Purpose: Research has shown that parents, siblings and friends can serve as role models for physical activity (PA) in children. This pilot assessed the feasibility of a program using collegiate student-athletes as role models to impact weekly PA time.
Methods: Four elementary schools participated in a 6-week pilot program pairing student-athletes from a local university with 3rd grade and 5th grade classrooms. Athletes visited classrooms weekly to lead children in fun physical activities and encourage children to meet weekly activity goals. Children were assigned activity goals each week that increased over the course of the program reaching 60 minutes/day. Each week, children recorded the types and amount of activity completed on an “activity tracker”. The pilot occurred in two phases. Phase 1 included 3rd grade classes from two elementary schools. During this phase, activity trackers were collected each week, PE teachers and classroom teachers completed an evaluation survey, and five months later teachers participated in a follow-up focus group. Phase 2 included 3rd grade classes at one school and 5th grade classes at a second school. During this phase, schools reported only the percentage of children meeting the weekly activity goal and classroom and PE teachers completed the program evaluation survey.
Results/Findings: In Phase 1, children's self-reported PA increased from 32 min/day to 64 min/day over 6 weeks and on average 77% of children met the weekly activity goal. In Phase 2, schools reported that on average 85% of 3rd graders and 79% of 5th graders met the weekly goal. All teachers reported that the time required to participate in the program was reasonable and 77% reported that they would be “very likely” to recommend the program to another teacher. In focus groups, teachers noted the positive impact of the athlete interaction with students and increased parental awareness related to children's PA as memorable aspects of the program. Since the program ended, teachers report that they now allot more time for PA at school and that children appear to have increased the variety of their PA participation.
Conclusions: Student-athlete role models can be used to increase PA in children. This six week program can be reasonably implemented without excessive time and effort. Based on the positive findings, a national dissemination of this program to other university athletics departments will be developed.