PINCONNING, Mich. - The Saginaw Valley State University football program teamed-up with local Pinconning Area Middle School to make for a school day like no other; one which featured the school's physical education and health departments collaborating for a fun-filled event for the students as part of the NFL's "Fuel Up to Play 60" initiative.
The event featured Cardinal student-athletes leading a number of drills for all Pinconning Area Middle School students in which the students learned proper techniques and were given the chance to show-off their athletic abilities, all while staying active throughout the alotted time. There were three waves of students that participated in the event, with roughly 270 students taking part.
"We have participated in these events in the past and always find it to be very rewarding for all parties involved," said SVSU Wide Receivers Coach Dan Fodrocy, who assisted in organizing the event on SVSU's part. "It's important to get our youth involved with physical activity at a young age, and what better way to do that than to use the great sport of football as an avenue?"
"One of our many goals as educators is to provide our students with facts and other useful information that steers them towards making responsible decisions," stated Pinconning Area Health Teacher Brad Keenan. "It's up to the kids to take it from there, and events like these definitely help out in that aspect by showing them how fun physical activity really can be. It was great to have the SVSU football team help out and show its support of this initiative."
Fuel up to Play 60 is a program founded by the National Dairy Council and NFL, in collaboration with USDA, that empowers students to take charge in making small, everyday changes at school. Students can win cool prizes, line an NFL player visit or Super Bowl tickets, for choosing good-for-you foods and getting active for at least 60 minutes every day. The goal is to get kids to make a difference no only in their lives, but also their community.