Youths pump in fitness center
By Etienne Emanuel

From its humble beginnings the studio upstairs from the basketball gym at the Ojai Recreation Department has transformed into a popular fitness center. Kids of all ages frequently visit the weight room and attend athletic training programs put on by Gary Ryan.

"In just three years we have added around $15,000 of equipment into that studio. We are very fortunate to have that space, it really provides a great atmosphere for anyone who is looking to get into better shape," said Ryan. "One of the popular misconceptions is that we only are open for athletes, which is completely untrue. About 100 kids come in every week and not all of them play sports, some are on their own self-improvement programs and we also get kids who are physically challenged, anyone can get help from our personal staff.

And for a one dollar a day, no other gym in the county can beat that."
"I am extremely pleased with the progress we've seen in such a short time," said Jayden Morrison. "We really needed a weight program and things have certainly evolved from our one main machine we had in there. There has been great participation and the recreation center is very lucky to have Gary. It is really nice to see so many kids benefit from his hard work and their own.

He has really been the heart and soul of the program. We have no real immediate plans for improvement, perhaps we will start putting on contests to show how hard these kids have been working in there."
The facility is open from 4 to 9 p.m. every weekday during the summer and the cost is only one dollar per day.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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