SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club has expanded a partnership with Kaiser Permanente to promote healthy living and active lifestyles amongst Bay Area youth.
The signature program of the joint venture is Get Earthquakes Fit presented by Kaiser Permanente. Get EQ Fit is a fun, five-week program designed by the Quakes’ long-time head athletic trainer, Bruce Morgan, to increase physical activity in the classroom and at home. It is targeted toward underserved schools and schools lacking a physical education department due to budget cuts. The Earthquakes teamed up with the Santa Clara County Office of Education to meet state standards for third- and fourth-grade students.
“Kaiser Permanente is thrilled to be teaming up with the Earthquakes to bring the Get Earthquakes Fit program to thousands of school kids across the South Bay,” said Chris Boyd, senior vice president and area manager, Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara Medical Center. “Together we’re helping to build healthier lives and stronger communities.”
In 2012, at least 25 local schools will be incorporating this program into their third- and fourth-grade curriculum. Get Earthquakes Fit encourages students to engage in 20 minutes of physical activity each day for five weeks. The program opens with a kick-off assembly where a Kaiser Permanente physician speaks to students about being healthy and active. Each week, teachers play a video featuring Earthquakes players demonstrating exercises and Kaiser Permanente physicians giving health tips in an effort to further engage and excite the students by providing a visual aid.
At the conclusion of the program, the Earthquakes and Kaiser Permanente host a closing assembly to congratulate students on living a more active lifestyle, with a Quakes player relating the Get EQ Fit message to their own lives, presenting completion certificates and signing autographs.
“Kaiser Permanente understands we all have to work together to help stop childhood obesity. By showcasing professional athletes and physicians in a school setting, our goal is to help teachers and parents reinforce the message of eating right and staying active in a fun and engaging way,” said Irene Chavez, senior vice president and area manager, Kaiser Permanente San Jose Medical Center.
In addition to Get EQ Fit, Kaiser Permanente will also present Health and Wellness Night on Saturday, May 19, as the Earthquakes play host to the Columbus Crew at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara beginning at 7:30 p.m. Kaiser Permanente will be providing health and wellness tips to Quakes fans throughout the game, honoring the teachers who participated in Get EQ Fit this semester on the field, and will also have activities for kids in the Quakes’ fan zone at Buck Shaw, the Epicenter.
For more information on Get Earthquakes Fit presented by Kaiser Permanente and to nominate a school for the program, as well as for healthy tips for parents, please visit www.sjearthquakes.com/community/get-fit.
Prorated season tickets for the remainder of the Earthquakes’ 2012 home schedule are still available for purchase by calling (408) 556-7700. Individual tickets are also on sale and can be purchased by calling 1-800-225-2277 or online at www.sjearthquakes.com.
About San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes are a Major League Soccer franchise that entered the league as an expansion side in 2008. The Earthquakes play their home matches at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara. They won the MLS Cup in 2001 and 2003, and captured the Supporters’ Shield in 2005. The team played in San Jose from 1996-2005 before being relocated to Houston. The Earthquakes then returned to MLS as an expansion team in 2008. In 2010, the Earthquakes qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since rejoining the league, and reached the Eastern Conference Championship. The club’s non-profit arm, the San Jose Earthquakes Community Fund, focuses on health and fitness initiatives for underserved youth in the Bay Area. For more information about the Earthquakes, log on to www.sjearthquakes.com.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We serve approximately 8.9 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.
