Interview with Gary Lane
Physical Education Specialist
River Oaks Elementary
Austin, Texas
 What prompted you to be an advocate and champion of children’s health?
My dad was the greatest advocate for exercise and activity that I ever knew. He would tell me stories of how after dinner, he would go out to the vacant lot next door and run laps to stay in shape. Both my grandfather and father played baseball for minor league teams and taught me the importance of learning the fundamentals of technique to improve skills so I would enjoy playing recreational and competitive sports for a lifetime.
I also had a neighbor, Terry, who was four years older than I and a diabetic. Terry was a superior athlete and could not play on school athletic teams because in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s, diabetics were not allowed to compete. Terry, like my dad and my grandfather, taught me the fundamentals of skill development through simple lead-up activities and games. Terry went on to earn five black belts in martial arts and became a college professor and department chair of biology.
Our household was the neighborhood boys and girls club where all my friends came to learn and play games because their parents did not have time or knowledge of how to teach them or play with them. My grandfather, my father, and Terry taught me the values of health and physical activity, the importance of sharing and giving, and always making things fun, simple, and safe and I became a teacher so I could pass these on to others.
When did you adopt the CATCH Program and what prompted you to do so?
I first began working with CATCH in 1992 when it was a pilot program. After hearing about the program, I knew it would work and was excited about being able to help all of the children in my school which was predominantly low SES. My principal did not want the program but I convinced her to let us be a part of CATCH and after three years of tracking the students, it was proven to be a success. I changed districts and in 2006 our SHAC committee was looking for a district wide school health program. CATCH was one of the choices and I lobbied to support it. The district adopted CATCH as its coordinated school health program and it has been very effective district wide.
How did you build infrastructure within the school and create staff "buy-in"?
I started by recruiting one teacher at each grade level that had a personal interest in health and fitness to be on my CATCH committee. It was easy to find parents who were interested in health and nutrition for their children and they were recruited as well. My administration initially did not buy into the program. However, I got a new principal and assistant principal two years ago who both had personal interest in health, nutrition, and physical fitness. Once I had my CATCH committee in place the program was easy to implement with their support.
Describe notable changes since implementing CATCH and how you know CATCH is working.
Since implementing CATCH, we now have teachers that are involved in an on-going staff wellness program. Students, staff, parents, and community members readily identify food groups as GO, SLOW, and WHOA. Teachers are teaching CATCH lessons across the curriculum and student work is displayed throughout the building.
There has been increased communication between the contracted food service provider and our CATCH committee to improve and teach student nutrition. Our PTO has changed the format for our school carnival so participants are more physically active. Activities include moving rock climbing walls and races, and we give away fruits and water to replace sodas and candy. These changes resulted in greater attendance and more than doubled the profits.
Administration models and has high expectations of CATCH being taught throughout the campus, and has replaced cookies and cakes at school functions with fresh fruits and vegetable trays. Our library now has a bookshelf identified as a "CATCH Corner" with books on nutrition and fitness.
Parents tell me that shopping trips to the grocery store now take longer because the family must review food labels, checking calories, sodium, sugar and fat content before buying. When I do lunch duty each day in the cafeteria, students are quick to say, "Look Coach, all GO foods!" Or they remark, "More GO than SLOW foods." We now do a daily "Nutrition Math Problem" and reward correct answers with ribbons and pencils.
My assistant principal made a CATCH board with the GO, SLOW and WHOA categories color coded to display the daily lunch menu. The PTO now requests CATCH to do a presentation at each monthly meeting and a family tour of Whole Foods Market is scheduled for the Spring. Parental involvement is much greater than before the inception of CATCH.
What are the keys to your success?
The keys to our successful CATCH program are :
A. An administration that both models and administrates CATCH guidelines
B. An active CATCH committee with personal interest in the program’s success
C. Parental involvement that carries CATCH into the community and outside of the school walls
D. Recognizing, rewarding, and publicly displaying CATCH successes
E. Sharing and exchanging CATCH ideas with as many people as possible
Are there other ideas you’d like to share?
I think the best CATCH activity our school had was called the "Dress the Turkey" contest. We combined Grandparents’ Day and the traditional Thanksgiving luncheon and made it a community gathering in our school. Each guest is given a feather color coded to the grade level of the child they are there to have lunch with. The feathers are then stuck into a pumpkin disguised as a turkey. The grade level with the most feathers is awarded extra CATCH P.E. time. Our hallways and cafeteria walls are decorated with CATCH instructional aides and pictures of students actively involved in CATCH activities. Each guest must eat a school turkey dinner. No fast foods are allowed that day thus reinforcing eating a nutritious lunch. Our guest participation was at 34 three years ago and this year has grown to 179 guests for lunch.
What advice can you offer for those just beginning and for those who have already implemented the CATCH Program?
You must have administrative "buy-in" and an active CATCH committee. Publicly display and recognize those who are teaching and participating in CATCH activities on a regular basis. Meet regularly with other CATCH Champions to share ideas and success stories or to get help implementing an idea you might have.
What has been the reaction from parents, administration, students and the community?
Students enjoy labeling foods as SLOW, GO, or WHOA and the active games where no one is sitting out. Parents like the fact that there are no "No Foods" and that students are taught to eat more GO than SLOW and more SLOW than WHOA foods. Parents and the PTO request a CATCH segment at each monthly PTO meeting and now look forward to healthy snacks at school activities. Administration likes the fact that nutrition and wellness are taught across curricula and students are more active during the day as well as the fact that parent involvement has increased on our campus.
What are your plans for the future? What is your CATCH vision?
I plan to continue teaching using the CATCH guidelines. My hope is that today’s students, which will be tomorrow’s parents, will learn the value of good nutrition and exercise and will pass that on to their children. I would love to see a healthy nation which has lowered medical risks across the populace and an increased life expectancy of future generations without the use of drugs.
Anything else you would like to add?
Recognize those who are actively participating, and share success stories every chance you get. If you have a good idea but do not know how to implement or improve it to ensure success, talk to others. Don’t give up on the idea.
Contact us for more information on CATCH!
| 
