March 11, 2016
Nine13sports came to Brownsburg Middle Schools in January and February of 2016. Their Kids Riding Bikes program brought fun and excitement to our school, and it involved very little effort on our part. Their staff was very independent when it came to checking in, organizing, setting up, and in our case even moving to a second building during the school day. They had their routines down to a science. They were extremely professional but also fun to work with, and they were flexible as needed for schedule and location changes. They were even willing to come out to our community Fitness Night and let our students’ families try riding.
Having Nine13sports in Physical Education classes drew a lot of attention from the rest of the school. Administrators and teachers wanted to check out what was going on, and other students were anxious for their turns. Administrators also showed up to get photos for posting on social media and in electronic newsletters, which brought attention to our schools in general.
This program was different than anything that we have ever done, and it gave our students something new to try. Nine13sports’ Kids Riding Bikes program brought variety to our Physical Education instruction. It was refreshing to see some of our quieter students actively working to turn in their best performances, and also to see so many smiles among our classes. These were some of the quotes from our kids when asked to reflect on their participation:
- I liked the team race because it was fun and competitive.
- It was a great way to get fit and stay healthy.
- I liked the way they encouraged us with high fives and saying, “Good job!”
- My favorite part was riding against my teammates.
- We got to ride bikes, and for me it’s been a long time since I rode one.
- I liked being able to watch the screen and see how we progressed.
- I thought it was good exercise for us, keeping us healthy and heart pumping. I really enjoyed it.
- It was cool that you could ride bikes in the winter.
- I love to ride my bike now.
- The bikes were off the hook!
- My favorite part was racing my friend; it challenged me to work harder.
I highly recommend for any school or organization to work with Nine13sports to bring bikes to kids. It is a lot of fun for the kids, a great fitness activity, and a wonderful way to add variety to any program.
Cassie Brooks
Brownsburg Middle Schools