Team Fitness for Northeastern Iowa’s Health

Loras College Division of Physical Education and Sport Studies will establish a Learn N Serve Iowa Team Fitness regional training center thanks to a $40,000 grant from the State of Iowa Department of Education. The center, which includes equipment that can be transported to various training sites throughout northeastern Iowa, will serve the community by developing and improving leadership in the area of health-enhancing fitness. The site will provide professional development, camps and related activities for educators, including teachers, staff in city leisure service offices, families, secondary education students, pre-service teachers, staff of early childhood care and assisted living centers, as well as at professional conventions.

Managing the site development and training are Debra Sazama, M.S. and Heather Riley, M.A. (MA ’04), assistant professors of physical education and sport studies. “The program is designed to work collaboratively with our surrounding communities, to get the populations back to fitness basics, including strength training, form and mechanics. We’ll start with elementary students and eventually bring the program to the adult population. We want to break through negative stereotypes of what fitness is all about and get people excited about fitness,” explained Riley.

The grant provides one-year funding to purchase the initial equipment. The center will work closely with other centers in the state and with the Department of Education.