An award-winning sports coach is launching a new venture to encourage 5–12-year-olds to get fit after a year in lockdown.
Matthew Lawn from Killingworth, the brains behind the Football Squirts Academy, and his partner Ashleigh Dobbs are opening Fit Monkeys, a new concept of fun-based physical education (PE) classes, that will help children develop key skills such as agility, balance, coordination, speed, jumping, throwing, catching and more.
For Matthew, who has worked in a primary school for 8 years, it’s been his life-long ambition to bring the concept to life.
“I’ve worked with young children for many years both in school and at Football Squirts,” said Matthew, “It’s really important that children develop key skills that will ensure that they can successfully play the sports that we all love as well as keep fit, but more importantly they need to be having fun while learning.
“Fit Monkey is a unique concept that brings the fun back into exercise,” said Matthew. “The classes combine high-quality PE coaching together with games, circuits and activities that will help them develop new skills, build their confidence and introduce them to a new circle of friends away from the school environment.”
The classes are suitable for boys and girls of all ability levels and are split into age bands 5-8 years-old and 9-12 years-old.
They are launching on 12th April, as soon as current lockdown restrictions are lifted, in Gosforth with sessions following shortly afterward in Earsdon and Forest Hall.
“The past 12 months have been really difficult for parents and children alike,” said co-founder Ashleigh. All normal routines went out the window, children missed mixing with their friends and exercise probably wasn’t top of the list for lots of families.”
“Fit Monkeys is a new and exciting concept, that will encourage children to get back into a fitness routine and we are confident that they will love it.”
Sessions run Monday and Wednesday at Great Park Community Centre, Gosforth. For information on class times, to book a free taster session or to sign up, go to https://fitmonkeys.co.uk/book-now/
