Active Southern West Virginia Kids Run Clubs (Active SWV Kids Run Clubs) seeks to help kids to develop an enjoyment and understanding of exercise, while learning healthy habits that extend beyond the program. The participants learn the importance of maintaining an active lifestyle, team building, and techniques for being a healthy runner. Running, specifically, is extremely beneficial for kids because it is one of the most accessible sports. It doesn’t require equipment, aside from running shoes, and there is no specific location needed to practice—kids can run anywhere there is open space.
Not only is running affordable, but it also promotes a healthy heart, healthy lungs, and strong muscles. Through targeting the youth with this fun initiative, we hope to not only improve the immediate health of the participants, but also instill knowledge, awareness, and ability in West Virginia’s youth. We also expect to see accessory benefits in family members of the kids through the kids’ running buddy system, which encourages the kids to engage family members in physical activity. Through our direct impact on the participants, and the indirect impact on their friends and family, we are able to extend our reach to community at large. Active SWV Kids Run Clubs have occurred  at the following locations:
- Ansted Middle School
- Valley Elementary School
- Summersville Elementary School
- Mount Hope Elementary School
- Fairdale Elementary School
- Marsh Fork Elementary School
- Cranberry Prosperity Elementary School
- Panther Creek Elementary School
- WVU Energy Express Beards Fork Site
- Mt. Nebo Elementary
- Collins Middle School
- Mabscott Elementary School
- Maxwell Hill Elementary School
- Birch River Elementary School
- Daniels Elementary School
- New River Elementary School
Having already reached 16 schools, we are eager to recruit even more schools to establish Active SWV Kids Run Clubs. Interested individuals can prepare now for a fall Active SWV Kids Run Club! Now is a great time to reach out to our office; one of our staff members will come meet with you at your school to review the program, training options, and next steps free of charge.
Volunteer coaches do not have to be runners themselves. Active SWV will provide in person informational meetings and educational trainings to all interested individuals. Volunteers will be trained to lead running games, walk/run interval workouts, warm ups and cool downs, as well as teach weekly training tips. Volunteers will also receive a comprehensive run club manual, technical assistance throughout the program, and assistance on the final fun run. Programs are tailored to each school to accommodate duration (6-8 weeks), day(s) of the week, length of training days (30 minutes to 1 hour).
“We were able to get this great new running path around the playground at the school and we needed to utilize it! I wanted to start a running club, but honestly, I didn’t really know where to start. When I heard about Active Southern West Virginia, I was thrilled that they could give us the tools and training to start the club. Active Southern West Virginia provided us with the format for success and we’re having a great time,” says Amanda Richmond, principal at Maxwell Hill Elementary.
“Here at Valley Elementary school, we’re trying to get these kids active because a lot of the times, the only time that kids are active is in school and in PE, so it’s really good that these kids get an extra hour outside of their PE time and outside of their recess time to get active in a way that’s structured,” says Noah Sparks, P.E. teacher at Valley Elementary.
“It was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed connecting with our community and sharing my passion for running with our youth,” says Nikki Swiger, volunteer coach at Panther Creek Elementary.
“When I saw that Active SWV was starting running clubs at local schools, I knew that I wanted to help start one at Mabscott Elementary. I love to run (especially outside) and wanted to share that with the kids. Often kids think that running is boring or too hard or some kind of punishment and I wanted to give them the chance to see that it is FUN,” says Nikki White, volunteer coach at Mabscott Elementary.
