For several years now, the SLT is the most in-demand group among the many ways to be involved as a Jughead member. Whereas Friday Rec. or Elite may fill to capacity on certain years, it's been many years since Thursday Rec., Advanced Club, or Ultimate Club have filled out all potential roster spots. By contrast, the SLT not only fills annually, but there is a waiting list.

After naming Captains for our first three Wise Guys Juggling Shows (1995-1997), this director started the SLT as a formal group when we branched out on our own as the Jugheads in 1998. The team has developed much in 20+ years, including the introduction of the Volunteer position in 2010-2011 (we formerly only had Assistants and Captains). SLT members do far more than merely teach juggling skills; they mentor, serve and carry themselves as role models at every company event, and ideally, in every area of their lives.

SLT names are listed below for parents to memorize and honor for the service they perform. Here are our tuition-earning Assistants (grade, Jughead year, and member-clubs): 

ADVANCED— Grant D.+*: Senior, 10th year, UC & Elite; Aedan E.+*: Sophomore, 5th year, UC & Elite. Isaac N.+*: Senior, 8th year, UC & Elite; Elizabeth S.+*: Senior, 10th year, UC & Elite.  THURSDAY REC.— Jared A.+*: Senior, 5th year, UC & Elite; Jacob D.+*: Senior, 7th year, UC & Elite. Lizzy V.+: Junior, 6th year, UC & Elite.  FRIDAY REC.— Nathan D.+*: Junior, 9th year, UC & Elite. Noel D.+*: Junior, 8th year, UC & Elite; Kayla M.+*: Senior, 9th year, UC & Elite.            

The intern-like Volunteers don’t bear the same high expectations placed on the employee-like Assistants, but they immerse in at least a year of training before being named Assistants: 

THURSDAY— Josie C. (Senior, 4th year, Elite); Ben S. (Freshman, 3rd year, UC & Elite).  FRIDAY—Maria H. (Freshman, 8th year, Elite); Kayla P. (Senior, 5th year, Elite & Advanced).

Member-Captains (all four of whom are also Assistants on a 3rd club day) lead warm-ups, lead by example, spearhead the coaches’ vision, and amplify the members’ voices.
Elite: Nathan D.+* & Grant D.+*; Ultimate: Kayla M.+* & Isaac N.+*.

Winter Showcase Student Directors transcend our weekly clubs and serve by doubling-up leader roles through heading up our annual March show (elective for Jughead members). 2020 Student Director: Elizabeth S.+*; Assistant Student Director: Lizzy V.+.

+Officer in ‘19-‘20.  *Earned varsity letter in juggling in ‘18-‘19. 

NOTE: Prospective SLT members should consider the following prerequisites: 
1) Achievement all of the Elite standards (Ultimate standards preferred, at least most/all of the passing standards). 2) Commitment to weekly attendance as a member (usually Elite Club). 3) Show initiative in both tasks and socializing (e.g., talking with kids lacking experience, skill, and/or confidence) at your own member-clubs and in serving at summer camps. 4) Volunteers neither pay for their club of service (e.g., a Rec. Club) nor are tuition-credited for Elite due to their service. This allows more student leaders rather than our former all-or-nothing approach (pre-2010) of staffing only tuition-credited Assistants rather than any Volunteers.

• Parents, please learn the names of the staff and student leaders for the club(s) your kids attend. Paul continually stresses name-use among the Jugheads; names are a key to respect and a door to relationships and connections.
• Each Jughead may have three (3) snack/beverage items per club; only one may be “unhealthy.” Snack closes ~5:00 (mainly for those arriving at 4:30 or later). Notes: 1) While we offer “unhealthy” choices, our staples include protein bars, cheese, nuts, juices, beef jerky, whole-grain chips, and low-calorie drinks. 2) Constant grazing during club is discouraged. Other than those arriving after the meeting and/or warm-ups, members should be done eating by 4:30.
• Open Make-up Policy: Any Jughead may attend another club day in lieu of any absence. Take advantage of doubling up days before or after an absence! Text Paul with notice. (Special permission is required to attend Elite or UC for make-ups.)
• Please only use the courtyard entrance to St. Stephen’s for everything Jughead-related; the church requests/expects us to avoid the 50th St. entrance to minimize non-church-related foot traffic in their main building. Note: The courtyard stairs will close for the winter; please use the sidewalk ramp (not the muddy grass hill).
• Ultimate Club (UC) remains at St. Peter’s-Edina this year due to their gym's ceiling height which is more conducive to vertical creativity. Thursday Rec. parents, please be aware that Paul and the SLT need to transition quickly from St. Stephen’s to St. Peter’s, so we appreciate promptness regarding our 6:30 closing time. Thanks!

