Stressing fun of fitness

Psychologists study, among other concepts, people's needs for affiliation, while business people look to distinguish their enterprises in the crowded marketplace. A unique plan catering to youth sports training needs is what one Merrillville resident is betting on for success.

Sean Willis, a 12-year physical education teacher at Schererville's Forest Ridge Academy, recently rolled out the first classes for his Athletic Revolution franchise location. Even before the fitness buff invested in the business, he wanted to make sure the company's goals measured up to his observations about kids' fitness needs.

For now, Athletic Revolution Schererville shares space in the private school's gymnasium after hours. Before he seeks more space, Willis is building a client base mainly through word-of-mouth. He explains his fitness philosophy to each parent he meets.

"It's all about preparation and movement skill," said Willis, who aims to work with youth ages 6 to 18. "I want to set it up so that the kids know fitness can be fun."

Spring break and the start of baseball practice have taken a bite out of training session attendance. But even with a dozen or so students, the work of identifying individual needs and conducting sessions that resemble multi-sport practices have ensued.

Initial enrollment in the program begins with an analysis of a student's squats and lunges performance. Willis also observes basic coordination and balance skills. Before long, participants are running, throwing and catching, working with Willis on court in reactivity drills.

"It can be fun," said 10-year-old Taylor Lykowski, who said keeping up with a couple older boys was challenging. "They can be faster and you have to catch up with them, and you get better."

Her brother, Jordan Lykowski, 12, said he feels he measures up to his peers, but may gain some advantages through training. He plays baseball and basketball.

"I'll probably get a little edge over some people," Jordan said.

As far as Willis is concerned — and not one parent disagreed — the main competition for a kid's dedication to fitness is not academics or direct human interaction, but electronics that go by the names Xbox, Wii, PlayStation, and iPod. Though many kids and teens find video games and the Internet to be quite interactive, the adults reflected on the somewhat recent phenomenon of neighborhoods and parks being very quiet, even during nice weather.

So "get on your feet" is not just a refrain from a Gloria Estefan song. Parents, such as Ted and Angela Lykowski of Schererville, are ready and willing to spend the extra time and money to provide their kids with structured play time.

"One of the reasons we brought our kids here is so that they wouldn't be playing Xbox all summer," Ted Lykowsk said. "We're looking for activities that are more physical in nature. This is a top-down (decision), but Jordan said he wants to come back. It's up to any parent to get his kid to (instruction) and see if he develops an interest in it."

Will Roach, a 10-year-old student at Timothy Ball Elementary School in Crown Point, is on board for his mom's goal of making things easier for him to stay fit. He takes the idea further.

"I knew (the athletic training) was going to be fun," he said. "It was going to be fun but also a workout. I've been wanting to work out because I've kind of been at my house not doing a lot of things."

Roach, who plays three sports, added: "When I grow up I want to play (pro) football or major league basketball."

Willis, who also has experience as an instructor at Omni 41 Health and Fitness Connection in Schererville, said he disagrees with the way some athletes are prepared for high levels of performance beyond high school. He notes the relatively few athletes who hail from the region and earn Division-I college scholarships and advance to pro careers. But he's willing to operate on the assumption that Athletic Revolution Schererville will be offering supplemental guidance.

"I think mobility and strength need to be (worked on) first," he said. "Mobility has to be there for balance, balance has to be there for strength and strength has to be there for power."

For more details, call 484-5860, e-mail AthleticRevolutionTriTown@gmail.com or visit AthleticRevolutionSchererville.com.

Fun and games: Athletic Revolution Schererville owner Sean Willis (left) guides youth fitness school participants (from left) Taylor Lykowski, Jordan Lykowski, and Will Roach in drills focusing on kinaesthetic differentiation. | Anthony D. Alonzo ~ For the Post-TribuneAnthony D. Alonzo