Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, May 09, 2011

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Cindy Laine, a mother of three and a first-grade teacher, launched Club FITT at Breckinridge Elementary.

First-grade teacher Cindy Laine has put the fun into free time at Breckinridge Elementary with Club FITT.

She had noticed that during recess, a lot of students mainly walked around outside and didn’t seem to know how to initiate a game. So three years ago, she started this after-school group to teach them how to play. As an added benefit, the children burn off energy and enhance their fitness. 

“Back in the day when I was young, we were able to go out to recess and play games like hopscotch, tag, red rover, kickball and jump rope. Back then, I don’t think we even realized it was exercise,” said Laine, a mother of three.

FITT stands for Frequency of exercise, such as three times a week; Intensity, such as sprints vs. light jogging; Time, or how long the activity lasts; and Type, such as strength-building or aerobic.

About 30 students in grades 2-5 are in the Breckinridge club, which meets for an hour on Monday afternoons.

“A lot of the fifth-graders are being buddies so (the younger children) know how to respond and play with older kids,” Laine noted.

Ten-year-old Blake Oakes, who paused during a recent game of t-ball in the gym, said he is learning healthy habits, teamwork and sportsmanship.

Classmate Jayla Hill-Young also raved about the club, saying, “It helps students to be active and try new things.”

Besides dodge ball and other playground favorites, Laine covers popular sports such as basketball, volleyball and soccer so that students will be better prepared to try out for teams in middle school. Her club teaches them the rules of the game and the fundamentals needed to compete. 

“Club FITT definitely gives the students the will to ‘play’ during the unstructured recess time,” Laine said.

She has used mini grants from the Blue Grass Community Foundation  to buy supplies and equipment and to take the kids on field trips to a roller rink and a gymnastics center so they can see the range of fitness opportunities in the community.

“Today, computers, video games and TV have taken the place of physical activities. Most of our kids have become inactive, unhealthy and unmotivated,” she said.

From the beginning, her goals have been to get the children moving 20 to 30 minutes a day and making healthy food choices. Laine also wanted to provide a means for forging friendships.

“Students from the various grade levels are able to bond with each other outside of Club FITT and feel a belonging to the club and to Breckinridge,” she said. “All too often, kids think school is just school. I wanted to be able to give a sense of belonging and something to be involved in.”

With kids invested in Club FITT, about a dozen adults at Breckinridge Elementary are following suit with their own after-school fitness routine.

“The exercise program we have for staff members is great to reduce stress and keep physically and mentally healthy,” said Principal Karen Smith Haskins.

Third-grade teacher Angela Rey-Barreau has led the way as fellow teachers and other colleagues work out twice a week with a local trainer. For two years, he came to the school to lead them through push-ups, squats, lunges and sprints; this spring the Breckinridge staff started going to his nearby gym instead.

“Some are doing the nutritional lessons and the workouts. He’s giving everybody the tools they need,” said Rey-Barreau, who has lost weight and run three half-marathons since getting serious about her health. “We motivate each other to stick to it.”