West Seattle scene: Sanislo Elementary students go one-wheelin’

| West Seattle schools | WS & Sports

Lots of school news tonight, including the School Board meeting from which we’re still reporting “live,” but maybe it’s just a final-weeks frenzy. At any rate, we got that fun photo from Tom Myers, who explained:

Sanislo Elementary School had its annual unicycling performance (last night) at 7 PM. Miss T retired a few years ago, but can’t stay away, so still teaches in the unicycling P.E. program after school. Great fun for the students and parents too!

vmd June 3, 2009 (10:51 pm)

OK – I hate to be a buzz kill – but where on earth are the helmets? Bicycle, unicycle, it just takes a split second for a catastrophic head injury to occur. Even if there was little risk in this environment, for the sake of consistency they should have been wearing them.

love it June 3, 2009 (10:59 pm)

That pic is so cute!!

CMP June 4, 2009 (8:29 am)

That looks like so much fun…sure beats the square dancing I had to do in 4th grade for PE!

TRM June 4, 2009 (6:36 pm)

Helmets are not used because Unicycles travel at walking speed. If helmets are necessary at walking speed, then all students would have to wear helmets all the time.

A more significant risk is that it would take only a split second to ruin the Sanislo unicycle program with bureaucracy.

I’ll try to explain what its like at Unicycling.

You will see (what you think is) TOTAL chaos, unicycles buzzing around like a hive of bees. Adults walking with tiny kids, trying to get their balance. All around are kids falling, kids riding, kids getting up, tall giraffe unicycles weaving thru the crowd and total, total fun. Not a tear shed or a frown. Mrs T shouting words of encouragement as ALL the kids try to please her. Look at the picture, it’s like that, except MORE crowded, for a solid hour. It’s a real joy, and a real treasure. At the end of the day they all do their best to show Mrs T what they’ve accomplished.

Helmets are an almost inevitable pop subject that comes up again, and again, and again, but no one produces any data….most likely because the problem itself is imaginary.

carli June 5, 2009 (9:01 am)

So sweet! What fun they look like they are having!

Yes, the glass is not just half full, it is FULL!!!

LiouxLioux June 5, 2009 (2:40 pm)

If cowboy hats are good enough noggin protectors for cowboys, they’re good enough for these wee west side pedalers!

TRM June 5, 2009 (2:44 pm)

It’s like that the whole time at the practices, even the kids who can’t ride (yet!) are caught up in the excitement. One special thing to note about this special program. Once you learn to ride a unicycle it’s something you retain for the rest of your life.

These kids are getting another dimension of balance that they won’t get anywhere else. A sense of balance can be used for almost any activity or skill. And with balance comes confidence, it is a ‘forever’ gift, the best kind!

The owners of the http://alkibikeandboard.com bike store in Admiral are Sanislo parents and supporters the Sanislo Unicycle program. You can ask questions about unicycles there.