COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS FOR LIFELONG RECREATION

Matthew Cummiskey, Ph.D.

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, CT

Materials available via website

WHY THIS PRESENTATION

Focus – Program that requires PE students to be physically in their community (CCLR)

Connecting students to physical activity resources

Personal interest Urban, disadvantaged population

Decreased structured physical activity associated with schools when students graduate

WHY THIS PRESENTATIONNASPE standard three is the most important and results when the other five are done well. Perhaps it should be # 1 (Cleland)

HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO ADULTS NEED?

HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO ADULTS NEED?

HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO ADULTS NEED?

BRAINSTORMING

Design your own program or series of interventions that requires students to be physically active in their community. Your program must include the following: Description (requirements, locations, time, etc) Verification Assessment

This information will supplement the program described later.

SELLING THE PROGRAM

Explain to students WHY the program exists and why it’s important students become and stay physically active in their community Improves buy-in

Link the program to the NASPE standards Discuss the benefits of physically activity

Poster in the gym

PROGRAM BASICS

Senior year (may be junior year for some) 2 hours per week at an APPROVED location

4 weeks (~September) 4 more weeks (~May) No more than one hour per day, even if students did

more than one hour (regular PA) Cannot go to the same facility in the fall as in the

spring Complete a physical activity journal for each

week that is turned in on Monday of the following week

½ page to 1 page reflection

PROGRAM BASICS - STEPS

1. Students develop a community physical activity plan turned in prior to starting

Must include 5 goals – 2 must be linked to fitnessgram data Action plan – what they plan to do based on the

options

2. Execute community PA plan Complete verification form and physical activity

log

APPROVED PARTNERS Volunteerism: litter

clean-ups, hunger/breast cancer walk, habitat for humanity

Walking programs Fitness centers/gyms Boys and Girls Clubs

Recreation League YMCA Park and Recreation

Department Dance studio (not for

lessons) Community gardens Safe route to school

sponsor

Climbing/challenge facilities

Jump rope for heart (at school)

Family physical activity night (at school)

Community recreation center

Churches (must be signed by reverend)

Aquatics center Youth coaching Create your own

Later dropped

PARTNER CONSIDERATIONS

Cost Zero – no expectation was made of students

having to spend money Several partners agreed to allow students X

number of free visits. Most were receptive because they though of the students as future clients

Proximity to school and/or community where students live

Facilities are safe, well-maintained, and supervised

Accessible for students with disabilities

NOT APPROVED

Substitutions Walking to school, athletics, recess (younger

grades), after-school intramurals and/or fitness center

The whole idea was to diversify student exposure to applications in the community

Just having their parents sign the form stating they mowed the yard :)

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY LOG

Decidedly low-tech because students did not have wide access to the internet outside of school Log sheet

Online solutions www.presidentschallenge.org/activity_log

SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDENTS

Pick an activity you like and one that fits into your schedule

Find the time that works best for you Be active with friends and family. Having a

support network can help Have a buddy

Every little bit adds up 15 minutes is not nothing!

Don’t procrastinate until later in the week – things happen

SAFETY TIPS

If you haven’t been active in a while, start slowly and build up

Choose activities that are appropriate for your fitness level

Use the right safety gear and sports equipment

Choose a safe place to do your activity See a health care provider if you have a

health problem

VERIFYING THE EXPERIENCE In facilities where participants signed in (fitness

center, rec center, pool) at a monitored location, students were required to sign a separate sheet. I either picked up the sheet or it was mailed to school after the four weeks

If one individual consistently ran a program, they recorded student names and communicated them to me “Cutsy” for rec volleyball, Wiggins for wanderlust,

and Lashanda for neighborhood clean up If neither option above was possible, students

completed a verification form Later on did not allow this

ASSESSMENT

30% of quarterly grade Completion of the two required hours = four

points for each of four week (16 points) 1 ½ - 2 hours = 2 points (originally 3) 1 – 1 ½ hours = 1 point (originally 2) < 1 = 0 points

Completion of community PA action plan, log, and reflection 4 points each (12 points)

Write up of the experience in ½ to 1 full page Originally used but later dropped Instead moved to whole-class discussions with

students

LIMITATIONS

Did not measure the intensity of physical activity (MVPA v. low v. high) or differentiate between muscular strength/endurance activities and cardiovascular ones Outside the goals of the program

Unfortunate but can’t count walks to grocery store or ball games at the playground Why it’s important to be clear UP FRONT to

prevent confusion down the road

PROBLEMS

Add more sites Students lying about their activity

No longer allowed students to “create their own” PA Big stick – zero on assignment (30%) of quarterly

grade Students signing in and leaving

Sign in forms were modified to include sign in and sign out times

Confusion about what experiences met requirement If it’s not on the list, no luck

Some students simply refused to do it

OTHER APPROACHES

Take students to community applications as part of PE class. Trips to a driving range, bowling alley, or other site Include this in their required two hours

Homework: Students locate every physical activity resource within a 5-minute walk of their home

South Carolina – Requires each student to participate in some type of physical activity in the community

Bring representatives of local community PA resources in to present their organization Lessens student discomfort with new situations Physical activity fair (like a health fair but with different

vendors)

OTHER APPROACHES Family fitness night – your attendance will go way up if

it counts towards the requirement Advocate for schools being constructed near parks

and recreation facilities. Partnership between schools and park/recreation department Duplication of facilities not used at the same time

Possibly not the case for some middle and high schools Sharing facilities connects students with adult

physical activity options early on instead of waiting until senior year

Create bulletin boards with all of the physical activity options in the community

SUGGESTIONS Collaborate with colleagues

Everyone should be on board Start small

Have a pilot class try out the experience (avoid my mistake!)

Plan, plan, plan Think about all the details Prepare the paperwork Anticipate loop holes and problems

Check in periodically with students to see how things are going

Create a contract students sign prior to implementing* Talk to any facility about liability first

Typically fell under visitor’s policy

IN CONCLUSION

Absolutely a worthwhile venture You are making the link between PE and lifetime

physical activity (our primary purpose) Several students reported enjoying the

requirement Benefits everyone and is not a rich get richer

scenario Students apply learning from physical

education class (see the connection/importance)

Once set up, the program is fairly easy to keep rolling

RESOURCES

Task Force on Community Preventive Services CDC

Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults Department of Health & Human Services

Physical Activity Evaluation Handbook Department of Health & Human Services

Website Http://thenewPE.com (click on “conferences”

link)