(Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

EMPOWER HER

FitSpirit after-school program kick-starts in Kamloops

Feb 5, 2020 | 5:14 PM

KAMLOOPS — Hundreds of young women in School District 73 had an opportunity today (Feb. 5) to hear, and experience how empowering physical activity can be.

The EmpowerHER event held at the Tournament Capital Centre this afternoon is part one of FitSpirit, a free 16-week after school program designed to help high school aged girls get active.

On the first day of the pilot project, nearly 250 students tried out activities at the TCC to see which ones they might be interested in continuing.

Local paralympian Jessica Vliegenthart spoke to students at the kick off event. Vliegenthart relayed her story of experiencing a spinal cord injury, and struggling with the aftermath before she played on Canada’s paralympic basketball team.

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“Sports, and parasport in particular had a huge impact on my recovery following my spinal cord injury, and it gave me the skills that got me to where I am today.”

In her keynote speech, Vliegenthart touched on how people need to find what works for them, and they sometimes need to change up their environment to shape a fresh perspective. In her case, this meant re-learning basic basketball skills from a wheelchair, and seeking mentorship from other women in the sport.

“I think, not just girls, but teens in general — there’s a real tendency to have a bad experience and then just write it off and quit, and never venture down that path again. And I’m really hoping that today these girls understand that it’s in their power to certain things to make their experience better, and to just keep giving sport and movement a chance.”

After speaking to students today, Vliegenthart says it appears the message got through.

“One girl did actually come up to me just before we got started here, and said ‘Thank you so much, that really resonated, and I’m so happy to hear that it can be different if we change things.'” And I’m so happy that even one girl heard that.”

After SportBC contacted Pacific Sport Interior about bringing in FitSpirit, they contacted the school district to see what could be organized.

Pacific Sport Interior’s Sport Participation Coordinator Katie Klassen says the day was put together with finding something for everybody in mind.

“I think at that age there is a lot of drop-out in sport and physical activity. So we’re just wanting to engage them, find them something that they truly enjoy, and then hopefully they can do it for the rest of their lives.”

A collaboration between Pacific Sport, School District 73, and FitSpirit — Kamloops is the first community in B.C. to have the program brought in. SD 73 After-school Program Coordinator Alex Inglis says there was a lot of support for the venture.

“So we’ll run for 16 weeks, and we’re so grateful that the City of Kamloops, and Kamloops YMCA/YWCA have actually donated some fitness passes. So every girl here is leaving with access to some amazing community facilities.”

After 16 weeks of exploring movement, FitSpirit will host a wrap up event in June for the students to celebrate what they enjoyed from the program.