Fax: 406-879-4400

3390 South 30th Avenue Bozeman, MT 59718

Fans of Halloween don’t need to look far to find somewhere to celebrate their favorite holiday. There are festive parties all over the world, from New Orleans to London, but if you really want to embrace the spirit of Halloween, there’s no better destination than the birthplace of the holiday: County Meath, Ireland. Every year in Boyne Valley, the residents of County Meath throw a month-long Halloween celebration. The Spirits of Meath Halloween Festival attracts thousands of guests from all over the world, and while this festival has only been celebrated since 2009, many of the traditions observed here date back to ancient times. The ancient Irish weren’t trick-or-treating or visiting haunted houses on Oct. 31, but they were celebrating the pagan holiday Samhain. Over 3,000 years ago, this Celtic festival was born in Meath and marked the end of INSIDE THIS ISSUE Here’s Why Youth Sports Participation Matters PAGE 1 3 of the Weirdest Cryptids in Pseudoscientific History PAGE 2 Ways to Support a Recovering Loved One PAGE 2 The Surprising Origins of Trick-or-Treating PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 Spiced Pumpkin Seed Crunch PAGE 3 The Birthplace of Halloween PAGE 4

SOLUTION

THE REAL HALLOWEEN TOWN County Meath, Ireland, Where Halloween Began

the harvest. Samhain was celebrated with bonfires, offerings to fairies, and other rituals meant to keep evil spirits away. Many of these customs carried through the centuries and inspired Halloween traditions that are still practiced today. Today, Meath celebrates Oct. 31 with a blend of spooky thrills and traditional Samhain practices. The Spirits of Meath Halloween Festival starts with the lighting of the first torch fire of Samhain in Athboy, which kicks off a month of fun activities. If you like your Halloween extra spooky, the scream park, Farmaphobia, is waiting for you. And if you’re not a fan of screaming your head off, you can check out the Halloween-themed Spookling Afternoon Tea for fresh-baked treats and spirited conversation. The motto of this all- ages festival is “Fun by Day; Frights by Night,” meaning all the really scary ghosts wait until after sunset to come out.

There are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween, from carving jack-o’-lanterns and eating chocolate to running for your life through a haunted corn maze. And in County Meath, you can celebrate Halloween in every possible way. For more info, visit www.Discoverboynevalley.ie/whats-on/ spirits-meath-halloween-festival-2018.

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