Kids get boot camp challenge

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Darlene Seltmann
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Luke Air Force Base children enjoyed various challenges Monday during the Boot Camp Challenge at the 56th Force Support Squadron Youth Center.

The Boot Camp Challenge is a series of activities that encourage physical activity through a variety of enjoyable and competitive exercises. They are conducted over a six-to-eight week period with one session per week. Age-appropriate exercises are conducted during each challenge and children work on improving their overall endurance and skills. Each activity is tracked and all children are recognized at the end for their participation.

"There will be a lot of fun physical activities that the kids will be introduced to during the challenges," said Brenda Holmes, 56th Force Support Squadron youth programs sports director. "The whole idea is for the youth to be active and have fun doing it."

The activities include jump rope, basketball, relay runs, tug-of-war, hula hoops, partner hops, bear crawls, squat thrusts and aerobic dancing.

"Sports, fitness and recreation programs are designed to get members active through daily challenges, games and tournaments to strengthen their bodies," Holmes said. "The Boot Camp Challenge will also incorporate healthy habits which provide a wide-range approach to addressing nutrition education and healthy living."

In recent years there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of hours youth spend engaged in physical activities and many are making poor food choices, she said. This is why we need to focus on our youth and really encourage them to be active.

"We want to encourage our youth to stay active and, give them the tools and knowledge they need to stay physically fit, make healthier food choices, and be aware of their overall health as they grow into adulthood," Holmes said.

The Kids Boot Camp Challenge is for youth, ages 6 through 18, and is 3:30 p.m. each Monday until March 31 at the youth center.

To become a registered youth programs member, children must be dependents of active-duty members, nonappropriated fund employees, Defense Department civilians or retired members. The membership fee is $20 and is good for one year. For more information, call the youth center at 623-856-7470.