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Seventh grader Keishai Moore said the 10-week fitness training and testing program administered by 4-time Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs’ Sports & Beyond came with its ups and downs.

“I did like the athletics,” the 12-year-old said. “I liked the jump roping best but the standing broad jump was a challenge.”

Moore was among the close to 70 Asbury Park Middle School students awarded trophy’s and medals for their participation in the Fitness Challenge.

With a goal of besting scores in the standing broad jump, pushups, sit-ups, and jump roping, the 7^th graders learned Tuesday morning at the Bangs Avenue school who ranked the fittest of the fittest.

Sponsored in part by the Joetta Clark Diggs Foundation, the program focused on nutrition, life skills, obesity, and bullying, Clark Diggs said.

“I grew up in the city of Newark before moving to South Orange after the riots in 1967,” Clark Diggs said. “I still understand the importance of seeing a person that grew in an area like they did and seeing that person aspire to greater heights.”

Diggs, who ran the 800 meter race in the 1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000 games, is a college graduate who went on to become an entrepreneur.

Now entering its 14^th year, the Joetta Clark Diggs Foundation conducts fitness programs for K through 12 grade students in urban, suburban, and rural neighborhoods across the state.

“Everyone is not going to be an Olympian, that’s not what the program is about,” she said. “It is about being the best that you can be – to be the champion of your life.”

Her work with students is based on the concept of planting a seed, she said. She speaks to each participant one-on-one asking them to recall an accomplishment.

“I believe in the kids,” Clark Diggs said. “You are going to have struggles and there are going to be sacrifices that have to be made but you can’t let anyone define who you are. You have to believe in yourself. Many people may say you can’t do something because they put their view points on you. I try to put that seed in their brain that yes we have all different things that are going on but the one thing but the one thing you have to be consistent with is to believe in yourself and never doubt yourself.

“When you do doubt yourself, look at the things that you have accomplished and you rest on those things while you figure out the struggles you are going through,” she said. “As a kid I had doubts, we all have doubts, but my parents fostered a good foundation.”

“I would focus on an accomplishment until I stopped having my pity party as to why I can’t do something,” she said. “I told each student tell me something you did well and then I would tell them tomorrow or the next day when you are having a bad day, think about the good until you get over that.”

The top eight scorers in each challenge were awarded trophies. De’Miko Howard scored highest in the in the standing broad jump and claimed the fittest overall distinction.  Jah’sere Walker topped the jump rope category and tied Christlie Lavarin for top spelling bee honors, while Dariel Vernet and Oscar Vasquez tied in the push up/sit up combo. Mr. Petrocelli’s class took home the Fittest Class accolade.

 

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