The Edge: Ultimate Team Challenge

How has this idea enhanced your club's operation, etc.?

The Edge is a unique team challenge that kicks off the New Year. Our members compete in teams of 8-10 people throughout the challenge. Each week, challenge participants are presented with a new fitness challenge. They have multiple opportunities throughout the week to complete the challenge, and are scored on their performance each week. At the end of each week, teams are ranked among all the teams competing. Their efforts culminate with The Gauntlet, the final challenge that utilizes all team members to complete an ultimate fitness challenge throughout the athletic department. This program ultimately enhanced our operations in three major ways. First, it changed the lives of many of our members, enabling them to achieve an overall health status they never thought they would achieve. The Edge motivated them to set new goals and continue striving to be the healthiest versions of themselves. Second, the program increased attendance in our group classes. Members who were unfamiliar with group classes began attending as a part of the program, and many have continued attending even after the program ended. And finally, the camaraderie among members was phenomenal. Members met people they didn’t know, attended dinners together, participated in classes together, and pushed and encouraged each other to be better. The energy it created throughout the Club was electric!

How was this idea implemented, and what have been the club members' reactions?

Using a private Facebook group as our main source of information and sharing, participants were given a wide variety of wellness information to help them create healthy habits. Every Monday we delivered the new fitness challenge for the week by video. Participants had the entire week, until the next video was released, to complete their challenge. In order to complete their challenge, they were required to attend an Edge group class. At the class, the challenge was administered and scored. Then, with the remaining time, our challenge coach led participants through a workout. Throughout the challenge, we also included various wellness seminars to deliver up-to-date wellness information. We also set the participants out on nutrition scavenger hunts, and even created “pop up” bonus challenges as a way to encourage continued team building and keep the challenge fun and lively. Participants were able to share posts and comment on wellness posts with questions or feedback as the challenge took place. Each team was given a “Coach”, one of the Club’s trainers or group instructors. Our coaches helped guide their teams, provided supplemental workouts and kept the teams on track to finish their challenges. Throughout the challenge, Club members stayed actively engaged via Facebook. Many coaches also had group text threads with their teams that were active throughout the challenge. The bonds that were formed from this program are still evident a year after its initial implementation.