How Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama Is Using Exergaming to Reach One of the Hardest Age Groups to Engage
Anyone who works with teenagers knows the challenge.
As Pat Wynn, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama, puts it, teens can be a “tough nut to crack.” Their interests change quickly, traditional programming doesn’t always connect, and competing with phones, gaming, social media, and everything else fighting for their attention isn’t easy.
That’s one of the reasons Exergaming has made such an impact at Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama.
“Exergaming is one of the best investments I have made as an Executive Director for our teens.” — Pat Wynn
Meeting Teens Where They Are
Getting young people physically active doesn’t always mean asking them to put technology away.
Sometimes, technology can be the thing that gets them moving in the first place.
Exergaming combines the gaming and interactive experiences kids already enjoy with physical activity, competition, teamwork, and social interaction. Instead of telling teens to step away from something they enjoy, Clubs can give them a different way to experience it.
They can compete against a friend. Challenge their own score. Ride, react, run, move, and play.
And most importantly, they want to participate.
For an age group that can sometimes be difficult to reach through traditional fitness programming, that matters.
More Than Just Adding Fitness Equipment
One of the things we appreciate most about Pat’s comments is that he doesn’t simply talk about the equipment.
He talks about the investment.
When a Boys & Girls Club invests in a new space, the real question isn’t whether the equipment looks impressive on opening day. It’s whether members will actually use it months and years later.
For teens especially, a successful space needs to give them reasons to keep coming back.
Interactive fitness can provide variety, challenges, games, competition, individual activities, and group experiences within the same environment. That gives staff more options for programming while giving teens more freedom to find the activities that connect with them.
The goal isn’t just to build another workout room.
It’s to create a space teens feel is theirs.
Turning Screen Time Into Active Time
Technology is already a major part of young people’s lives. That isn’t going away.
The opportunity for youth organizations is to find better ways to use it.
Exergaming creates a bridge between the digital experiences teens are naturally drawn to and the physical, social, and emotional benefits Clubs are working to provide every day.
Instead of passive screen time, the screen becomes part of the activity.
Instead of sitting alone, teens can move alongside friends.
Instead of fitness feeling like something they have to do, movement becomes part of the game.
That change in perception can be especially important with teenagers who may not consider themselves athletes or feel comfortable participating in traditional sports and fitness programs.
An Exceptional Partnership
Pat also describes the relationship with Exergame Fitness as an “exceptional relationship.”
That means a lot to our team.
Every Boys & Girls Club is different. The available space, number of members, age groups, programming goals, staffing, and budget can all change what the right Exergaming solution looks like.
Our job isn’t simply to fill a room with equipment.
It’s to work with Clubs to create spaces that fit their members and give staff tools they can realistically use as part of their everyday programming.
Seeing organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama turn those spaces into something their teens genuinely enjoy is ultimately what this is all about.
The Teen Engagement Challenge Is Worth Solving
Teen engagement will probably never be easy.
As Pat says, they are a tough nut to crack.
But that doesn’t mean organizations should stop looking for new ways to reach them.
Sometimes the answer is meeting young people at the intersection of what they already enjoy and what we know they need: movement, connection, challenge, confidence, and opportunities to belong.
For Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama, Exergaming has become one of those tools.
And when the leader of a Club calls it one of the best investments he’s made for his teens, that’s a story worth sharing.
Looking for New Ways to Engage Your Teens?
If your Boys & Girls Club, YMCA, Parks & Recreation program, school, or youth organization is looking for ways to create a more engaging teen fitness space, we’d love to help.
Contact Exergame Fitness to explore interactive fitness ideas for your facility, budget, and programming goals.