News

Keisel gets kids moving with What Moves U

By Teresa Varley | Steelers.com

october 17, 2007

Defensive end Brett Keisel sweated it out on Tuesday when he took part in What Moves U , a program that the Steelers, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and American Heart Association have teamed up for.

Keisel did sit-ups and jumped rope along with seventh grade students at Arsenal Middle School in Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville area as a part of a program that combines healthy living with education.

What Moves U is a curriculum-based activity program designed to fight childhood obesity by motivating middle school students to get up and move. Teachers incorporate physical activity into their lesson plans to help children become more fit while they learn.

Keisel was joined by Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak to help encourage the kids to use exercise and education hand-in-hand.

“This is all about helping the kids to get moving,” said Keisel, who edged out the kids in sit-ups, although they did give him a run for his money. “That’s what this is all about; get up and get moving. Don’t sit around playing your video games, get up and get moving. Get active and get your friends active with you to be a healthy person.”

Six groups of kids took part in the activities and when they were finished students were asked to graph their activity, figuring out averages, a median and other statistical analysis as a part of the educational portion of the program.

The NFL and American Heart Association introduced What Moves U and this year in Pennsylvania, the Steelers and Philadelphia Eagles have incorporated the departments of Health and Education into the program.

“It makes a huge difference,” said Zahorchak of having the Steelers involved. “The Steelers are off to a good start, here is a dynamic player like Brett and the kids right away are motivated. He talked to them about doing well in school, in life and thinking about themselves – making the investment in exercise and eating right and the relationship with that in education.”

Keisel hopes that his involvement will make an impact on the kids, as childhood obesity is a problem in the state. He wants them to know that it’s not just athletes who need to have a healthy lifestyle.

“I am here to encourage them to eat healthy, be active and enjoy this time in their lives when they can go out and play games and be active,” said Keisel. “Getting to this point in your life being a professional athlete you have to eat healthy and exercise. Those are things that are a must to get to where I got to.”