Healthplex^â Youth Weightlifting Program Named ‘Best of the Best’

Ches Penn, Healthplex^® Create After-School Wellness Program for Children

Healthplex^â Youth Weightlifting Program Named ‘Best of the Best’

The Healthplex^® Sports Club’s Chester Youth Project was recently named the “Best of the Best” among on-site community programs by Club Industry magazine. The magazine’s annual awards recognize membership-based clubs for everything from outstanding overall experience, reception and sales, fitness areas, child care services and community outreach.

“We’re very honored to be recognized by a national trade journal for the outreach work that we do,” says Jim Gallagher, general manager of the Healthplex® Sports Club. “Because we are a hospital-based sports club, part of our mission is to give back to the community. The Chester Youth Project is just one of many community programs that we run each year.”

The Chester Youth Project is a free weightlifting program based at Community Hospital for middle and high school students in the Chester-Upland School District. The program is designed to help students get in shape, prepare for upcoming sports seasons, and if interested, learn how to properly compete in weightlifting competitions. With the assistance of Erin Maitland and Doug Weibel, Healthplex^® Sports Club trainers, the students can take full advantage of the newly renovated area that is filled with the latest cardiovascular and weight-training equipment.

“In addition to the exercise component, students who participate in the program are expected to maintain a C average and must meet school and training attendance requirements,” says Gallagher. “We also require that students attend tutoring, mentoring or career development sessions, help maintain the workout facility and perform community service.”

As a reward and additional incentive for the students involved in the project, there is a monthly trip to the Healthplex^® Sports Club. “This is a great opportunity for the students to take advantage of the full services the club has to offer,” says Gallagher. “The students enjoy playing basketball, using the track and simply interacting with members.”

The Healthplex^® Sports Club presence at Community Hospital and the success of the Chester Youth Project has spawned a second collaboration to help benefit younger students in the Chester Upland School District. “We’re currently working with ChesPenn Health Services to pilot an obesity program for children ages 6-10,” says Gallagher. “The new program incorporates exercise, nutrition counseling and homework help to children who are struggling with their weight.”

For more information about the Chester Youth Project, contact Maitland or Weibel at (610) 328-8874.

The number of overweight children and adolescents in the United States has more than doubled in the past 20 years. Children who are overweight and/or obese are often affected by a range of related health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and increased stress on joints. In addition, 50 percent of overweight children remain overweight as adults, putting them at risk for additional health problems.

     To help address this growing concern, and the problem they saw in a number of their own patients, the physicians and staff at Ches Penn Health Services has teamed up with the Healthplex® Sports Club to develop the Ches Penn After-School Wellness Program at Community Hospital.

     Launched last September by medical director Rekha Yagnik, M.D., and program coordinator Iesha White, who is a social worker with the Crozer Pediatric Residency program, the After-School Program incorporates exercise, nutrition counseling and homework help to children who are struggling with their weight.

     “When developing the program, it was important not to just focus on exercise,” Yagnik says. “We wanted to help the whole child, so with the assistance of Penn State Cooperative Extension, Crozer-Keystone Wellness Center, and the Crozer Pediatric Residency Program, we were able to incorporate nutritional and mentoring components into the program.”

The After-School Program is held Monday through Thursday from 4-6 p.m. in the Mini-Healthplex facility at Community Hospital. With the assistance of Healthplex® Sports Club trainers Erin Maitland and Doug Weible, the children participate in a range of supervised activities and exercises that are designed to enhance their cardiovascular and muscular fitness.

As a way to educate the children on healthy eating habits, portion sizes, dietary guidelines and more, a nutritionist from the Penn State Cooperative Extension visits the group every Tuesday. Ches Penn physicians and Crozer Pediatric residents also visit regularly to discuss other health and wellness issues that affect the children.

The final aspect of the program focuses on the personal development of the youth. Peer leaders from the Wellness Center participate daily and assist the younger students with their homework. These teen mentors also provide guidance in lifestyle choices and act as role models for the students.

“We are very pleased with the results of the program so far,” White says. “Each child is beginning to show subtle improvements, and in some cases entire families are involved and are reaping the rewards of the program.”

There are currently eight children ages 8 to 12 participating in the program. Each child has a customized program and individual goals that are set for this school year. The program will be closed during the summer, but will begin again in September. The Ches Penn After-School Program is currently only available to children who are Ches Penn Health Services patients.

For more information, contact White at iesha.white@crozer.org.