Though not intended as such, Thursday Rec. has tended to be a club of all boys, mostly in middle school. This was especially prominent when Monday Rec. Club still existed and our rosters were dominated by Edina students who often joined in groups. Now, Thursday is much more eclectic, with about half the club initially joining without knowing a single other member! Add to this the fact that the club is up to 18 members including four girls who chose to join, and Thursday Rec. is much more balanced than usual. On the leadership front, we've had Coach Christine Therens since Week One (we went 5.5 years without another Thursday Rec. coach until Coach Erica Liddle came in 2nd Semester last year) along with a 5th student leader, so this club is poised for much success!

As poetically rapped by SLT members "Liz-dog and Kay-dog" in Juggle Jam 22 (JJ22), the comparative sizes of Thursday Rec. (18) and Friday Rec. (33) have both pros & cons. However, all Thursday Rec. members are fiercely loyal to their own club's pros, not the least of which are: 1) more square footage to juggle, and 2) a student-to-leader ratio as high as 3:1 (not even including Coach Paul in the mix)! The result is a group where everyone knows (of) everyone, and there is room for individuality with our minimal expectations for group work and standards achievement. Often choosing a character-driven routine, JJ22 will not disappoint, and we'll get cracking on another fun group performance once the themes are announced in early December!

Thursday Rec. Jugheads are: 4th graders Seth A., Brady R.; 5th graders Jack B., Sadie V., Addy W.; 6th graders Isaac A., Elling D., Luke N., Nick P., Thomas R., Will W.; 7th grader Caleb B.; 8th graders Andy E., Nick M., Max M.; freshmen Sophia H., Daniel M.; sophomore Lauren C.; Volunteers Josie C. (12th), Ben S. (9th); Assistants Jared A. (12th), Jacob D. (12th); Lizzy V. (11th); and Coaches Paul Arneberg, Christine Therens. 

If you’ve read the JUGHEADS Journal or spoken with Paul lately, you know that a significant motivation for his recent coach/specialist hiring is a desire for daily adult leadership backup. Another adult’s presence helps facilitate and monitor club activity. And, during Juggle Jam season, these helpers significantly reduce the stress of planning, choreographing, and conducting rehearsal for every moment of every club routine. Such margin in daily operation is essential. It frees Paul for more one-on-one work with students, office productivity, and a general sense of focused relaxation.

“But,” you may ask, “isn’t this club-day assistance the role of the Assistants? Can’t the Student Leadership Team (SLT) fill this role? They – and the rest of Elite Club – did a great job last year with the student-driven 'Stomp' routine.” Good question, my hypothetical reader. 

To begin answering your question, let’s assess what the SLT is. The SLT is a collection of upperclassmen Jugheads who attend an additional club each week to connect with and assist other students. These leaders have chosen to be fountains rather than drains. (Think about that analogy for a moment…) SLT members are not appointed by Paul or the coaches. Rather, they ask to be on the team and fill out an application form. If there is room, they are old enough, have adequate juggling ability, and demonstrate a willingness to teach and be taught, they may join the team – first as a Volunteer and then as an Assistant. Like most leaders in life, Assistants are people who take initiative. They lead workshops, mediate disagreements, choreograph vignettes, spearhead portions of rehearsal, et. al. It’s a unique and notable role.

Talented, creative, relational initiators though they are, the student leaders are just that: a team of student leaders. No one, student or otherwise, is too old, sophisticated, or advanced for mentorship. 

In the field of psychology, there is a widely recognized model called Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. The concept is illustrated by a five-tiered pyramid that works from the bottom up. To develop, individuals must progress through each level of the pyramid in ascending order:

1. Physiological: air, water, food, shelter, rest, etc. 
2. Safety: personal security, resources, health, etc. 
3. Love and Belongingness: friendship, intimacy, family, connectivity. 
4. Esteem: respect, self-esteem, recognition, freedom. 
5. Self-Actualization: the desire to become the best they personally can be. 

Most, if not all, Jugheads have plenty of food and a safe home. But all can deepen friendships, cultivate respect for others and self, and consistently choose to improve instead of settle or regress. If coaches intentionally foster these developments in the SLT, the SLT members are empowered to do the same for the students they assist. 

