Schools introduce the
Kids Athletics programme, a fun new programme to help pupils lose
weight.
All the stalls in the canteen at Lianhua Primary School were
closed. No unhealthy fried char kway teow or fizzy drinks to tempt
the 250 school kids who were gathered there on the Saturday morning
of July 3.
After all, the kids ranging in age from eight to thirteen were
there because they were on the fat side, tending towards obesity.
So teachers very thoughtfully provided them lots of apples and
cartons of mineral water. They came from eight schools in the West
coast: Bukit Timah Primary, Bukit View Primary, Dazhong Primary,
Hong Kah Primary, Keming Primary, Lianhua Primary, Princess
Elizabeth Primary and St Anthony's Primary.
Previously there was only one tedious and boring way to make kids
lose weight: jogging senselessly round the field. But, with the
assistance of the Singapore Athletic Association, schools are now
encouraged to try out a new revolutionary programme called Kids
Athletics. The programme, designed by the International Athletic
Federation, aims to let kids have fun while shedding excess kilos.
The kit, consisting of mainly plastic plates and cones, is not
costly and easily stored. And, judging from the noise, happy faces
and tired bodies coming from the school that Saturday morning, the
boys and girls love it.
Speak with them and all they want to tell you is how much weight
they have lost in the past few months since taking up Kids
Athletics. Nazarah Nasri is 10, 1.45 metres tall but already weighs
50 kg. She feels it's good because she was once a 60-kg girl. "I
don't want to eat fast food anymore,'' she said, before adding,
"maybe once a week only lah."
Farah Diana, also 10, said, "I started training with Kids Athletics
mid last year and I've lost seven kg since then. I walk faster, run
faster, and feel better now. My friends don't tease me anymore.''
She is now 45 kg and raring to shed more kilos. Lee Yong Teck, a
12-year old from Princess Elizabeth Primary went down from 59 to 57
kg in five months. He said, "I was very happy when I lost two kilos
over five months. My friends have noticed the weight loss. With the
encouragement from my Trim and Fit Club (TAF Club) friends and my
family, I hope to lose even more.''
Kids Athletics comprises 14 different activities with interesting
names such as Formula One, Bombs Away and Kanga's Escape.
Basically, it aims to improve the fitness, mobility and dexterity
of kids through various exercises. As Mr James Goh, one of the
co-ordinators of the project from Lianhua Primary, said, "The
emphasis is on them having fun while losing weight at the same
time.''
Two schools, St Anthony's and Bukit Timah, have started the
project, while Saturday's session was aimed at getting more
students interested. All indications are that it will succeed. As
the TAF Club motto reads: "When the going gets tough, the TAF gets
going.'' And have fun at the same time.
Extract from Singapore Sports Council
