Family, fitness and fun all rolled into one at PTA event

WEBUTUCK — The Webutuck PTA found a fun way to energize Webutuck families at the end of a long week by assembling a Family Fitness Night on Friday, Sept. 27.

Kicking off at 6 p.m., Webutuck students and their families came to the Webutuck High School gymnasium dressed to exercise. Greeting families with an encouraging smile, Webutuck PTA members offered healthy snacks outside the gymnasium while Family Fitness Factory Director Maria Tamburino supplied families with information about the gym’s programs and activities geared toward boosting fitness and improving health.

Students were free to engage in a number of fun fitness stations, from the mini classes run by Webutuck Board of Education member Chris Mayville and his wife, Jenn, to the circus class taught by former trapeze artist Annie Rosenberg. 

Running a mini boot camp for students, Jenn Mayville taught participants about functional fitness with exercises like push-ups, moving tires and lifting battle ropes. With the sound of the timer, children went at their own pace and then moved on to the next activity. Meanwhile, Chris Mayville focused on a High Intensity Interval class. Over a continuous series of motions, his participants started out with short bursts of high intense exercises for 30 seconds and then low intensity exercises for another 30 seconds. He also led the children through exercises involving body weights and encouraged them to make their workouts as elaborate as they wanted.

“Right now, I think inactivity is one of the biggest plagues,” Chris said. “This district in particular happens to lead in terms of obesity, so it’s important to keep kids fit.”

Bringing a couple of her own instructors from Family Fitness Factory to the PTA event, Tamburino called her instructors her gym’s biggest assets. She said, “That’s what we’re trying to do is bring the youth back in, bring them off the electronics and have them do something fun.”

On the far left side of the gym, Bill Anstett instructed students on the art of krav maga, an Israeli form of self defense. He  taught children how to move, how to kick, how to strike and how to react in different situations that require self defense.

Based on his own experiences in instructing children, Anstett said the self defense class provides an opportunity for children who’ve never been involved with team sports to try something new.

“It gives them a chance to get a different perspective,” he said. “It helps kids with their self esteem.”

Setting up class near the gym entrance, Rosenberg held a variety of introductory circus classes, including an introduction to juggling, handstands, yoga and stretching. A couple of stations were set up for the adults to use.

“The Webutuck PTA was excited to offer a free family event to our district and community that focused on health and wellness,” said Webutuck PTA President Anna Kall. “The PTA promotes healthy eating and physical education to ensure our students’ overall wellbeing. We would like to thank Family Fitness Factory for generously donating their time and partnering with us this evening.”