Sports Editor
MARS HILL — In celebration of the Great American Smokeout, Healthy Aroostook offered Smoke Free Kids and Soccer Programming at the Fort Street Elementary School Nov. 19 and 20.
“We are taking a prevention approach this year,” said Erica McCrum, youth advocacy coordinator for Healthy Aroostook. “We have done clinics like this in other school districts around Aroostook County, but it has been a few years since we have done one in Mars Hill.”
The clinics featured Gary Walker of All Pro Sports Center coming to Mars Hill to speak to the students about the effect smoking can have on their health and ability to play sports. Walker is a former resident of Manchester, England, where he played professional soccer and coached at the Manchester City Football Club. Walker holds the highest level of soccer coaching certificates, which allows him to coach at the professional level around the world. He also designed the fitness regime for the England Lacrosse Team for the World Championships.
“Normally, the Great American Smokeout is about getting people to quit smoking,” McCrum said. “We’re trying to take a prevention approach and use sports as an alternative for kids so they don’t start smoking.”
The purpose of Smoke-Free Kids and Soccer is to prevent elementary-aged students from starting to smoke in the first place. The campaign communicates not only the negative effects of tobacco use on athletic performance, but also promotes participation in sports as a positive alternative to tobacco use.
Working with grades pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, students learned soccer skills and were also timed for endurance, including a simulation where the students had to breathe through a straw to simulate the effects smoking has on one’s lungs.
Healthy Aroostook is a Healthy Maine Partnership dedicated to improving the health and well-being of Aroostook County citizens through collaborative community action, education, and prevention.
Staff photos/Joseph Cyr
GARY WALKER of All Pro Sports Center makes a save, left photo, while at right, Kailyn Stitham, front, prepares to kick the soccer ball through an obstacle. In the background is classmate Dayna Collins. The smoking prevention event was held Nov. 19 and 20 at Fort Street Elementary School in Mars Hill.
