Lakewood Ranch children ran, skipped and jumped their way through various drills at Fit4Kids in Bob Gardner Park.
By
Brendan Lavell
| 1:00 p.m. April 27, 2021
East County
Neighbors
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Every time Indigo's Scarlett Walsh participates in the Fit4Kids program at Bob Gardner Community Park, she can feel herself getting stronger.Â
Walsh, who is 7, ran, skipped and jumped her way through an hourlong workout April 22 with about 19 other children of all ages.Â
"Your body wants to fall over," Walsh said. "You've got to push yourself and say, 'I want to do more.'"
Esplanade 5-year-old Kayden Whitfield said he can run fast because of Fit4Kids. His favorite part of the program is simply running around in circles.
Lakewood Ranch Community Activities contracted Graham Anderson, the owner of Anchor Fitness and Performance, to run the program.
Lakewood Ranch resident Ella Volpe, 4, flexes after finishing Fit4Kids for the day. "I like feeling strong," Volpe says.
Indigo resident Scarlett Walsh, 7, does a somersault in between drills at Fit4Kids. Walsh enjoyed volunteering to demonstrate different types of push-ups for her peers, such as regular and diamond style.
Central Park resident Connor Biegel, 7, jumps after being energized by a water break. He says his favorite part of Fit4Kids is running all over the park.
Fit4Kids participants do push-up drills before starting sprints. Instructor Graham Anderson's call of "down, up, knee" signaled the kids to get into a sprinter's starting position before his whistle told them to sprint.
Greenbrook resident Ava Clementi, 8, jumps her way through ladder drills. Clementi was one of the fastest runners at Fit4Kids despite participating for the first time. She says she does a lot of running for gymnastics.
Anchor Fitness & Performance owner Graham Anderson blows his whistle to signal the start of sprints.
Greenbrook resident Nora Clementi stumbles her way out of the ladder as Greyhawk Landing resident Hailey Brooks follows behind her. Brooks says "bunny hopping" on the ladder was her favorite part of the day.
Greenbrook resident Nahla Vlasak holds her friend and neighbor, Nora Clementi, in between drills.
Lakewood Ranch resident Mason Dennis runs from one end of the park to the other, as Greyhawk Landing's Marlie Brooks runs to the other side of the field. Instructor Graham Anderson said Dennis has made progress in his running.
Lakewood Ranch residents Lilah Santiago and Aria Volpe do toe taps on the ladder. Volpe says her favorite parts of Fit4Kids are jumping jacks and push-ups.
