Children participating in the Sports Academy’s Swim Academy won’t just learn how to be safe in the water, they’ll also learn essential strokes to prepare them for competitive swimming. With 40 minute indoor lessons, low student to teacher ratios and an innovative program, Swim Academy director Mark Huntsman said the program is geared toward helping students become lifelong swimmers rather than just a safe children.

The Swim Academy is a licensed Swim America program, which was designed by former Olympic athletes and coaches. Huntsman said the program is unique because each level builds on the previous and combines skills to teach competitive strokes. Huntsman said once students complete the program they are prepared to begin swimming at a competitive level.

40 minute lessons are another unique aspect of lessons at the Swim Academy. The lessons are 10 minutes longer than most swimming lessons, which allows for more instruction.

“We just feel its important to have more time to spend in the water with an instructor,” Huntsman said.

In addition to longer lessons, Huntsman said Swim Academy students are also able to play in the outdoor pool before or after their lessons to increase their exposure to water and have fun.

Although the Sports Academy has an outdoor pool, Huntsman said Swim Academy lessons are held indoors, which allows for year-round swimming lessons and convenience to the students in many ways.

“You don’t have to worry about sunscreen, rain or snow; we’re always going to have swim lessons,” he said.

The Swim Academy has a low teacher to student ratio (about one teacher to five students) and all the instructors are certified in Swim America.

“Our instructors work well with kids and have a true desire to see kids succeed in the sport of swimming,” Huntsman said.

The Swim Academy teaches students of all ages and skill levels, beginning with six month olds in the parent-tot class to the elite swimmer on the Sports Academy’s successful Barracuda team.

Interested in enrolling your child in swimming lesson’s at the Sports Academy? Call 435-753-7500 or for more information visit the Swim Academy page at www.sportsacademy.com.

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Sports Academy personal trainers are using a new tool to mix up cardio workouts; a nylon Heavy Rope. Heavy Rope training is great aerobic exercise; simply swinging the ropes up and down is a great way to get your heart pumping. “The Heavy Rope is a great tool and we’re excited to add it to personal training workouts,” said Ethan Nuttall, personal training director. Want to give the Heavy Rope a try? Talk with the front desk to see if you can beat the record for length of time swinging the Heavy Ropes, or schedule a time to meet with a personal trainer. XXX

NORTH LOGAN, UT- March 1, 2010 – Studies show that worksite health promotion programs improve the health behaviors and conditions of employees, while significantly decreasing medical and absenteeism costs. Studies also show savings from these programs far outweigh the costs, with medical cost savings averaging $3.48 and absenteeism savings averaging $5.82 per dollar invested in a worksite health promotion program (The Health Promotion First Act, by David Anderson, Ph.D.).

 

The Sports Academy, a fitness club in Logan, Utah, first began offering a comprehensive Corporate Wellness Plan in 2006 and currently has more than 100 companies enrolled.

 

Riley Wimberly, V.P. Human Resources from D.L.V. Thiokol/ATK, said his employees have been enrolled in the Sports Academy’s Corporate Wellness program for four years. He said he has seen an increase in employee effectiveness through involvement in the program.

 

“Thiokol Defense and launch vehicles division encourages employee participation in physical fitness activities because we believe that there is a positive correlation between physical health and mental health. A healthy employee will be a more effective employee. Therefore we subsidize employee memberships to selected health clubs,” Wimberly said.

 

Daily exercise contributes to the prevention and lowering of diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol and heart disease. An active lifestyle also helps release tension and stress and minimizes medical costs for illness, prescriptions and sports related injuries.

 

When companies enroll in the Sports Academy’s Corporate Wellness Program, each employee receives a fitness evaluation and orientation, access to nutrition and fitness seminars and monthly tracking and fitness challenges, all facilitated by the Academy’s qualified and professional staff. Employees have full access to the Sports Academies group fitness classes, fitness equipment, pool and spa, basketball, racquetball and tennis courts and other academies for improved health.

 

Employees aren’t the only one’s who benefit from a Corporate Wellness Program. Employers also see the benefits qualifying for health insurance discounts and decreasing the amount paid for employee sick leave because of improved health. Corporate Wellness Plans also exemplify a concerned management, which improves employee loyalty.

 

Wes Archibald, Sports Academy membership manager, said Corporate Wellness Plans benefit both the employee and employer of a participating company. 

