Thanks to some truly dedicated volunteers, Active SWV’s Kids Run Club program has been going strong since 2015. This fall season, many new teachers and parents have stepped up to become Kids Run Club coaches at their schools! Shout-out to Shawna Hale, Lisa Hatcher, and Dani Calloway at Ghent Elementary, Brandi Brown at Zela Elementary, Aimee Hrabosky and Tracie Kinley at Mount Hope Christian Academy, Dustin Wood at Panther Creek Elementary, Candice Helms and Anyssa Blaylock at Hinton Area Elementary, Alyce Almond at Daniels Elementary, and Stacy Stump at Cranberry Prosperity Elementary for continuing the program at your schools!
We wanted to know more about our new volunteer coaches, so we asked a few of them some questions about themselves, their interests, and what motivated them to volunteer with the Kids Run Club program at their school.
Who are the new Kids Run Club coaches?
“I love that running doesn’t require special athletic ability… not everyone can be the “star player”, but everyone can try their hardest at walking/running and consistently getting better!” – Alyce Almond, parent and Kids Run Club coach
Active SWV’s new coaches are a group of parents and teachers who volunteer their time instructing kids how to be active and have fun with it! They’re joining a community of over 80 other parent, teacher, and community volunteers, some of whom started with the program in 2015. We found out they like Butter Pecan, Moose Tracks, Chubby Hubby, Cappuccino Crunch, and Coffee ice cream, fall is a favorite season, and South Carolina and Florida beaches are favorite vacation destinations.. But more importantly, the new Kids Run Club coaches all share an interest in getting the kids in their community active and healthy!
What inspired them to get involved?
Teacher and parent coach Stacy Stump got involved with Kids Run Club Coaching because her kids wanted to do the program, so she stepped up to take it on at her school. ‘I love that [Kids Run Club] is a noncompetitive way to get kids active’, Stacy says. ‘I also really like that it involves kids who might not be involved with athletics or sports otherwise. Traditional sports are expensive‘, she adds, ‘consequently a huge swath of our population can’t participate.‘
Parent and coach Alyce Almond thought it was important that the Kids Run Club was offered at the school for free to all kids. This setup ‘allows children to do something after school by being active with their peers’, she says. ‘Kids Run Club does not require any fancy equipment, uniforms, or shoes. I like that all children have an opportunity to participate without being based on an economic factor. I also love that running doesn’t require special athletic ability… not everyone can be the “star player”, but everyone can try their hardest at walking/running and consistently getting better!‘ Alyce also got involved with coaching because she had kids in school who would participate, and because she wanted to be active in the school community. ‘I wanted to get involved with my children’s school in a way that could match my level of commitment and energy!‘, she says.
PE Teacher, parent, and Run Club coach at Fairdale Staci Stover stepped up to take over the program last year when the parent volunteer wasn’t able to continue leading the club. She’s happy to have the extra time she gets at Kids Run Club to help students be active and improve their emotional and physical health. ‘Not all students are able to participate in sports, mainly due to costs’, Staci says. ‘Run Club is completely free, and our students LOVE and enjoy being a part of everything that Active SWV provides.’
Mount Hope Christian Academy PE Teacher Aimee Hrabosky helped with the Kids Run Club in past seasons, but this year she became head coach when the previous teacher volunteer left the school. She reached out to Active SWV to let us know that she wanted to take the lead and keep the Kids Run Club going. ‘I love getting kids of all ages interested in activities, like running, that they can do for the rest of their life. I also like the community it creates for the kids’ , Aimee says. She feels that free after school activities, like the Kids Run Club program ‘gives kids the opportunity to try out activities that they may not have a chance to try any other time. It also gives kids a venue to be active [with] a community of people that will encourage the kids to be healthy when they may not be receiving that at home. It also helps parents have a way to learn how to help their kids be healthy, and gives them a chance to do something active with their child.’ What’s Aimee’s favorite part about being a Kids Run Club coach? ‘I love hearing the kids cheer each other on during games or when we do relays!’ , she says.
Thank you to all Kids Run Club Volunteers!
Thank you to ALL Kids Run Club volunteer coaches, past and present, for giving thousands of kids the opportunity to safely run, play, and build their confidence in physical activity!
If you are interested in volunteering with an existing Kids Run Club, or would like to start a new one with your school or community group, contact [email protected] to begin.
Want to support the program in other ways? Sign up for the annual Active SWV Bridge Day 5k RUN to benefit the Kids Run Club program!
