Can youth programming bring more members to your club? It did at Newtown Athletic & Aquatic Club, after it instituted its NAC Girls Club. The club successfully challenges teenage girls to enjoy fitness and start living a healthy lifestyle early in life. Since most exercise equipment is designed for the average adult, young people aren’t physically prepared for the adult health club. Special programming is rarely geared toward adolescents, and teenagers are too old for childcare and too young for adult strength training. But with the right music, guest lecturers and instructors, youth program director Andrea Biernbaum maintains that the girls are comfortable, enthusiastic and gradually preparing for the transition to adult health clubs. With this transition brings new members, and the girls encourage family members to join.
The NAC Girls Club, for girls ages 11 to 14, meets twice a week for eight weeks. Two aerobics classes and a 30-minute lecture are part of the weekly agenda. A “typical” aerobics class is held the first session, and a different type of group exercise class, such as Spinning, yoga, aqua aerobics, boxing basics or hip-hop, is featured the second class. Lecturers include nutritionists, physical therapists, professional athletes and personal trainers who speak on topics such as eating disorders and nutrition. “When planning new programs, we always keep in mind the population and the current trends for children so that our classes remain fresh and inspiring,” Biernbaum says.
Nutritionists, lecturers and trainers at the club also help with motivation. They serve as role models who can generate interest in maintaining a lifelong dedication to personal fitness.
Parents are not required to be club members in order for the girls to join the program. As a result, memberships (and profits) increase after the program, since families want to workout together.