The Wilmington Family YMCA is pleased that you are interested in our Girls on the Run and STRIDE programs. Girls on the Run and Stride are non-profit prevention programs that encourage pre-teen girls and boys to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. The Wilmington Family YMCA administers Girls on the Run and STRIDE of Coastal Carolina and serves the counties Columbus, Brunswick, Pender, Onslow, Duplin, Jones, Sampson, New Hanover, Craven, and Carteret.

These programs are not just about finishing a race. They are about developing a lifetime of healthy habits and healthy living. Every participant learns valuable life lessons that include:

nutrition and fitness goal setting communication skills making a difference working as a team character development

This packet will help you determine if the program is the best fit for your school/site and if you are ready to take on a Girls on the Run or STRIDE team. Acting as a Girls on the Run or STRIDE site is time intensive, but it is extremely rewarding!!!

The Girls on the Run and STRIDE staff are always here to answer any questions. Feel free to contact Amber Rogers or Krystal Warner with any questions you may have during your launching process.

Amber Rogers GOTR/STRIDE Council Director Amber.Rogers@WilmingtonFamilyYMCA.org 910-251-9622 Ext 224

Krystal Warner GOTR/STRIDE Coordinator Krystal.Warner@WilmingtonFamilyYMCA.org 910-251-9622 Ext 266

Girls on the Run is a terrific after-school program designed to reach elementary and

middle school-aged girls (3rd

-8th

grade). Community volunteers, teachers, and parents coach the

girls for ten weeks. GOTR meets right after school, twice a week, for about an hour and a half each

day. GOTR utilizes games and group activities to teach running and impart health concepts. At the

end of the program the girls all run a 5k race together.

GOTR is about educating and preparing girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living! The

curriculum includes topics such as:

Integrity: Being a Girl of Your Word

An Attitude of Gratitude: Taking Time to be Thankful

Finishing Strong

Drugs Hurt Your Chances

Being a Good Sport

Gossiping is a Bad Habit

Learning to Listen

Community Begins with Me

Girls on the Run Curriculum HOW IS THE GIRLS ON THE RUN CURRICULUM STRUCTURED?

Each lesson is divided into activities with specific functions to enhance the learning process.

A lesson begins with a "Getting on Board" activity, which brings the girls' focus to the topic of the

day.

The girls then do a "Warm-Up" activity, which again focuses on the day’s topic, but does so in a

manner which actually serves to warm up their muscles, joints and cardiovascular system.

A "Processing" question and answer time follows the warm-up activity. The girls stretch while

specific questions are asked to bring out the relevance of the "Warm-Up" activity to the topic. The

goal of processing is to help the girls make connections and see how the lessons apply to their

lives. Processing is the most important piece of each lesson. Processing relates the activities to

the "real world" and requires good listening skills.

A "Workout" activity follows where the girls do a variety of running workouts that incorporate a

game or a team goal that keep it fun.

The lesson concludes with the girls answering some

final "Processing" questions related to the

"Workout" Activity while they complete cool-down

stretching.

Each session will “Wrap Up” with the coach

expressing positive comments about individual and

group behaviors. Each session also finishes with

energy awards that recognize positive individual

and group behaviors (awards are invented and

decided upon by the girls).

Lesson plans are clearly laid out with required

materials listed at the beginning. The 20-lesson

curriculum is divided into three sections that explore a girl’s self-awareness, her relationship with

others and her interaction with her community.

The first set of lessons provides the participants with opportunities to:

Gain an understanding of themselves

Learn about their strengths and weaknesses while setting personal goals

Explore the importance of being physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy

Examine their own core values and what makes them unique

The second set provides the participants with opportunities to:

Explore getting along within a group

Learn active listening and confrontation/assertiveness skills

Recognize the importance of "positivism" in dealing with others Examine the components

of good decision-making skills

The last set provides the participants with opportunities to:

Explore their responsibility to the community;

Analyze the cultural and social messages girls receive in the media and other institutions

Examine their own stereotyping and discriminatory behavior

Define community and their collective and individual roles in it

Create and implement a community project

Be empowered to change their environment around them in a positive manner.

There are no comparable programs to Girls on the Run. It is a unique curriculum in the genre of

youth programs. It incorporates physical activity to teach very specific and well-defined social

and personal skills. Research validates that the development of these skills prevents the future

display of at risk behaviors including early onset of sexual activity, disordered eating, depression

and anxiety, substance and alcohol abuse and confrontations with the juvenile justice system.

