RBR Investment in a Healthier Generation

“With therate of youth obesity growing each year, this generation of young people will
be the first to have a shorter life span than their parents,” exclaims Red Bank
Regional (RBR) Athletic Director (AD) Del Dal Pra, “unless, we as a society do
something about it; at RBR we are doing something about it.”

AD Del Pra refers to the RBR latest investment in their students’ health, a new fitness center building
addition, financed by the RBR School Board and furnished with donations
primarily from the RBR BUC Backer Foundation and the Buccaneer Athletic
Foundation. The public/private partnership created a striking facility which is
in constant utilization. During the school day, the physical education classes
use it in conjunction with an overall “Wellness Room” filled with bikes and TRX
equipment (the original, much smaller weight room.) Most recently, the Board
funded the addition of a strength and conditioning coach whose job it is to
lead training for students after school hours.

Jack Provine, RBR physical education teacher and certified strength & conditioning coach, fills that
position at RBR with workouts every day. A schedule is created to provide
“in-season” teams and “out-of-season teams” the opportunity to train. The first
time slot after school is also available to the entire student population. Up
to 60 students could be training with Coach Provine during these training
sessions. At any point there may be 10 to 15 students from the general
population working out along the teams. Coach Provine details the process to
which the students move fluidly and rapidly to
the cue of his whistle or demonstration.

He explains, “We will start with a general warm-up to get the body moving and heart rate up such as jumping jacks. Then we do a more specific warm-up—covering the entire body priming the body to train
(head-to-toe movements). That is followed by agility/movement work including
lineal, lateral and multi-directional drills. We then add plyometric* exercises
such as jumps or medicine ball throws. *[plyometrics are powerful moves that start with an eccentric (muscle
lengthening) action and is immediately followed by a concentric (muscle
shortening) action]. Finally, students move to the strength portion of the
entire session. In all, we do a full-body functional work out.”

AD Dal Pra comments, “Jack is terrific. Among all the
exceptional coaches I have known through the years, the common thread was the
enthusiasm they model and engender in their students. Jack’s got that. He has
the kids really enthusiastic to train and work hard.”

On one particular day in the
winter season, the girls Lacrosse team, which plays in the spring, were training
for their up-coming season. Baseball/Soccer Coach, Nick Tucker, assisted Coach
Provine during the workout.

Coach Tucker, comments, “This new position is great. I always try to get the athletes to work out in the off season, but now we have a coach to do it with them. He is really helping with
our athlete’s endurance and strength. I know it will have a very positive
effect on our athletic teams’ performance and breeds more pride in our
athletics and our school.”

Lacrosse player Amy Lonergan
comments, “This is a great alternative for many of us who used to pay for a
program to get us into shape for our season. Coach Provine is a great coach and
so motivational.”

Some students have used the
room to pursue individual workout programs such as required by their
International Baccalaureate program or in lieu of a neighborhood gym.

AD Del Dal Pra comments, “By
being proactive with a facility and after-school program like this, taught by a
qualified coach, we are striving to make our kids into healthy adults. It is a
grass roots movement that should find expression in other school districts and
towns.