The Water Sports Association Düsseldorf (WSVD) has invited primary school students in the initiative “SMS. Be smart. Join in. Be fit.” to take part in a rowing training session. The training takes place on rowing simulators – the children therefore need not be afraid of getting wet. During the subsequent tour of the boathouse the kids may sit in a real racing boat. The WSVD has been cooperating with secondary schools for many years. Since this school year, the WSVD has also been supporting the SMS initiative in primary schools. “For us, this means a commitment to society, and at the same time it is fun to introduce children to rowing,” said sports chairman Dr. Götz. “Rowing is a water sport connected to nature. It combines strength and endurance, team spirit and dynamics. Rowing is an exercise for the entire musculoskeletal system: from the legs and the torso to the back and the arms,” Götz added. “With the SMS initiative we want to demonstrate the variety of sports activities open to children and inspire them to exercise regularly,” said DZD Professor Karsten Müssig, project leader of the initiative.
 
“SMS. Be smart. Join in. Be fit.", an initiative led by Professor Müssig in Düsseldorf and Cologne primary schools, seeks to counteract obesity and other lifestyle-related diseases in childhood and adolescence. The participating children receive extra lessons on nutrition in cooperation with the Educational Center for Dietary Assistants of the Kaiserswerther Diakonie and take part in the exercise program for primary schools “Fitness for Kids” developed by sports scientist Prof. Dr. Kerstin Ketelhut. The two health insurance companies IKK classic and KKH, the organization diabetesDE - German Diabetes Aid, the Sports Department of Düsseldorf and other renowned partners and prominent people support the project and provide the participating school children with additional attractive venues for learning outside of school. The patron of the initiative is Thomas Geisel, mayor of the state capital Düsseldorf.

Dates:
October 26, 2015 and November 23, 2015, at 11:30 am until approximately 1:30 pm
 
Venue:
Wasser-Sport-Verein Düsseldorf - Rudergesellschaft von 1893, Rotterdamer Straße 40, 40474 Düsseldorf
 
Participating school:
Matthias Claudius School
 
More information about the initiative can be found at: www.sms-mach-mit.de (German only)