As the owner and lead trainer of You Need Fitness!, certified Personal Trainer Derek Frazier is used to whipping adults of all sizes into shape, so to speak.
Now, he’s ready to give that same attention to children.
According to a recent WebMd article, national statistics show that more than one in four children examined by pediatricians is either obese or at high risk of becoming obese.
To help combat this problem in our area, Frazier is promoting a Kids Fitness Challenge essay contest, with the grand prize being a three month scholarship to his fitness program for not just one, but five winners.
All they have to do is submit one page (up to 300 words) on why they would like to work with a personal trainer and why they feel they are the best candidate for the scholarship.
"The kids will be getting 12 sessions, about 30 minutes each," said Frazier. "Each kid and their family will come in once a week individually for one-on-one training, and then all five families will come in once a week as a group, so they’re really getting 24 sessions."
Why have the families come in?
"I want the whole family to be involved in their kids program," Frazier said. "This is not just about physical fitness; it is about a lifestyle change…about exercise and good nutrition, and that means you need teamwork."
It won’t be easy for the kids, but good things rarely are.
"They are going to have to follow my instruction and advice exactly like I tell them, or they will be out of the program," Frazier cautioned. "They will have to work at it, but people appreciate something they have to earn and work for more."
By sponsoring these children, Frazier hopes to spawn the kind of lifelong love of healthy living that he himself came to know years back in his 7th grade health class.
"That class was very important to me," he reminisced. "It taught me the importance of eating right, reading food labels, exercise…I held those principles dearly, and from then on, they were a part of my life. Maybe I can inspire some other kids to love those things, too."
The contest deadline is January 27th and is open to all children between the ages of 8-16. Along with your essay, please include the following:
- Name, Age, Height/Weight, Sex
- Health Problems or Musculoskeletal Injuries (if any)
- Goals for Working with a Fitness Trainer
- Contact information (phone number and/or e-mail address)
- Parents Signature
Send essays and above information to derek@youneedfitness.com.
For more information, please call (912) 271-9680. You Need Fitness! Is located at 2558 Hwy. 17 South next to Augie’s Pub. Scheduling by appointment only.