Julie Cowan

I was the last one chosen for every team in gym, even back in grade school. I did not like dodgeball or softball, and I never did well during the Presidential Physical Fitness Test. I was not from a family of physically robust people. We were not game players -  that is until I started playing jacks.

The jack sets came with a squishy red ball that was unusable. You had to get a separate, hard rubber Superball to play it well. With the right equipment I could perform the whole range of "hands"- regulars, eggs in a basket, ups, downs, double ups, double downs - without error. I could feel the glee of athletic success, especially at camp, where I could barely swim in the lake, but i could compete like a champion at jacks on dry land.

I have had this jacks and ball set since childhood. It serves as a reminder of my glory days as a sportif winner.