Kids outdoor fitness program in the Ottawa Valley beating the pandemic blues
On a frigid Saturday morning in McNab/Braeside, Ont., Meagan Mask had about a dozen local children come out for her winter boot camp.
Mask, a mother of three boys, saw her family struggling through the pandemic; too much screen time, minimal physical activity, and next to no socialization. She felt the need to do something about it, and started her youth fitness program 'Bring It On'.
"It is basically a safe environment where I can get these kids together and get them moving," Mask tells CTV News Ottawa.
"I started it actually because of mental health. Being isolated away from their friends, it wasn't good for them and I can see that, and I thought what can I do to make it better."
Mask says she is originally trained in kickboxing, and brings her years of experience teaching fitness classes to create a program that at first look appears unconventional. The space is filled with tires attached to ropes. Participants pull them through the snow along trails, around figure eights, and over suspended beams.
There's also battle ropes, medicine balls, parachutes for running, and climbing walls. A homemade ice rink sits at the centre of the space, a treat Mask says she saves for participants after a session of hard work is complete.
"Different things, anything that I can think of that's outside of the box that gets these kids moving," laughs Mask. "A lot of the times they don't even know they're working out. It's just fun for them."
"They shut down hockey just after Christmas, and we thought, 'Oh we've got to keep him active,'" says Rob Saunders, who brought his 9-year-old son out for the second time this winter.
"It's different than what they'd be doing at school," says Saunders, who is happy to have his son in the fresh air and away from a screen. "It's a little bit of old school stuff and using different muscles, doing something they might not be doing in gym class."
"It's good exercise," adds fellow parent Ashley Mitchell, who regularly brings her 6 and 9-year-old sons to the program. "I come with my kids too at times and it's something different to try as a family. You get active, get out, socialize, it's great."
Mask's youth fitness programs began as a summer endeavour and expanded to winter this season.
Drop in sessions cost $25, while a membership - which consists of 10 sessions - costs $200. Sessions run after schools hours Monday to Friday and one weekend day, depending on which day has better weather.
Although it's not the most glamorous option, it's an option that is achievable within COVID guidelines. Mask hopes to continue to build her programs, offering more options as funding becomes available.
"Seeing the confidence in the kids when they are afraid to try something and then they do it and accomplish it," says Mask, "the smiles on their faces, it's all worth it to me."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
Fort Nelson, B.C., wildfire doubles in size as 3,000-plus ordered to evacuate
The wildfire that sparked Friday and caused evacuation orders for more than 3,000 people in Fort Nelson, B.C., and the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has grown to nearly 1,700 hectares in size, according to a Saturday morning update from the BC Wildfire Service.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest kicked off Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Haitians demand the resignation and arrest of the country's police chief after a new gang attack
A growing number of civilians and police officers are demanding the dismissal and arrest of Haiti's police chief as heavily armed gangs launched a new attack in the capital of Port-au-Prince, seizing control of yet another police station early Saturday.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.