This summer, we tried something new at the gym.
Instead of launching the usual speed, agility, and “get better at sports” program for boys, we created a class with a different mission:
- Build confidence.
- Offer positive role models.
- Teach the skill of doing hard things.
Because not every kid plays competitive sports, and they need a place to go.
And not every kid is going to hear a lesson just because mom or dad said it, but give that same message to them through a coach they respect? That message lands differently.
We designed this program for the kids who need something outside of competitive sports.
Who need a space where it’s okay to be awkward.
Where it’s okay to not know things.
Where they can learn that just because something is hard now… doesn’t mean it will always be hard.
Through movement and exercise, they’re learning what it feels like to struggle through something, and then watch it get easier.
This Program Was Built on 15 Years of Observations
Although this is our first kids’ program, I’ve been working with adults for over 15 years. And when you do that for long enough, you start to notice patterns, especially in men.
Men are:
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Less likely to ask for help.
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Less likely to seek out support.
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Less likely to talk to their friends about the things they’re struggling with.
We’ve met guys who’ve been friends for 14 years… and in a single consult, I’ll learn more about their fears, stress, and struggles than their best friends ever have.
And the running joke at the gym is:
“It takes 2 to 6 years to get the husband in.”
We don’t want these boys to wait that long. We don’t want them growing up, consciously or subconsciously, believing that asking for help means they’ve failed. So we’re starting now.
Even if this class just plants a seed, and they don’t return for years, they’ll know that this kind of support exists. And one day, when they need it most, it might not feel so scary to walk back through that gym door.
It All Came Full Circle Today
Today, I was at the gym while one of these boys’ classes was in session. I sat in the corner and eavesdropped, listening to them laugh, move their bodies, and be coached with compassion and curiosity.
And at the end of class, one of the boys yelled:
“I better go chug my protein!”
😭 It brought me to tears.
That one moment might not seem like a big deal, but it is!
I work with people in pain, people who’ve lost their independence or never learned how to take care of their bodies. To hear a kid (just a kid!) proudly say that protein helps him build muscle… it brought me immense joy and hope.
Even if nothing changes right away, and they go back to their old habits, at least that seed was planted.
And we know from experience -> Sometimes those seeds come back when they’re needed most.
Are you interested in our program?
Text “KID PROGRAM” to 859-251-2707 and you’ll get added to the list. We’ll let you know when our next one launches!
