Correction: A previous version of this story was published with quotes from Tonika Ingram, activity council president. However the reporter did not interview Ingram for this story. The corrections have been made. The Daily Helmsman is sorry for the error. The reporter's other work is currently suspended and under review.
This spring, University of Memphis students have the opportunity to compete in tournaments and get healthy with the “Tigers Get Fit” program.
Sponsored by the Student Activity Council, the program’s aim is to motivate U of M students to get active and be healthy.
“We know that working out can be boring so we have made the initiative centered around high intensity tournaments,” said She’Chinah Hampton, the ideas and issues event coordinator for the activity council.
The six-week program will kick off Wednesday, March 16 with a kickball tournament and will continue through mid-April.
The program will also sponsor a dodgeball tournament, a jump rope tournament and a finale, which will be a master fitness class taught by a personal trainer. The dates of these tournaments have not yet been set.
In between the tournaments, Hampton said teams are encouraged to take part in the campus recreational center’s group fitness classes.
These classes range from yoga to belly dancing and are offered Monday through Friday.
There is no charge to participate in the “Tigers Get Fit” program, and all students who wish to participate are encouraged to sign up. Students can register to compete at the Tigerzone on the Students Activity Council page.
A team must have at least 10 students. Registration will close Tuesday, March 15. Participation points are awarded to all teams that compete in events.
Teams also snag points for winning the events.
At the program finale, awards will be given to the teams with the highest number of points. The team with the highest score will be awarded a master prize, which has not been named yet.
“Tigers Get Fit” was created to take a stand against the high obesity rate in Memphis.
According to a ranking compiled by Healthways Inc., Memphis is the most obese “large” city in the nation, having a population above 1 million people, with a nearly 32 percent obesity rate in adults.
