National Champs
It can be a challenge to motivate kids during the summer months.
They are not bound by the regimented schedule of going to school and the thought of staying up late and sleeping well into the morning is often too tempting to pass up.
For members of the Get Fit Families youth triathlon team, many of whom are Butler County residents, getting out and being active is a lifestyle.
Sixty youths ages 8-18 who train with Get Fit traveled to the National Junior Triathlon Championships, held last weekend in West Chester, Ohio, near Cincinnati.
The combined efforts earned for the team a national title.
Coach Joella Baker started the team in 2009. Six of her athletes competed in the 2012 national championships.
“In 2018 and 2019, we finished second as a team,” Baker said. “The sixty kids we took this time were the most ever for us. All of them are highly committed.”
The championships were broken down into 13 age levels, one for each age between 7 and 19.
The top five finishers in each age group, boys and girls, earned a medal. The top 20 in each event earned points for their respective teams.
Get Fit Families won the title going away. A squad from Richmond, Va., placed a distant second.Ironically, this was the first time in several years that the team did not have an individual champion, though the collective effort was very impressive.“We had 14 kids earn a medal, which was the most we've ever had,” Baker said, “but we also had a lot who placed between 6-20 and they all earned points for us.”For ages 10 and under, the swim portion was 100 meters long, followed by biking (5K) and running for one kilometer.Ages 11-12 went 200 meters in the pool, 6.2 kilometers on the bike and 1.2 running.Finally, ages 13 and older did 300, 6.2 and 1.5 kilometers, respectively.The Sauers family from Harmony had three children contribute to the championship — Canaan (15), Naomi (13) and Judah (11).This was not the first time they competed at nationals and that made Naomi, who finished fourth in her age group in girls, feel more comfortable.“I knew the course. It's pretty flat with not many hills,” she said. “I was tired at the end, but am happy with how I did.”Running is Judah's favorite event in triathlons. He placed sixth in West Chester.“I've been doing it for five years and have made a lot of friends,” he said.Get Fit triathletes train nearly year-round, June through August at Zelienople Community Park and November to May at Rose E. Schneider Family YMCA in Cranberry Township.This time of the year, training sessions take place Monday through Friday. Field trips to places like Moraine State Park occur on weekends.“It's not all work,” said Baker. “We play games and make it fun for the kids.”Canaan, who plans to run cross country and track as a sophomore at Seneca Valley this school year, saw his commitment rewarded with a third-place finish at nationals.“I was happy that all my hard work paid off,” he said.Strong bonds are created amongst team members.“One thing I love about this team is that it has a true community-feel to it,” Baker said. “The kids are there for each other through the highs and lows. Many of them are best friends outside of the training.”Baker ran and swam competitively when she was a student at Duquesne University. She began competing in triathlons as a form of cross-training.She now focuses her attention on helping athletes reach their full potential.“I enjoy watching kids set goals and then try to achieve them,” she said. “If they don't get there, we figure out what needs to change in their training or diet.“It's good to have adversity because you learn from it.”