I believe coaches are fundamental to Jugheads’ thriving. This opinion isn’t motivated by the fact that I’m a coach; it’s actually a large part of why I coach. When I was on the SLT, my coaches – Billy Watson, Scott Richter, Stephen Brancel, Kelvin Ying – were inspirational catalysts for much of my growth. A JUGHEADS coach is a mentor of student mentors. 

With their additional years of life and juggling experience, coaches and specialists offer clubs a broader and deeper level of aid than the SLT can alone. These diversely gifted teens are simply at an earlier stage of leadership, and it is a coach’s privilege to speak into that leadership development. That’s what we do at JUGHEADS: "Develop Youth Through Juggling Since 1994."

At club, coaches make a point to greet all students by name. They think big-picture, working to challenge fast achievers and demonstrate patience with slow learners for the growth of the club as a whole. They engage the outgoing and include the lonely. They listen to Juggle Jam ideas and then synthesize them to create a unified vision. For the student leader who pays attention, a coach can become a valuable model. This model isn’t perfect. But it is a model from which developing leaders can learn leadership techniques that they may choose (or perhaps choose not) to imitate. 

So, back to our original question. Do we really need coaches and specialists at JUGHEADS? 

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. 

Coaches are an essential part of the mentorship model that makes JUGHEADS unique. From Paul to the newest Rec. Rookie, coaches benefit everyone in the company. As a member of this year’s adult staff, I pray that we may be mentor fountains, helping you develop into the best you can be – in juggling and in life.

This new monthly feature offers brief recognition of Jugheads of all ages who have recently performed in a wide variety of venues. By listing where the Jugheads have been "caught," this aims to encourage other Jugheads of all ages not only to practice juggling outside of our clubs & camps, but to perform juggling outside of our optional Winter Showcase & all-company Juggle Jam!

• Welcome to two more Rookie Jugheads! Will N. (3rd) and Joe W. (3rd) recently joined Friday Rec. Club through the contagious enthusiasm of 4th year Jughead mom, Julie Lovaas. Julie is our #1 parent recruiter in recent memory! We thank her and all others who give us positive word-of-mouth reviews and even efforts at encouraging new members and helping with carpooling!
• REMINDER: NO CLUBS OR CAMPS OVER MEA, Thursday & Friday, Oct. 17-18.
• CLUBS AT EMMAUS LUTHERAN CHURCH, NOV. 21-22: Twice a year, TEC (Teens Encounter Christ) holds large retreats at St. Stephen’s. Emmaus Free Lutheran Church in Bloomington is again our back-up facility for TEC in both Nov. & April. Plan on commuting/carpooling to Emmaus (8443 2nd Ave S, 55420) on 11/21 (Thursday Rec. and UC), and 11/22 (Fri. Rec.). April at Emmaus: either 4/23-24/20 or 4/16-17/20 (pending Spring '20 TEC dates once announced).
• JUGGLE JAM 22 (JJ22): May 15-16, 2020 with all-cast dress rehearsals May 6 & 11 (6-9 p.m.). All Jugheads are expected to be part of JJ, but it's not an absolute requirement. Look for details this winter, and please try to block out all four dates above and let Paul know of conflicts (including for regular club day rehearsals, especially after the New Year) in order to help our planning process. 
• "Bring-a-Friend to JUGHEADS Week" is right after Thanksgiving: Dec. 2-6, 2019. We'll post a Sign-Up Genius in November. NOTE: Due to its size, Friday Rec. has a strict limit on number of guests, with Thursday Rec. as an alternate day for guests.
• “Jingle Jam,” our annual all-Jugheads party, is set for Sat., Dec. 7, 5-9 pm at Calvary Church in Edina. More info. and a link to Sign-Up Genius next month.
• October ENDURANCE CONTESTS: Thurs. & Fri. Rec., 4 Balls: 10/24, 10/25. Qualifying Rec. Veterans are required to participate; non-qualifying veterans will focus on learning four balls that day. (Rookie Rec. members are exempt, but qualifying rookies may participate if they desire.) Advanced & Elite, 5 Balls: 10/21, 10/22 (all members compete). 
• UPCOMING SLT (Officers) + Staff MEETINGS: 11/9, 9-Noon at the Dunbar home; 12/3, 5:30-6:30 in the Commons at St. Stephen's.

"Boundaries are about establishing a perimeter around the personal and private spaces of our lives and not letting the world come crashing in uninvited. This is not an issue of selfishness but instead of self-care. [...] The need to establish boundaries is a mathematical necessity." 
—Richard Swenson, Margin (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2004), p. 91. 

