thedrifter
05-08-07, 08:11 AM
Feats of fitness
Elementary students undergo physical competitions
By C.J. GREGORY
CECILIA — Elementary school children from around the area ran, jumped and pulled their way to better health Monday morning in the annual Marine Youth Physical Fitness test at Central Hardin High School.
Students are tested all year long on various skills with one competition in the fall, one in the winter and the final competition around this time each year, Gunnery Sgt. Greg Wright said. The purpose is two-fold, he said.
“We’re here to reach out to young men and women to try and show them the importance of physical fitness and to get across a drug-free message,” he said.
The U.S. Marines Youth Foundation — the overseeing body of the challenge — strives to get kids to practice a clean, healthy lifestyle, Wright said. The program, endorsed by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, tests kids on individual skills and overall athleticism.
Wright said he witnessed some feats of strength from the kids he’s not sure any of his men could match.
“I’ve got Marines who can’t do that,” he said after witnessing one student complete 23 pull-ups. “It’s good to see the kids achieve.”
Students who excel at the fall and winter competitions move on to the spring test, and many begin extra practices as the time draws closer.
“They’ve been practicing once a week for the past four or five weeks at the school,” said Robert Green, as his daughter, Eliza, of New Highland Elementary, was preparing to start her first test — sit-ups. Green said he hasn’t had to push her very much, because she’s been pushing herself. “She’s been pretty motivated. All of the kids are really motivated.”
Robbie Walters said he and his wife, Jenny, didn’t know anything about the competition until they received word their daughter, Carrie, of Lincoln Trail Elementary, had been selected to compete. Leading up to the test, they said she was only cautious about one event.
“She’s nervous about being able to do pull-ups,” he said.
Events such as this one foster an idea that kids can be healthy by simply going out and becoming active.
“Especially if they can make it fun,” Walters said.
Kermit Olive, physical education teacher at Lakewood Elementary, said staff at the school has been testing the students rigorously all year long. Everyone was working hard to defend the honor of being the fittest school for the past seven years.
“This would be the eighth year,” Olive said while students were waiting for their events. “We just work them all year long.”
Olive said students work on two different events once a week and Fridays they do an upper-body regimen in PE class that uses 15 or 16 different stations.
Lakewood went on to make it eight in a row. Olive said although being recognized is great, there are other benefits to putting in the time.
“Doing your best is important,” he said. “Winning is nice, but if you just luck into it, it’s not as good as working hard.”
Wright said the Marines and Navy corpsman from the inspector and instructor staff and company E, 4th tank battalion who helped put this year’s competition together enjoy it, and love the feedback from the children even more.
“The overwhelming response from the kids is positive,” he said. “They look forward to it and ask when we’re coming back next year. This shows we’ve hit the mark when kids are excited to participate.”
Lakewood won the primary and intermediate titles. Parkway Elementary was second in the primary division and Rineyville was second at the intermediate level.
C.J. Gregory can be reached at 769-1200, Ext. 227, or at cjgregory@thenewsenterprise.com.
Ellie
Elementary students undergo physical competitions
By C.J. GREGORY
CECILIA — Elementary school children from around the area ran, jumped and pulled their way to better health Monday morning in the annual Marine Youth Physical Fitness test at Central Hardin High School.
Students are tested all year long on various skills with one competition in the fall, one in the winter and the final competition around this time each year, Gunnery Sgt. Greg Wright said. The purpose is two-fold, he said.
“We’re here to reach out to young men and women to try and show them the importance of physical fitness and to get across a drug-free message,” he said.
The U.S. Marines Youth Foundation — the overseeing body of the challenge — strives to get kids to practice a clean, healthy lifestyle, Wright said. The program, endorsed by the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, tests kids on individual skills and overall athleticism.
Wright said he witnessed some feats of strength from the kids he’s not sure any of his men could match.
“I’ve got Marines who can’t do that,” he said after witnessing one student complete 23 pull-ups. “It’s good to see the kids achieve.”
Students who excel at the fall and winter competitions move on to the spring test, and many begin extra practices as the time draws closer.
“They’ve been practicing once a week for the past four or five weeks at the school,” said Robert Green, as his daughter, Eliza, of New Highland Elementary, was preparing to start her first test — sit-ups. Green said he hasn’t had to push her very much, because she’s been pushing herself. “She’s been pretty motivated. All of the kids are really motivated.”
Robbie Walters said he and his wife, Jenny, didn’t know anything about the competition until they received word their daughter, Carrie, of Lincoln Trail Elementary, had been selected to compete. Leading up to the test, they said she was only cautious about one event.
“She’s nervous about being able to do pull-ups,” he said.
Events such as this one foster an idea that kids can be healthy by simply going out and becoming active.
“Especially if they can make it fun,” Walters said.
Kermit Olive, physical education teacher at Lakewood Elementary, said staff at the school has been testing the students rigorously all year long. Everyone was working hard to defend the honor of being the fittest school for the past seven years.
“This would be the eighth year,” Olive said while students were waiting for their events. “We just work them all year long.”
Olive said students work on two different events once a week and Fridays they do an upper-body regimen in PE class that uses 15 or 16 different stations.
Lakewood went on to make it eight in a row. Olive said although being recognized is great, there are other benefits to putting in the time.
“Doing your best is important,” he said. “Winning is nice, but if you just luck into it, it’s not as good as working hard.”
Wright said the Marines and Navy corpsman from the inspector and instructor staff and company E, 4th tank battalion who helped put this year’s competition together enjoy it, and love the feedback from the children even more.
“The overwhelming response from the kids is positive,” he said. “They look forward to it and ask when we’re coming back next year. This shows we’ve hit the mark when kids are excited to participate.”
Lakewood won the primary and intermediate titles. Parkway Elementary was second in the primary division and Rineyville was second at the intermediate level.
C.J. Gregory can be reached at 769-1200, Ext. 227, or at cjgregory@thenewsenterprise.com.
Ellie