The Baltimore Ravens teamed up with NFL Play 60 on Tuesday afternoon for a fun afternoon filled with exercise at Mayfield Woods Middle School in Elkridge, Maryland.
During an assembly at the school, students, along with Ravens rookies Marlon Brown, Arthur Brown and Matt Elam, all took the pledge of the Play 60 challenge.
The Ravens are challenging local students to be physically active for at least 60 minutes every day through an incentive-based system. In-classroom tracking materials and individual student guides will be distributed for students to record their physical activity during the four-week program. By reaching specified benchmarks, students will be awarded prizes such as water bottles, foam footballs, basketball hoops and yoga mats. One lucky student from a selected school will also be invited to the Ravens – Steelers game in November and take part in a pre-game ceremony.
“It’s an opportunity to give back to the young people and stress to them the importance of exercise and staying active,” replied Arthur Brown when asked about why the NFL Play 60 Challenge is important.
The students took to the field after making their pledges and participated in various football drills including a touchdown dance station which drew laughter when Marlon Brown joked with the kids about getting a flag for celebration.
“Anytime we can get out here and hang out with the kids it is a great day,” Safety Matt Elam expressed as he played catch with the students.
The smiles and the laughter the kids shared with the players was on display all afternoon. Some of the students just stood in awe just to be around the players.
It wasn’t just a free afternoon for the students to get away from the books. It was a lesson about staying healthy and to stress the importance of at least sixty minutes of exercise a day.
Something all of us could use.
For more information on the NFL’s Play 60 program please visit http://www.nfl.com/play60
Follow me on Twitter @sportguyRSR
