‘Just Do What We Do’: Colts Fitness Camp at St. Anthony of Padua School energizes students

Mike Prior, Indianapolis Colts youth football commissioner, right, demonstrates an exercise to St. Anthony of Padua School eighth-grade students during the Colts Fitness Camp session on Nov. 27.

By Patricia Happel Cornwell (Special to The Criterion)

CLARKSVILLE—Students at St. Anthony of Padua School in Clarksville appeared energized, rather than exhausted, after an intense 45-minute workout on Nov. 27 with personnel from the Indianapolis Colts organization.

“It was really hard,” Kim Hollkamp said, “but it was really fun. They were always making us laugh.”

Her brother, Alex, added, “It was nice that they came and pushed us to be a little competitive with each other.”

The Colts Fitness Camp, which is not usually offered outside central Indiana, was conducted for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders at the school after physical education teacher Denise Kempf applied for the program online. Kempf heard about the free program while attending a workshop in Indianapolis.

In honor of the event, Nov. 27 was declared “Colts Day” at the school, and students could pay a dollar to wear a Colts shirt instead of their uniform shirt. The money raised will be used for fitness-related projects at the school.

The students were drilled in exercises using hand weights and jump ropes. They also did bent-knee “lunges” and distance jumps. Throughout the strenuous workout, they kept their sense of humor, laughing with instructors and one another—even though they struggled at times.

Mike Prior, Indianapolis Colts youth football commissioner, was the program’s leader. A former Colts player, he also played for the Green Bay Packers, whom he helped win a National Football League championship. Prior was assisted by Colts marketing assistant Joe Fonderoli and youth football assistant Brandon Schlarb.

At the end of the workout, the students received a brief pep talk. Prior showed the eighth-graders his Super Bowl ring and noted the nearly full-time exercise regimen of professional athletes.

“You have to take care of yourselves. You have to eat right. You have to exercise. Start working on it now, and it will be fun to do,” he told the students. “You’ll have more energy. You’ll be more alert and be able to focus on your school work. You’ll feel good.”

“I thought it was fun,” eighth-grader Jamie Elsner said afterward. “Everybody was cheering everybody else on. The instructors did a good job. They gave us more information so we can exercise better.”

Each student received a Colts poster and an exercise journal. Pennants were given to a few students in each grade who were recognized for their “extra effort.”

The words on the posters the students received summed up the message of the Colts Fitness Camp: “Just Do What We Do.” †