Beginning this February, athletes and Unified partners will have a fun new way to compete in different fitness exercises and measure overall performance levels through our new Fitness Competition.
The Fitness Competition can be held virtually/at-home or at in-person practices (if your county is cleared for in-person activities) and it can be offered among individual athletes, traditional teams, or Unified teams.
“Given the times that we are in, everyone can benefit from moving their bodies more and creating healthier lifestyles.” – Brittany Hoegh, Special Olympics Wisconsin’s Director of Training
In the first week of February, participants will be able to test themselves in a variety of exercises and submit pre-season scores. Then, over the course of the ten-week competition period, they’ll be able to practice the exercises and test at mid-season and end-of-season points to measure improvement and compete against one another. The competition ends on April 11.
The introduction of this new competition couldn’t have come at a better time as in-person sports activities are still mostly on hold and as most of us have become less active during the pandemic.
“We are excited to take our fitness programming to the next level in 2021 by offering fitness as a sport competition. Given the times that we are in, everyone can benefit from moving their bodies more and creating healthier lifestyles,” said Brittany Hoegh, Special Olympics Wisconsin’s Director of Training.
“The value of fitness goes well beyond this moment in time.” – Hoegh
There will be three different ability levels in the competition, with each level consisting of four exercises. Each exercise has specific instructions and videos on how to perform the exercise and how to score it. All exercises can be done without equipment and in a small space. Exercises include leg balances, planks, squats and push-ups.
Athletes will be able to participate in the Fitness Competition while also participating in other sports, including the upcoming Basketball Skills season. While this competition is particularly well suited to the present circumstances, it’s something that staff hopes to continue even after the pandemic ends and things get back to normal.
“Providing an opportunity for our athletes and Unified partners to stay active regardless of the state of the world is extremely valuable,” Hoegh said. “Our plan right now is to continue the Fitness Competition even after COVID-19 has passed. The value of fitness goes well beyond this moment in time.”