STRIDE is a fun fitness and running program for boys in the 3rd through 6th grade. Boys

have the chance to share their thoughts and opinions about various topics taught with the goal

for helping develop excellent character.

Success, Teamwork, Respect, Inspiration, Determination = Excellence in Character.

Curriculum

During the 10 weeks, the curriculum covers topics that are designed to help develop excellent

character. The boys are given the opportunity to talk with each other and their coaches about

issues that they face in school, at sports, in the community and at home.

The topics covered are listed below:

Session #1: Who's on the Team

Session #2: Character & Why I Need it?

Session #3: Feeling Good on the Inside

Session #4: Eating Healthy

Session #5: Drugs Stink

Session #6: The Good Friend

Session #7: Getting Along on the Playground

Session #8: It's Okay to be Different

Session #9: Running Rocks

Session #10: Setting Goals.

Session #11: Organization

Session #12: Winning Isn't Everything

Session #13: Working with a Team

Session #14: Conflict Resolution

Session #15: Doing the Distance - 5K

Session #16: Making a Difference - Planning & Internet Safety

Session #17: The Follow Through

Session #18: Making a Difference - In Action

Session #19: STRIDE - Putting it all Together

Session #20: Celebrate

Each lesson starts with the coaches welcoming the boys. Then the boys do a dynamic warm up

that includes a related game or activity. Next they have a short discussion, do a creative running

workout that again relates to the topic, and ends with another discussion and a team cheer. Each

boy is rewarded for excellent character at the end of each session. Throughout the curriculum, the

focus is on doing one's personal best, not competing with each other.

Site Involvement

The Wilmington Family YMCA provides almost everything needed to run Girls on the Run and

STRIDE. The program is ran by volunteers and cost nothing for the school/organization to

administer. The site would need to:

Have approval from school principal or site administration. The school principal or site

director must indicate his/her acknowledgement, awareness, and support of Girls on the

Run and STRIDE being delivered at your site. Site application must be signed by

principal or site administer indicating their support and acknowledgment of the program.

Provide a contact person at the site (the Site Liaison) to coordinate with either the county

coordinator or GOTR/STRIDE Director at the Wilmington Family YMCA. This can be a staff

member, teacher, principal, PTA president, parent, and/or interested member of that

particular community.

Provide a safe place for running. This does not have to be a track. A field is

fine, however, there would be a need to measured distance, e.g. 1 mile, 3k, etc.

Provide a rain site (classroom, gym, etc.)

Market the program to all girls/boys in the appropriate grades. A well-defined

recruitment plan should be outlined and coordinated with the school (back to school

night, newsletter, etc.)

Choose two days a week for meeting one hour to one hour and a half for each lesson

Provide at least two coaches –The Wilmington Family YMCA will train these

coaches. Coaches do not have to be runners! At least one coach needs to be CPR

certified and on-site each time the girls/boys meet. The Wilmington Family YMCA

provides this training also.

Provide at least one volunteer for race day, not including running buddies.

Encourage parents, teachers, and other staff to train for the 5k race.

Group Size

GOTR/STRIDE requires a minimum of 8 girls/boys and limit each

group to a maximum of 15 girls/boys per team. The minimum

is based upon both financial and curriculum

considerations. Because much of our curriculum is related to

team building and group dynamics, having fewer than 8

girls/boys may make it difficult to provide the experience we

want to offer to the girls/boys and more than 15 girls/boys

makes it difficult to establish the group rapport and the depth of

community we are seeking. A single site may have multiple

teams if the site has a large number of interested students;

however, two trained coaches are required for each team.

Coaches Acting as a Girls on the Run and STRIDE coach is time intensive yet an extremely rewarding volunteer opportunity.

All coaches are trained by The Wilmington Family YMCA and are provided with a well-developed, well-researched

curriculum, which has been used successfully by GOTR across the country. Coaches are also provided a box

containing all lesson materials. Again, GOTR/STRIDE requires a minimum of two coaches per team to attend each

practice. These two coaches are required to attend one of the Wilmington Family YMCA GOTR/STRIDE coach

trainings provided at the beginning of each season.