 

“Healthy employees equal happy employees,” Archibald said. “By enrolling in a Corporate Wellness Plan, employees will relieve stress through daily exercise and minimize medical costs from improved health and prevention of life-threatening diseases. These factors will result in more productive, creative employees that will improve your company. Wellness plans work.”

 

The Sports Academy & Racquet Club is a family health club whose mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals and contribute to the betterment of the community by helping young people acquire a positive self-esteem through the development and advancement to a competitive level, increasing the physical and emotional well-being of individuals through an improvement of health, offering an opportunity for family recreation and providing a full-fitness facility for the benefit of the community and the improvement of the lives of its people.

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NORTH LOGAN, UT- Feb. 3, 2010- Sixteen High Point Gymnastics cheerleaders returned from Boise, Idaho Saturday, January 30 with big smiles and an even bigger trophy after winning a coveted 3P National Championship. The team not only took first in their level of competition, but also outscored all other teams in the competition regardless of level.

 

Thomas Theobald, High Point Gymnastics director, said he is very pleased the hard work of the team and staff was rewarded at such a prestigious competition.

 

“We are always proud of our teams when they do their best at competitions, but it’s even better when you can win, and a national title is a huge deal,” Theobald said.

 

Such a big deal that the team won a free bid to in Las Vegas in April to defend the title.

 

The winning team consisted of sixteen girls ages 10-17 from around Cache Valley. Most of the girls on the team have been coached in cheerleading at High Point for 2 to 3 years.

 

Stephanie Robnett, the team’s head coach, said the cheerleaders at High Point Gymnastics are excellent athletes and competitors.

 

“Cheerleading encourages enthusiasm and athleticism,” Robnett said. “These girls are incredibly hard working, dedicated and successful athletes.”

 

High Point Gymnastics is founded on principles of teaching the acrobatic sports in a safe, high energy, positive atmosphere.  They offer classes for all age and abilities, ranging from Parent-Tot to our highly competitive nationally recognized teams. All the teachers are highly qualified and High Point boasts six professionally certified USA Gymnastics instructors.  High Point’s goal is to ensure that each child builds positive self esteem through a successful progression of learning while having fun.

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NORTH LOGAN, UT- Feb. 8, 2010- The Sports Academy is pleased to welcome Ginger Godfrey on board as a new esthetician.

Ginger is a master esthetician and graduated from Fran Brown College of Beauty in 2005. She specializes in custom Facials, Chemical Peels, Microdermabrasion, Back Treatments, Waxing and Hot Stone Therapy.

Ginger continues to stay up to date on the latest esthetician techniques by attending trade shows and continuing education classes. She recently returned from Long Beach, California where she attended training in advanced waxing techniques, skin care product knowledge, facial tightening and toning massage techniques.

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NORTH LOGAN, UT- Feb. 8, 2010- The Sports Academy is pleased to welcome Shane Wood on board as a new personal trainer.

Shane grew up in North Logan where he got his first weight set at 12 years old. Shane worked at a gym to pay for college while attending Dixie State College in St. George. Shane then worked as a bouncer/bodyguard at the Shark Club in Las Vegas where he guarded celebrities like Sly Stallone, Evander Holyfield and Clint Eastwood. During that time he also doubled Patrick Swayze in the film “Father Hood” and he later moved to Hollywood to pursue an acting career. Shane worked with a group of retired Marines doing stunts for a variety of films and TV shows and eventually played the lead role in the film “Hired Gun”. Shane enjoyed California but moved back to Utah to be with his family. He enjoys helping others become healthier and looks forward to do doing so at the Sports Academy.

Shane has recieved certification by APEX, NASM and NCSF.

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NORTH LOGAN, UT- Jan. 25, 2010- The Sports Academy is pleased to welcome Suzi Barett on board as a new personal trainer.

 

Suzi has always been very interested in health and fitness and is passionate about sports and living life to the fullest. She is an avid athlete and played soccer, basketball and track in high school and continued on to run track at Idaho State for one year. Suzi graduated from Idaho State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Education and a double emphasis in Community Health and Wellness and Addiction Studies.  She received her Personal Training Certification from the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Suzi worked as an intern at Idaho State in health promotion, personal training and group fitness instruction. She also worked at a rehabilitation facility for adolescents recovering from substance abuse. Suzi has always enjoyed learning about the health field and looks forward to continuing to do so as she works at the Sports Academy.

 

Suzi was married to Braden Barrett in 2008 and had a baby girl named Brylee in November 2009.

 

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