I love to compete, and I love the Olympics. Some of my earliest memories were those of Jim Craig and the Miracle on Ice, as well as Eric Heiden and his dominance in speed skating. In fact, I loved those 1980 Winter Olympics so much that I saved that week’s Sports Illustrated. I still have it.

Throughout my life, sports have always played a central role. From football, to baseball, wrestling, and just about anything in between, I loved to play anything. And as far as I was concerned, play was a synonym for compete. Even in terms of physical fitness, I ran marathons and tried to achieve a certain time, and when I rode my Peloton – I was always very aware of the leaderboard. Playing was competing, and that was the fun of it.

Until recently I went mountain biking at Highland Park for the first time. I was working very hard, and I was very focused. I was playing! But what was really fun, what made it so enjoyable, was that I could care less what my time was, the number of calories I burned, the watts I created – I was simply riding my bike. I felt like I was flying, cruising over jumps and skidding around corners. I felt like I was a kid on my BMX bike – It was amazing!

Since my ride at Highland I have reconsidered the meaning of play. It does not have to mean to compete. In fact, my workouts have improved since the ride, because I have found a new joy in doing something that is not quantified by a clock or my Apple Watch.

At The Beech Hill School, we provide many opportunities to compete. But as I began to reflect on “play,” I have come to realize that we also provide opportunities for our students to simply get out there and experience the joy of movement and sport. Sometimes, it is best to “Just Play.”