.
Search
Email this articleE-mail this story  Discuss this articleWrite letter to editor  Discuss this articleOrder a classified ad

Lead to success

Promoting healthy living

Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Cambridge Bay (Oct 06/03) - Ted Schabell, Cambridge Bay's new recreation coordinator, is spearheading a pilot project in the Kitikmeot aimed at improving healthy lifestyles.

He hopes the pilot project will create a template not only for the region but also for the territory to help promote nutrition, healthy living and healthy self-images.

What is unique about the program is it is using sport as a medium to attract a wide cross-section of people in the communities.

"I could say it's a diabetes workshop, but I'd probably only get three kids. I am using sport to get youth in the door," said Schabell.

The approach isn't necessarily misleading. The applications of proper nutrition, diabetes education and healthy self-image have a strong relation to athletics.

Schabell, who is a past Canada Games coach said his training always includes the use of a sports psychologist as an education tool.

Unfortunately, that resource is not readily available in the North. Instead, Schabell is using the workshop as an opportunity to provide coaches and athletes with some professional development.

It's important he believes because youth in the North gravitate towards available athletics programs. For that reason coaches and mentors need the skills to interact with athletes competitively and personally.

"We're dealing with all these issues, no matter if you're down South or up here, but you have more options down South," he said.

"Through this we are trying to develop better athletes and more elite athletes."

Transitional diets

Rhonda Reid, regional nutritionist in Cambridge Bay, said the attitudes toward healthy eating are good, there is just a need for more education.

"The people are in transition between traditional and more western or non-Inuit diets," she said.

That's why she said the pilot program is such a good idea.

"It's one good step in a long path,"she said.