Piano Skills Increase Sports Skills?
Did you know Danny White, the former Dallas Cowboys QB plays the piano? I wanted to hear more, so I emailed him:
In the 90's I remember reading an Arizona Republic or Tribune newspaper interview with Danny White in which he talked about his mother's influence on his piano playing. I remember him talking about resisting piano lessons and begging his mother to let him quit. I think the article said that Danny's mother agreed to let him quit taking lessons as long as he played the piano every day and that he continues that practice still today.
Rosalyn,We can all use a shot in the arm to keep the momentum going with our children. Thank You, Danny, for sharing your experience with us! Love it!
I was forwarded your message and that is a true story. I took lessons from 5 years of age until 13. My Mom was relentless. Piano practice ALWAYS came before anything else after school. However, the "rest of the story" is that when I joined the Dallas Cowboys as a rookie we had a very progressive Strength and Conditioning Coach who always used the most innovative training methods. He had a device that flashed pictures on a screen that depicted two hands and two feet and we were to hit paddles that were attached to the screen and to each hand and foot, indicated on the screen as quickly as we could and see how many we could get correctly in a minute. After the first time I did it he looked at me and said, "You play the Piano don't you?" His point was that when you play the piano you look at images on a screen and transfer them to your hands and feet and the quicker you can do it the better piano player you are. That process is exactly the same as playing Quarterback or any sport for that matter. You see something, your brain processes it and it sends messages out to your body and you "react" to what you see. Two important points to learn from this.........playing a musical instrument CAN make you a better athlete and............Mom always knows best.
Danny White
