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The RecWell Wire

The SRC Can Help Manage Your Stress Levels

Fitness, Student Recreation Center

Stressed out? Feeling down? The answer to these ails can be found in the BGSU Student Recreation Center.

Exercise provides a healthy way to alleviate distress, or “bad stress,” and at the same time, encourages a healthy lifestyle by promoting eustress, or positive stress which helps the body.

“We want eustress in our life as it adds excitement, zest, and thrills,” explained Dr. David Tobar, an associate professor of Sport Management at BGSU. “Exercise can provide eustress through challenging exercises and the thrill of recreational competition.”

The famous saying “too much of something is not a good thing” also pertains to exercise.

“Moderation is key,” said Tobar. “Athletes and exercisers can take it too far by training/exercising too hard and for too long. If their body does not have a chance to recover, it will begin to break down and symptoms/outcomes include overuse injuries, physiological/performance decrements, and mood disturbance.”

Having social support is another way to relieve stress. It’s documented that people feel better when surrounded by friends and family in social situations. Exercise often involves working with a partner or in some instances, a group or team, to provide the social support necessary to lead a healthy life. Tobar recommends to new exercisers to work out with a partner because not only is it fun and helps relieves stress, it assists you in committing to the program.

The Student Recreation Center (SRC) on campus has something that is sure to peak anyone’s interest. The SRC offers weight training, aerobic equipment including treadmills, stationary bikes, and an indoor track, to basketball and racquetball for competitors or those who are looking for a fun way to exercise. In addition, there is an Olympic-sized swimming pool complete with diving platforms, and a rock climbing wall for those interested in outdoor activities. Group activities are also offered to students who want to try something different like Yoga, Tai Chi, and spin classes, among others.

If you’re new to exercising, Tobar recommends finding an activity that you enjoy. It’s best to start gradually, make sure that you’re performing the exercise safely, wear the right apparel, and consult with your physician to make sure the activity is safe for you.

Whatever your preference is, the SRC and the Department of Recreation and Wellness can help alleviate the distress in your life and provide you with the means to achieve a healthy lifestyle.

Kids Camp 2010 – The Best Yet!

Aquatics, Blogroll, Student Recreation Center, Wellness Connection, Youth and Family

Kids Summer Camp 2010 at BGSU is not just another “Day Care” camp. Things are changing in a big way and we want you to be a part of it! This is a look inside at what your campers are really getting out of this experience. BGSU Summer Kids Camp had its start in 2008 and has been a staple program every summer since then. It has always been a good camp alternative to the traditional baby-sitters or day care facilities. But this year it’s going to be different. Micha Seither, Camp Director, talks about turning a camp that was good in its previous years into something great this year!

It takes a lot more than just wanting to make the camp better. Restructuring, planning and bringing in the best people in their fields were some of the steps taken to get this camp up and running. A host of people from various departments have helped in the transformation of this year’s Kids Camp. Changes in the areas of fitness and exercise, health and wellness, snacking choices, preparation and communication and overall marketing of the camp are what this year’s successes are based on.

“We have components in this year’s camp that were not present in the previous years. These are critical areas that we are so glad to be able to implement every other day in camp.” Laurie Westbeld speaks about the newly added fitness and wellness sessions. The session will alternate days and will be done twice a week each. The fitness session will be coordinated and lead by Liz and will last about an hour. Liz will be focusing her efforts on getting the campers to understand fitness and why it is so important to their daily routines. Latisha is a wellness intern at the SRC and she will be conducting the health and wellness sessions. Latisha’s aim is for the campers to practice good health, such as hygiene. Other elements like community safety and bicycle riding will be discussed throughout the eight weeks of camp. It is truly going to be great to have both Liz and Latisha on board for this year’s Kids Camp.

Included in the price (which has been lowered for this year) for camp, each child will receive two snacks a day. It is really simple to order some snacks that are prepackaged and processed and hand them out to the campers. There’s little thought involved and little mess to clean up afterwards. However, with the new focus of camp being a well rounded experience, we wanted to make sure we followed through in this area as well. This year we have revamped the snack menu with fruits, vegetables and healthier alternatives for ice cream. It has been a task to restructure the snack menu because for the most part, budget doesn’t allow for the kids to have fruits and vegetables for every snack, every day. We have done what we can though and are putting the finishing touches on the snack menu next week. Look for the Weekly Newsletter that will get sent home with your campers for the snack list for that week.

The Weekly Newsletters mentioned above are our way of communicating to the parents or guardians about the activities and events that their campers are involved in. Laurie Westbeld spoke about how camp this year is going to be more informative. “We want the parents to know what snacks their kids are eating and what field trip they are going on this week. We want to communicate this information to the parents to show that we have it organized and planned out.” Laurie and countless others have been hard at work to make this camp the best it can be.

So don’t miss all the new and exciting changes to Kid’s Camp! Sign-ups are going on now! For more information about Kid’s Camp visit http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sa/recwell/community/page57234.html or click on the picture below to download the guide and forms. We look forward to seeing you all there!

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Golf Class May Be More Beneficial Than You Think

Golf

Do you need an extra credit next semester, and would rather take part in a fun, healthy activity rather than a traditional lecture class? If so, PEG 2460 Beginning Golf with Kurt Thomas might be right for you.

 

If the word “golf” sounds frightening, don’t be alarmed. The one credit hour course is tailored for those who have never picked up a club before, but at the same time it can also be beneficial for those who are experienced golfers. Thomas teaches techniques from how to grip a club to correctly swinging the club. Rules of the game are outlined in the class as well.

