Lincoln Elementary hosts over 1,000 student athletes for fitness competition

Lincoln Avenue Elementary School recently welcomed more than 1,000 athletes from 33 schools across Suffolk County for the annual Suffolk Zone Fit Club. Fourth and fifth graders represented their schools in two team events focused on health and fitness.

Fit Club is hosted annually by the Executive Board of the Suffolk Zone Chapter of the New York State Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (NYSAHPERD) as an opportunity for students and teachers to promote fitness and lifelong wellness. The event is unique because it is created by and run by students trained to serve as referees, scorekeepers, greeters, and coaches.

The two events in the competition challenged students across all five health-related fitness components (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition) and all six skill-related components (agility, balance, coordination, power, reaction time, and speed). The first event, Ninja Speed, had students race through challenges like sit-ups and bear crawling. The second, Overcoming Obstacles, tested their grit with box jumps and weighted carries.

Birchwood Intermediate School from the South Huntington School District took home first place, while host school Lincoln Avenue finished second. Sayville’s other elementary schools also ranked highly: Sunrise Drive earned third, and Cherry Avenue was fifth.

“The great part of Fit Club is that it’s focused solely on fitness, not sport, as our society already offers plenty of opportunities for sport-based competition,” said Beth Bolger, Lincoln Avenue Elementary School physical education teacher and event organizer. “Some students thrive in fitness-based activities, but don’t always get the chance to showcase that strength. That’s exactly what Fit Club aims to provide. Besides just being fun, it challenges students physically and mentally, giving them an opportunity to test their grit and perseverance in low-stakes situations.”