VHI and IRFU Fit for Fun Update.

The Fit for Fun’ project, has been enthusiastically embraced by primary schools throughout Dublin and Connacht. Karl Gilligan (fitness trainer) has been managing the project in the Dublin region with Brian Phealan (fitness trainer) carrying out the project on schools in Galway, Athlone and Sligo.

As part of the initial programme 19 schools have been visited in the Dublin area.

The project will extend to other schools before Christmas on a phased basis. Schools wishing to book the project can contact Niamh Nash (01) 6473835.

The project will run initially for 6 weeks in each school visited. Fit-for-Fun trainers will introduce new movement skills and perform a fitness assessment on the first week. The fitness assessment will monitor height, weight, leg and lower back flexibility and vertical jump scores. The teacher(s) will then over the next four weeks carry out the four lesson plans described in the Teacher’s Guide. Fitness trainers will then return to the schools on the sixth week and reassess the pupils and assist the teacher with further progressions.

Pupils and teachers will receive a pack each. The teacher’s pack consists of the Teacher’s Guide which contains the lesson plans as well as some further reading on areas such as skill and fitness assessment.

The pupil’s pack contains; a pull-out movement skill card, which has a detailed list of exercises for the pupil; a poster containing nutritional information on what foods are healthy and why and what foods are not; a letter for parents informing them what Fit for Fun’ is and a sticker, which shows the pupils have begun the project.

The school will receive a large Fit for Fun’ poster, an enlarged nutrition poster and a vertical jump chart which allows the pupils to practice their vertical jump.

Because this is a VHI Healthcare/IRFU initiative, it is cost free for the schools who participate in the project.