Here is Tessa running in her school sponsored Running Club. This past week our local newspaper ran an article on her school's Running Club and this was one of the pictures that they included with the article. (See below in italics). They meet once a week after-school for about an hour to run. Tessa enjoys it and it is a fun, free, and convenient way for her to stay in shape. She is also a part of 4 other school clubs which are before or after school: Honor Choir, Computer Club, Jr. Beta Club, and in January she gets to start Club Invention. It is a great way for schools to help kids her age to get involved for free and and very convenient for the parents to only provide transportation one way. I am very grateful to all the teachers who dedicate their time and energy to sponsor clubs such as these.
A rapidly growing running program at Rossview Elementary is helping to identify and encourage future track and cross country stars, and more importantly, teach kids the importance of regular exercise.
Under the guidance of Rossview P.E. teacher and former Austin Peay cross country runner Mark McNiel, more than 160 students stayed after school Wednesday to run laps around the gym as Christmas music played over the sound system. That was the start of the hour-long weekly meeting for the Rossview Running Club, which McNiel said had about 100 fewer kids when he started it three years ago.
He ran cross country for the Govs from 1993-1997 and has also coached high school teams at Rossview at Northeast during his 13 years of teaching. After he numbered the kids off into 31 groups to perform various cross-training exercises, he said his new role was an adjustment.
"The competition (aspect) is totally different," he said.
McNiel tries to give additional encouragement to those kids who are doing especially well, and he said some of them even do races such as the 1-mile or 5K runs at Saturday's Jingle Bell Jog. The school is also getting a $40,000 200-meter track next spring with funds raised by the parent teachers organization.
"That'll allow us to do a lot, especially from being outside," said McNiel, who said when the weather allows they generally go out to the high school track and run as far as two miles.
Rossview High cross country coach Wade White said the club is one of the few school-sponsored sports in Clarksville for elementary students, and he shares McNiel's hopes that it will get students off the couch and into the habit of doing some physical activity.
2 comments:
So cool that Tessa was in that picture! I wish there were more free clubs & such around here for the kids. Everything at school has a fee, and don't even get me started on dance fees. It's like having a 3rd car payment! Glad Tessa likes it and is getting good exercise at the same time.
that's awesome! i didn't realize tessa was involved in 4 clubs! the boys really want to do the running club as well, when they finally get to 3rd grade and are allowed. ;)
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