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Monday, October 6, 2008
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A passion for sports EVERYDAY PEOPLE City Editor Brenda Jindra has a passion for sports - and for sharing her knowledge with others.
That passion has led her to work with the Brainerd Family YMCA Dolphin swim program and the Vacationland Figure Skating Club.
"I enjoy volunteering," the 41-year-old rural Brainerd mom said. "That is a hobby and a passion of mine."
Jindra and her husband, Dale, have two daughters, Courtney, 18, a freshman at Jamestown College in Jamestown, N.D., and Katelyn, 14, a Brainerd High School freshman.
Her daughters' interests have led Jindra to many of her volunteer endeavors.
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Brenda Jindra paused Thursday near the Brainerd High School pool during a girls' swim meet. Jindra enjoyed watching her daughter compete Thursday but this season she's also wearing another hat during swim meets. She is a swim meet official, either serving as starter or referee, for several other meets this season.
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Brainerd Dispatch/Kelly Humphrey
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This year she is the co-chair of this winter's annual ice show for Vacationland Figure Skating Club. Over the years, she said it has been rewarding to watch the interaction between the guest professional skater and the younger skaters.
"That's rewarding for me to see - that there are people passing on their love of the sport," said Jindra, who enjoyed figure skating as a child on an outdoor rink.
Both Jindra's daughters participated in the Y's Dolphin swim program. When the YMCA was looking for officials, Jindra jumped into the pool, so to speak. "Having a love for the sport was the first reason why I did it," Jindra said.
"And then I guess the other big reason is someone approached me and asked me if I'd be interested in volunteering," Jindra said. "If someone needs a skill and ... it's something I can share, I'm more than willing to do it."
Now that her girls are older, Jindra is officiating swim meets at the high school.
This season, her first at the high school, Jindra will officiate six to eight girls' meets in Brainerd, Little Falls and Staples.
"It's been great," Jindra said of the transition to high school officiating. "I'm very fortunate to have some very good mentors who have been doing this for years. They've tucked me under their wing."
Brenda Jindra
Age: 41.
Address: Rural Brainerd.
Favorite Olympic moment from Beijing? "It would have to be Michael Phelps who out-touched the other swimmer by a fingernail in the (100-meter) butterfly."
Beverage of choice while bowling? Bacardi Limon and Diet Pepsi.
Favorite sport to watch? Watching nephew play college football at Valley City, N.D.
Favorite food? Shrimp fried rice.
Last movie you saw in the theater or on DVD? "Fool's Gold."
Words to live by? "Under promise so you can over deliver."
Dream job? "If I had to start all over again, I probably would have picked something to do with kids. I so enjoy working with kids." She noted her family hosted two exchange students. "I just really love working with kids ... sharing with them my experiences, seeing them grow. It's so cool."
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"It's a learning process," she said. "I'm by no means an expert but I can learn this and I do think I can be good at this. We do need people to step up and take these roles. ... If you don't have officials, you can't really have a swim meet."
There are two officials - a starter and a referee - who work each high school swim meet.
It hasn't always been a bed of roses though.
Jindra had to disqualify her daughter, Katelyn, from an event earlier this season.
"I want to cheer her on but yet I have to stay unbiased," Jindra said. "I'm silently cheering her on in my mind. I had to DQ her once, she knew what she did wrong. That's probably the toughest part for me, having to DQ the kids."
"She jumped the start. You can't do that because it's an unfair advantage to the other swimmers. She took it in stride. It's one of those things."
Another activity Jindra has enjoyed with her children as well as her parents is bowling.
She jokingly blames her mom who took her to day care at the bowling alley one day a week so her mom could bowl in a league.
Jindra, who has bowled since age 6, has competed in numerous local, state and national tournaments, although this year she is only subbing for a team and not playing regularly.
"I'm not great, I'm not halfway good," she said. "I just enjoy it. I like seeing women out there just having fun."
Jindra said she's pleased her children chose to participate in sports - bowling, swimming, skating as well as golfing - that are activities they can enjoy for a lifetime.
Jindra, who has a background in accounting, recently accepted a new job as grants reporting specialist with the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwa. She manages grants awarded and maintains appropriate documentation.
When she isn't working or volunteering, Jindra may be donating time to another cause, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Brainerd Lakes.
"My mother is a breast cancer survivor," Jindra said. "I have a passion for understanding and a passion for doing good. I think it's a real worthwhile organization. They do a lot of great things in the community that benefit a lot of people. It's a great feeling to grant out money and see it at work in the community."
One thing Jindra has been careful of is prioritizing her time. She has to pick and choose projects because she hates to disappoint others by overcommitting herself.
But she has no plans to stop volunteering.
"Whatever you put into it, you get out of it," Jindra said. "Volunteer work is very rewarding."
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