Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles reiterated the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle to D.C. youth Thursday during a Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington event.
Creating healthy habits at a young age not only keeps kids in good health, but also increases their chances for sustaining the healthy lifestyle into adulthood, Miss Biles said.
The champion gymnast spoke to the group’s members as part of Triple Play Day, an annual nationwide effort of about 400 participating Boys & Girls Clubs to achieve 5 million minutes of activity.
Located in West Potomac Park, the event included obstacle courses, yoga, Jenga and circuit training. About 300 children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington participated.
“I hope to leave the kids with some inspiration at the end just for being more active with a healthy lifestyle,” Miss Biles said. “And hopefully they have more fun and find they can have fun in the sports that they do.”
Miss Biles was one of the most decorated female athletes in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, winning a total of five medals — four of which are gold.
Another Olympian provided opening remarks for the morning of play and activities.
Erika Von Heiland Strader, who represented the U.S. badminton team in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, now works as a director of community marketing for Coca-Cola.
Coca-Cola has invested in the Boys & Girls Clubs of America for 71 years. The Triple Play program is also supported by The Anthem Foundation.”
Providing access and exposure to physical activity is the main goal of the event, according to Jennifer Bateman, vice president of health, wellness and gender for Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
By doing so, she said, the kids build confidence to engage in the same types of games as they grow older.
The event also shows members that the activities they engage in at their club has intention, Ms. Batman added.
To emphasize the importance of overall, holistic wellness, kids participate in a nutrition education program, daily fitness games and team building exercises.
“This is a pathway program for us,” Ms. Bateman said. “It’s really about setting kids on the trajectory for health and wellness for their lives.”
For Oprah Sartong, a rising eighth grader in Carl Sandburg Middle School, the physical activity is the best part of the day. Particularly the running, she said, because she is on the track and field team.
Oprah has belonged to the Boys & Girls Club for six years.
“It’s like a second home to me,” Oprah said. “Because when I’m feeling stressed at my ’home’ home, I always can talk to my friends from here.”
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