Coaching Roles:

Head Coach/Site Liaison

- Prefer to be connected with the school (i.e. a teacher or parent)

- Link between site, coaches and county coordinator or GOTR/STRIDE Director

- Attend GOTR/STRIDE coach training

- Manage marketing and registration

- Must be female for GOTR (STRIDE can be male or female)

- Manage coaching “staff”

- Prepare and lead lessons

- Commit to two practices a week unless sharing head coach duties

- Attend 5k Celebration at the end of season

- Help recruit running buddies for participants in need or become one

yourself

- Encourage parents, teachers, and other staff to run 5k race

Assistant Coach

- Assist with lesson instruction and planning of program events and celebrations

- Commit to one or two practices a week

- Attend GOTR/STRIDE coach training

- Assistant coach can be male or female for both GOTR and STRIDE

- Attend 5k Celebration at the end of season

- Help recruit running buddies for participants in need or become one yourself

Practice Partners

- Want to be involved but can’t commit to regularly attend practice

- Run with the girls and provide encouragement at practice and on race day Running Buddies

- During the 5k race each girl and boy participating is required to have a running buddy

who is 16 years or older if assigned by parent or 18 years or older if assigned by coach.

GOTR girls must have a female running buddy unless assigned by her parent. - Running buddies may begin running with the girl/boy prior to the race day attending the

GOTR/STRIDE afterschool meetings. - Each running buddy is required to have a background check if assigned by coach, school

or the YMCA (The Wilmington Family YMCA will administer this). Background check is not

required if assigned by the parent.

*At least one coach needs to be CPR certified and on-site each time the girls/boys meet.

Families, teachers and administrators are welcome to attend the lessons and assist the coaches, offer

encouragement, participate in games and run with the girls. Often families help with snack, planning the mock 5k,

the community service project and end of season celebration.

Timing and Length of Season

We currently have two seasons of Girls on the Run and STRIDE each

year:

Fall Season - begins in September, runs for 10 weeks

meeting twice a week and ends in late November or early

December with our GOTR/STRIDE 5K.

Spring Season - begins in Early March, runs for 10 weeks

meeting twice a week and ends in late April or early-May

with our GOTR/STRIDE 5K.

*Go to nckidsrun.org for season dates.

Steps to becoming a site

STEP 1: Identify a site and program: The first step is to identify the site location and program in

which you wish to offer. Girls on the Run and STRIDE can be offered at schools, parks, YMCA’s,

Boys and Girls Clubs, churches or similar venues.

STEP 2: Identify coaches: Two coaches are required for each team of 8 – 15 kids. Many of our

sites have more than one team. Therefore, determine how many coaches you will need to recruit

for your site. Two coaches per team need to attend a GOTR/STRIDE coach training provided at the

beginning of each season.

At least one coach at each site must be CPR certified. Girls on the Run and STRIDE of Coastal

Carolina provides CPR training and certification through the Wilmington Family YMCA at the

GOTR/STRIDE coach training. The fee for CPR training is $20. There is no fee for GOTR/STRIDE

training.

STEP 3: Team building: Your first step in team building is to determine which route of

registration will work best for your area. Your team has a choice of online registration or paper

registration.

Online registration includes only parents and Wilmington Family YMCA involvement, while head

coach oversees team roster online.

Paper registration requires more involvement from the head coach or site liaison, which includes

gathering registration forms, health history forms, payments, supporting documentation for those

applying for financial assistance, and building roster.

Whichever registration process is chosen, the whole team must oblige. No paper registrations will

be accepted from a team that has chosen online registration.

Once you have chosen which registration process fits your site best, you then follow the

steps below:

Steps for online registration teams-

Step 1: Site Application- (Site application needs to be submitted each season (even if you are a

repeating site), once site application is received marketing material will be sent to your

school)

Step 2: Attend Coach Training (Only need to attend training once, mandatory meetings are held

only when large program changes occur)

- Start marketing the program at your approved site with parent handouts from the

YMCA. Update to fit your school/site and county due dates

Step 3: Registration opens online- coach observes roster on sportoften.com

Step 4: Registration closes- Coach looks over final roster from sportoften.com (an excel roster of

your team will be sent the following day)

Step 5: Season starts!!!

Steps for paper registration teams-

Step 1: Site Application- (Site application needs to be submitted each season (even if you are a

repeating site), once site application is received marketing material will be sent to your

school)

Step 2: Attend Coach Training (Only need to attend training once, mandatory meetings are held

only when large program changes occur)

- Start marketing the program at your approved site with parent handouts from the

YMCA. Update to fit your school/site and county due dates

Step 3: Coach collects:

registration/health forms

payments

financial assistance documentation

complete roster

Step 4: Turn all forms and payments to the Wilmington Family YMCA by county season due date.

