By Emily Madden
Walking Clubs are a great opportunity for athletes to be active in addition to training for their sport. These clubs are led by Health & Fitness Coordinators who are Athlete Leaders that complete Special Olympics Pennsylvania’s Healthy Lifestyles training with support from their Mentor. Recently, Andrea Andrews of Columbia/Montour was interviewed with her mentors Deb Andrewes and Laura Davis about her experience. She has been a Health and Fitness Coordinator for over three years and is also a Global Messenger and Athlete Representative. The Columbia/Montour walking club is led by four athlete leaders who take turns leading the warmup and sharing healthy lifestyle tips. Andrea works with her mentors to advertise the walking club through email, word of mouth, and their county Facebook page. Her favorite part about being a Health and Fitness Coordinator is exercising and eating healthy. She shared how she and her walking club members eat fruit and drink water after their weekly walking club to practice healthy habits.
The Columbia/Montour walking club has also provided Andrea with social opportunities and ways to give back to their community. The athletes walk together in pairs or small groups, and each week offers a chance to walk with new people. Recently, the members had made Valentine’s Day and Christmas cards to bring joy to a local nursing home. Andrea enjoys these experiences very much, especially during the winter months when she is not as busy, because their walking club meets year-round.
Andrea’s mentor, Laura, shares how their walking club is individualized and meets every member’s abilities each week. They even work on new skills and coordination such as walking backwards and sideways, and walking while holding stars to practice balance. Laura noted that through participation in the Walking Club and her role as a Health and Fitness Coordinator, Andrea is more accepting of healthier food choices and is more willing to exercise regularly! To register for a walking club in your area, visit the sports sign up tab on the Special Olympics Pennsylvania website—athletes, family members, and Unified partners can all participate. To learn more about walking clubs and the athlete leadership role of a Health and Fitness Coordinator, you can visit the Special Olympics PA website, or reach out to Jordan Schubert, Manager of Athlete Leadership and Young Athletes, at jschubert@specialolympicspa.org.