Properly placed boundaries are a key to daily living. Richard Swenson's quote above is keenly focused on the context of a person's social boundaries, but consider how ordered our universe is, from the galaxies and stars all the way down to the curbs on our streets and the walls in our homes. Even our household pets only thrive when given the proper boundaries, whether a simple little bed, a leash (to prevent darting into traffic), or a sprawling cat tower (like the one enjoyed daily by Chip Arneberg, our Super-Cat).

In his science-saturated book, More Than Meets the Eye: Fascinating Glimpses of God's Power and Design, Dr. Swenson takes his central thesis of Margin and applies it both to the human body and to the cosmos, delving deep and gazing high about the "boundaries" of everything in and around us. In an amazing observation, Swenson cites the dimensional symmetry of the created order: the entire universe is 10 to the 27th meters in size; the smallest subatomic particles are 10 to the -26th meters in size; and humans, at about one meter (10 to the 0), are right in the middle. Each human body has about 10,000 trillion trillion atoms which make up the "mini-cities" of our 10 to 100 trillion cells. The 100 billion or so estimated galaxies each have 100 billion stars of which our sun is average at best. Yet our Earth is perfectly suited for life, including sustaining each living person's trillions of cells. (NavPress, 2000, pp. 94, 143-149)

Given that humans stand in the middle of the symmetry of the universe, we would be wise to consider the boundaries (and meaning) of our own lives since we have such fixed order in and around us. For me, some of my boundaries involve technology: I put my cell phone on "silent" every night as I wind down and don't remove "silent" until I wake up (among other times). I eschew social media, fearing how my obsessive nature would fare in addition to my socially-driven career, while also "fearing" the toxicity that is often synonymous with the way online opinions are expressed. I've downsized several personal and company special events in the past year, growing in my realization of the limits (boundaries) of what I can take on. I also need to limit time devoted to hobbies. Proverbs 28:19 states, "Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty" (ESV).  That means that Words With Friends, TiVo and even running must not usurp my daily work duties, important disciplines, and ministry opportunities.

The goals of such efforts at setting these and other boundaries are to be more effective where I am meant to serve rather than spread too thin, "like butter scraped over too much bread," as Bilbo so eloquently stated in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). Wendy is my main coach and cheerleader in this regard. Several years ago, she observed that we as a couple really shouldn't take on more than one (two at most) social commitment(s) any given weekend. So, if I have an SLT meeting on a Saturday morning, or if we're hosting guests on a Friday night, I need to be careful about making further social plans for the rest of the weekend. I often lament that I have a low capacity for too many activities, but Wendy assures me that I'm actually becoming more of a "normal person" from my former days as a super-social, marginless, overloaded, extroverted extremist.

I recently ran and finished my 12th marathon, and such a race is rife with boundaries. The starting gate and the finish area both are understandably highly secure, both to avoid external saboteurs and internal "bandits" who run the race without registering. The course itself has boundaries; the crowds have boundaries; and most infamously, human endurance and speed have boundaries, causing some to get injured, drop out, and even require medical care for crossing the boundaries of human limits. To cross the Finish Line, runners need to know and respect boundaries. Although I ran my 9th slowest time on 10/6/19, it was perhaps my most satisfying marathon, especially due to a strong final five miles up Summit Avenue all the way to the State Capitol.

At JUGHEADS, every second of every day involves boundaries, whether consciously acknowledged or not. We have doors, containers for our drinks, wrappers for our snacks, ultraleather casings for our juggling beanbags, knobs for our juggling clubs, and a seating area for our meetings. We have well-ordered warm-ups, a sense of shared space for open juggling, and physical boundaries for respect and propriety. We have overflow spaces for kids wanting a quieter, calmer area to work on their skills. We have hierarchical boundaries, timeframe boundaries, standards boundaries, attire boundaries, and language boundaries. When considered, our club time can be largely defined by this one word. Boundaries mean security, reliability, defined expectations, personal considerations, and measurable benchmarks.

But of course, boundaries don't represent the heart of what we do or even of what the human body or the cosmos does. Order exists as a means toward the end of higher purpose. Successfully implemented and upheld boundaries at JUGHEADS are meant to champion the intangible, unpredictable, and I would argue, supernatural development that goes on every second of every day. Like The Incredibles (2004), where the mundane meets the fantastic, boundaries are an often-boring necessity to allow for wonderful things to happen. Mundane parameters can yield fantastic results, and we celebrate both here every day at JUGHEADS.

Developing Youth Through Juggling Since 1994,