Step 5: Season starts!!!!

If you feel this rewarding opportunity is a great fit for your site/school please

complete the enclosed site application and return via mail, e-mail, or fax. Feel free

to contact the GOTR/STRIDE staff with any questions.

Send completed application to:

Attn: GOTR/STRIDE

Wilmington Family YMCA

2710 Market Street

Wilmington, NC 28403

Fax: 910-251-2509

Attn: GOTR/STRIDE

Amber Rogers

GOTR/STRIDE Council Director Amber.Rogers@WilmingtonFamilyYMCA.org

910-251-9622 Ext 224

Krystal Warner

GOTR/STRIDE Coordinator Krystal.Warner@WilmingtonFamilyYMCA.org

910-251-9622 Ext 266

Site Application due by January 9th

(Spring) and August 13th

(Fall)

Girls on the Run and STRIDE

of Coastal Carolina Site Application Basic Site Information (write out full school name)

Site:____________________________________________ County:___________________________

Address:________________________________________________ City:_______________________

Sate:______ Zip:____________ Phone:____________________ Fax:___________________________

Percentage of kids at school who receive free or reduced school lunch:__________________________

Team Practice Information

Type of Program (please circle): Girls on the Run (3rd

-5th grade girls)

Girls on Track (6th-8

th grade girls)

STRIDE (3rd

-5th grade boys)

Please choose two days per week and the time the participants will meet per day. The days should not be

consecutive. NOTE: Ideal start times are 10-15 minutes after dismissal time to allow girls and boys time to

change, have a drink of water, etc so that the program can start on time.

Days (i.e., M/W):_______________________________ Time (i.e., 3-4:15 PM):___________________

Season and Year you wish to start:__________________________

Can any girls or boys from the community join this team if you have room? Yes No

If no, list restriction (school attendees, specific membership):__________________________________

Site Involvement

Each site is required to provide:

A Site Liaison/Head Coach. The Site Liaison will be our main contact for communicating with the site.

They will help assure the smooth implementation of the program by communicating about the program

with site staff and securing appropriate training space by getting necessary facility use forms. They will

be the main contact person with GOTR/STRIDE of Coastal Carolina staff and serve as a link between

other coaches, participants and parents.

Name:____________________________________ Title/Role:_______________________

Email:_____________________________________ Phone #:________________________

A safe, dedicated space for running and exercises with restrooms and First Aid Kit available. This is

essential. This does not have to be a track. A field is fine. However, there is a need to measure off part of

the area for occasions when lessons require running a certain distance, e.g. 1 mile, 5k, etc. Briefly

describe the available running area:

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Site Application due by January 9th

(Spring) and August 13th

(Fall)

A rain space- indoor, private, preferably a gym reserved for the program and not in conflict with other

programs, although it can also be a classroom depending on the number of participants. Briefly describe

the available indoor space:

__________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

A plan for successfully recruiting participants and parents to ensure a minimum of 8 and a maximum of

15 per team. (This might include a lunchtime presentation, flyer in school newsletter, after school info

session or a table at open house) Briefly describe your plan:

___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Registration Process: Your team has a choice of online registration or paper registration. Online

registration includes only parents and Wilmington Family YMCA involvement, while head coach

oversees team roster online. Paper registration requires more involvement from the head coach or site

liaison, includes gathering registration form, health history form, payment, supporting documentation for

those applying for financial assistance, and building roster. Which registration process would best suit

your team? Whichever registration process is chosen, the whole team must oblige.

Online Registration

Paper Registration

Approval by School Administration/Site Director

I, ________________________ approve for the Girls on the Run and STRIDE program to be delivered at

_____________________________. I also agree with site involvement criteria listed above.

Name:________________________________ Signature:______________________________

Title:_________________________________ Date:__________________________________

PLEASE NOTE: Program registration is on a first come, first served basis. Coaches will be allowed to register their child

early to ensure they get into the program. Each team must have a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 15. If you expect to have

more than one team please state below.

Number of teams:______________

Head Coach:____________________________ Assistant Coach:___________________________

Form Submitted by:______________________________________ Date:_____________________

Return form to: Amber Rogers, GOTR/STRIDE Council Director

Amber.Rogers@wilmingtonfamilyymca.org Phone: (910) 251-9622 Ext 224 Fax: (910) 251-2509