How the Charlottetown Islanders are encouraging their fans to get FIT

The Charlottetown Islanders have joined a national program designed to help hockey fans get fit.

Fans in Training (FIT) is aimed at men aged 35 to 65 who are overweight and want to improve their health. The head coach for the program is Brendan Riggin, a researcher in sport management at Western University, and it was developed in partnership with two Ontario-based Canadian Hockey League teams.

"It was quite successful in not only attracting guys into a men's health program, but also in helping to improve their weight after the 12-week program had ended," said Riggin.

"That gave us the evidence to scale this program up across the entire Canadian Hockey League."

Jason Maclean, director of sales and marketing for the Charlottetown Islanders, said the team was intrigued by the program as a new way to engage their fans that would also help those fans achieve their own goals.

"It looked as a new opportunity, kind of in a way, for us to give back to our fans," said Maclean.

Peer support

The program runs for 12 weeks with a weekly 90-minute session. About half that time is spent on health education, and the other half on learning exercise routines.

While it is all off the ice, some of the exercise drills are hockey related, and Riggin said the participants cheer each other on.

"That support really is helpful and instrumental in being able to make those changes," he said.

"And then even after the program has ended to maintain those changes."

Students from UPEI will lead the sessions.

There are 40 places available in the FIT program and about half are already gone. You can sign up for FIT on the program's website.

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