FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 5) -- More than 170 pre-kindergarten age children gathered at Pullen Field Friday to participate in the inaugural Pre-K Fitness Challenge, an athletic event that allowed participants to test their abilities in a variety of physical exercise activities.
The gathering was sponsored by Fort Belvoir Child, Youth and School Services and was coordinated by CYSS youth sports and fitness assistant director Julie Libert and her assistant Darlene McMillan. They provided children with an opportunity to demonstrate their individual level of fitness with push ups, sit ups and v-sit stretching, as well as a shuttle run and a long-distance lap around the track.
Libert said that the goal of the event was to determine how physically fit the participants were, as well as to increase awareness of staying active and healthy and to promote the development of regular exercise habits from the earliest ages. She was especially pleased with the large turnout of parents.
"Seeing all the parents come out is fantastic," she said. "I wish we had this kind of turnout for all our sports events. I can't believe how may parents volunteered to help out, too. It takes a lot of people for this many kids. We also had volunteers from the (Fort Belvoir Community) Hospital who don't have kids who came out to help."
Scores of moms and dads spent the day taking photos, tying shoelaces, holding coats and, above all, keeping the cheers of encouragement and congratulations loud and clear for the duration.
"I love this," said Heather Olmo, whose daughter Iliana, 4, had just won a one-lap track race. "It's great to come out and support these kids."
"This is great," said Carolyn Hudson after watching her daughter Elisabeth, 4, participate in the v-sit stretch. "I think there is a lot of parent-participation here and they do a lot for the kids."
The Pre-K Fitness Challenge is yet another major program in Fort Belvoir's continuing effort to develop physical fitness and active lifestyle habits throughout the population on post.
"The Department of the Army has recognized how important physical fitness is," said Jerry Arrington, CYSS Youth Sports and Fitness director. "With team and individual sports, the focus has been placed on being fit. That's what this is all about. I have staff members going out to all the Child, Youth and School Services to make sure that there are sports development programs for three- to five-year-olds. Now the Army has tagged us to research what kinds of activities we could offer to 12-month-olds."
Arrington added that he and Libert hope to make the Pre-K Fitness Challenge a regular event at Fort Belvoir.
"This is the first time we've done a Fitness Challenge for the pre-k children and we're hoping to make it happen every year," he said.
More information about Fort Belvoir's youth sports and fitness programs is available by contacting Arrington at (703) 805-9139, Libert at (703) 805-9138, or the School Age Center at (703) 805-9100.
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