Kurt Thomas, has played golf and has been around the sport his entire life, starting at the age of five. Thomas received a Bachelor of Arts in 1988 and a Masters of Public Administration in 1991 both at BGSU. He is the Director of Golf at the BGSU Forrest Creason Golf Course and has held the position with the Department of Recreation and Wellness since 2006. Before becoming the Director of Golf, Thomas was the Men’s and Women’s Golf Coach and he began his career at BGSU as the Assistant Director of Golf in 1991.

As a player, teacher, and overall fan of the game, Thomas has seen the benefits of playing golf his entire life.

“Golf is a lifetime physical activity,” explained Thomas. “If you learn early, you can play throughout your entire life.”

During the first day of class, Thomas laughingly nailed the point home saying, “you don’t see many 80-year-olds playing basketball, do you?”

The physical benefits from playing golf have been documented. According to a study on the PGA Tour Website, walking a 9-hole course is equal to walking 2.5 miles, on average, in which the golfer burns approximately 721 calories. Swinging a golf club also helps build muscle and aides in flexibility which adds to the physical nature of the sport.

“On top of being a physical activity, golf is also a social activity,” added Thomas.

One of more important aspect of the game is the ability to help you build business relationships. Occasionally, business deals are made during a friendly game of golf. Thomas explains to his students that many individuals learn to play golf because of the networking possibilities having felt disadvantaged when their bosses and colleagues go to play a round of golf and they are left at the office.

If you’re a golf novice and feel anxiety when picking up a golf club, don’t fret. Beginning Golf is the perfect way to learn the game, as well as tweak the aspects of the game you need work on if you’re familiar with the links. So, if one of the many benefits that golf offers sounds interesting, taking Beginning Golf can be a win-win situation.

Here’s to you, RecWell Employees

Student Employee Programming

As the second largest student employer on campus, it is important the Department of Recreation and Wellness shows its students how valuable they really are. As the end of the semester approaches, student employees are faced with large workloads. Trying to balance final projects and work at the same time can be very stressful. RecWell finds this as a perfect opportunity to show students how much their hard work is appreciated.

 

On April 22, 2010 students were invited to attend an end of the year student recognition celebration organized by student supervisors in each facility. A lot of preparation and planning goes into this banquet to ensure every student employee receives the recognition they deserve.

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Student Supervisor Joanna Larkin explained how important recognition is in the workplace. “We really want to make this experience memorable for our student employees,” said Larkin. “I don’t think we would be so lucky to have these hardworking student employees if we didn’t take the time to recognize them.”

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During the banquet each facility hands numerous awards and prizes. Some of the awards consist of ‘Most Enthusiastic’, ‘Best Relief Worker’, and ‘Rookie of the Year’.

 

Outdoor Program Office Manager, Angel McFarland was a Rookie of the Year award winner this year. The award represents the employee that showed the most enthusiasm, excitement, and dedication during their first year of employment with RecWell.

 

“Receiving this award was a huge confidence booster,” said McFarland. “It’s a lot easier to put in the extra effort knowing your work isn’t left unnoticed.”

 

The Department of Recreation and Wellness delivered a special recognition to Web Technology Manager Melissa Rausch as she was awarded 2010 Co-op of the Year. Melissa was first nominated by Supervisor Lona Leck, and then chosen by the University among 25 other nominees.

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“Because I am a student employee who does mainly behind the scenes work, it is a great honor to receive this type of award,” said Rausch. “It feels really good to have your time and dedication recognized and appreciated.”

 

As an intern with the Recreation and Wellness Marketing Department myself, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working here. One thing I have noticed during my internship is how positive the work environment is. Even when student employees aren’t on the clock, they still want to be here. Students are motivated to go above and beyond what is expected because of the positive reinforcement given by the staff. The Department of Recreation and Wellness is much more than individuals putting in time for a paycheck. It is team of eager, enthusiastic, and hardworking individuals striving to make Recreation and Wellness the best it can be.

Racing Towards Awareness

Fitness, Student Wellness Network, Wellness Connection, Youth and Family

According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Crime Victimization Survey, every two minutes someone in the United States is sexually assaulted. Because of these alarming results, the month of April has been designated Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, 82 BGSU students lined up at the starting line for the second annual Sexual Assault Awareness 5K. The event was put on by The Department of Recreation and Wellness to raise money to increase the awareness of sexual assault and educate the community on how to prevent it.

Director of the Wellness Connection Faith Yingling emphasized the importance of sexual assault awareness, “On average, one in four women are the victim of attempted or completed sexual assault by the time they graduate,” she said. “It is crucial that we pool together and do something about this issue.”

All of the proceeds made from this event were given to the Cocoon Shelter. The Cocoon Shelter opened its doors to battered women and children on June 14th, 2005. Since then it has been a safe emergency home to the overwhelming amount of women and children in the area that are in need of help.

The event gave participants the option to run or walk during the 5K. There was no pressure as to who would get across the finish line first, but rather an emphasis that everyone who crossed the finish line contributed to a good cause. A lot of students found this as an opportunity to get a good work out in while making a difference.

“College women are a huge target for sexual assault, and because I fit into that category I thought it was more than necessary to come out and run to increase awareness,” said participant Sarah Nitkiewicz.

The Department of Recreation and Wellness strives on making the Bowling Green community a safe and healthy place to live. “We really appreciate all of those who participated in this year’s 5K, and encourage more students to come out next year,” Yingling said. “We are already looking forward to next year’s race!”

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