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How Cedar Springs’ fitness class is helping kids building lifelong healthy habits
PrevNextDemand for Cedar Springs High School’s strength and conditioning class has grown so much that the district invested just over $4 million last year in a new fitness area for the school.
By:Daren Bower
Posted
CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. — Demand for Cedar Springs High School’s strength and conditioning class has grown so much that the district invested just over $4 million last year in a new fitness area for the school
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Cedar Springs fitness class: building lifelong healthy habits
What started as a class offered once a day now runs every hour to meet student demand
The class focuses on more than physical fitness for Derek Ash, who has taught the strength and conditioning program since 2021
Daren Bower
“We have to make this happen for our kids, not only for their physical development, but for their mental health as well, and we’ve just seen it explode,” Ash said
Students say the class is one of the hardest to get into at the school
Daren Bower
“It’s very popular among the athletes, obviously, because it makes us better athletes. But also, it’s even good for non-athletes as well. Like I said, it creates better, healthier lifestyles,” said Autumn Tompkins, a Cedar Springs sophomore
The program attracts both athletes and non-athletes. Sophomore Brodey Chrisman doesn’t play a sport but looks forward to the workouts
Daren Bower
“I think just going to the gym in general is very helpful for a lot of people, and you get exercise in, and it’s fun. So, it’s kind of like a two-in-one,” Chrisman said
For three-sport athlete Alaya Johnson, the class has improved her coordination and body control
Daren Bower
“Last year when I was a freshman, and I had just started strength and conditioning, like you couldn’t really tell that I was like an athlete because I was kind of just all over the place. But after doing strength and conditioning for a year, it helped me a lot with, like, kind of controlling my body,” Johnson said
Daren Bower
Coach Ash believes the program teaches students habits that will benefit them beyond graduation, saying, “They’re going to take this stuff lifelong, not only physically, but it is developing the habits that we establish in here is only going to help you in the long run. You can stay disciplined and put in a body of work to help you be physically and mentally healthy; you’re capable of a lot of things.”
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy
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