By AMBLE SMOKER
ONE FEATHER STAFF
The Cherokee Youth Center, in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club of America and Major League Baseball, attempted to break the Guinness Book of World Records for “The most people exercising to the same fitness video within a 24-hour period in multiple locations” record on Friday, March 28. Eighty-seven kids from the Cherokee Youth Center participated in the fifteen minute exercise lead by the Cherokee Youth Center education supervisor Candy Crowe.
Kids at the the Cherokee Youth Center, in conjunction with the Boys and Girls Club of America and Major League Baseball, attempted to break the Guinness Book of World Records for “The most people exercising to the same fitness video within a 24-hour period in multiple locations” record on Friday, March 28. (AMBLE SMOKER/One Feather)
“I think it’s so cool to have these kids break this world record with these people. How many kids get to break a world record in their life time? We have eighty seven kids that will have a part in trying to break a world record” exclaimed Crowe.
Matthew Hollifield, CYC manager, elaborated, “The big meaning is just to get kids active and show them that it can be fun. Major League Baseball is a big supporter of Boys and Girls Club, so they help us out with that through sponsorship. They made this video to do along with them. The idea is to just promote exercise, promote healthy lifestyles and get kids moving.”
In order to officially break the record, the kids had to exercise for fifteen minutes straight without taking a break. The exercises consisted of nine innings, where each inning the kids were taught a different baseball or softball skill with each becoming more difficult as they progressed. To prepare for their shot at the world record attempt, members of the Cherokee Youth Center trained for a week to get the kids ready. They made two attempts at the record with the first being at 12:30 pm and the second at 4pm on Friday.
It will take approximately a year for the Guinness Book of World Records to review the tapes from other Boys and Girls Clubs who participated in the event before there will be an announcement of whether the record is officially broken or not. Until that time, the Cherokee Youth Center plans to incorporate a daily fifteen minute exercise routine going forward to get kids moving.
The MLB’s Wanna Play? initiative is a fitness program between the MLB and Boys & Girls Clubs of America where co-ed youth, ages 6-12 can improve their health and fitness while learning the fundamental skills of baseball through fun and enriching activities.
