Exergaming at the Cherokee Youth Center

 

Bringing Movement, Technology & Culture Together: Exergaming at the Cherokee Youth Center

Introduction

In an era when screen time often means sedentary time, the fusion of digital gaming and physical activity — commonly referred to as exergaming — is rewriting the rules of youth fitness. At the heart of this movement is a powerful example: the Cherokee Youth Center (CYC), located in the territory of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, where traditional values of youth development, wellness and community are meeting cutting-edge interactive fitness technology.

Why Exergaming?

Traditional after-school and summer programs often wrestle with how to get kids moving in meaningful, fun ways. Exergaming answers that challenge by combining:

• real physical effort (jumping, cycling, throwing)
• immediate feedback and game-like motivation
• inclusive appeal (kids who might shy away from competitive sports can engage)
  This aligns neatly with CYC’s stated goals of health & wellness, sports & recreation, and positive leisure time. (Cherokee Youth Center)

The CYC Implementation

At CYC (in partnership with the local Boys & Girls Club of Cherokee), a suite of interactive fitness technologies has been deployed, including:

• The iWall: a large interactive projection wall/system where youth engage in motion-driven games, challenges and group activities.
• The tWall: a tactile interactive wall system (touch/impact based) that promotes coordination, speed and fun group competition.
• ExerBikes: stationary bikes with interactive elements (virtual tracks, resistance challenges, team-ride simulations) to make cardio engaging and social.
• HeavyBall: medicine-ball/throw-and-react type equipment integrated with digital tracking, used for strength, coordination and explosive movement drills.

Together, these tools transform what might be a standard “fitness hour” into something that’s deeply engaging, game-forward, and culturally resonant.

Impact on Youth & Program Goals

The benefits are multi-fold:

• Increased physical activity: Youth are moving more, with measurable cardio, coordination and strength gains.
• Better engagement: The gaming interface appeals to today’s youth, leading to longer sessions, higher participation, and positive peer dynamics.
• Improved wellness outcomes: Activity supports wellness goals (alignment with CYC’s “Health & Wellness” domain) and reduces stress, contributes to positive leisure time use.
• Inclusive access: Whether a youth is athletic or not, exergaming creates entry points for movement that don’t feel like “traditional PE.”
• Culture and community fit: By integrating into after-school/summer programs offered by CYC and the Boys & Girls Club, the offerings respect local structure, community expectations and tribal youth development goals.

Why This Matters for Other Tribal Organizations in Oklahoma

For tribal communities across Oklahoma, the opportunity is clear:

• Aligns with CCDF/Child Care funding streams: Many tribal child-care and youth-development programs qualify for support via the U.S. Office of Child Care’s Tribal CCDF Directory. Interactive fitness equipment like iWall/tWall and bikes/heavyball can be positioned under wellness, enrichment or active programming.
• Supports holistic youth development: Tribal youth programs often emphasize mind, body and spirit — exergaming supports all three by combining physical activity, cognitive engagement (game challenges) and social interaction.
• Builds future readiness: The technology stacks and program design help youth develop coordination, teamwork, motivation and digital fluency (plus fitness), contributing to future leadership, school readiness and lifelong health.
• Scalable and adaptable: The equipment and programming used at CYC provide a template. Tribal programs can adapt based on space, budget, age groups and objectives — the equipment is modular and flexible.
• Funding and sustainability-ready: Because the case at CYC demonstrates actual deployment and engagement, it offers a credible story for grant applications, stakeholder presentations and tribal leadership buy-in.

Next Steps / How You Can Get Started

If your organization is considering this approach:

1. Visit the site: Arrange a virtual or in-person visit to see how CYC is using the equipment, how youth interact and how staff integrate it into daily programming.
2. Assess your space: Evaluate room dimensions, group size, staff capacity and youth age ranges to determine which equipment (iWall, tWall, ExerBikes, HeavyBall) is the best fit.
3. Align with youth goals: Ensure the initiative ties to your organizational priorities (youth wellness, after-school programs, summer enrichment, childcare settings).
4. Budget & funding: Explore funding options (tribal child care funding, wellness grants, educational enrichment budgets) and consider phased deployment (start small and scale).
5. Measure impact: Define metrics (participation rates, minutes of activity, youth feedback, fitness pre/post, academic tie-ins) to build a story of success for stakeholders.
6. Share the story: Use the blog, video and case study materials (like the one we’ll provide) to inform tribal leadership, program directors and funders.

The Cherokee Youth Center’s adoption of exergaming technologies provides a compelling example of how tribal youth-development programs can combine culture, wellness and technology to create high-impact, engaging fitness experiences. By leveraging tools like the iWall, tWall, ExerBikes and HeavyBall, CYC is helping youth move, grow and thrive — while offering a blueprint for other tribal organizations in Oklahoma to follow.

We look forward to partnering with you to bring this exciting model to your community — helping youth become active, confident, and ready for whatever comes next.