Fitness Center: The Gift of Fitness for your High School or College Grad, Yoga Returns in May, and Healthy Ways to Manage Stress.
Ice Arena: Summer Hockey Camps, New Learn to Skate Learn to Play Sessions, and a How-to Guide for Shoulder Pads!
Recreation: Registrations due for Adult Coed Softball, and How to Rent a Park Pavillion for your Outdoor Gathering!
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Yoga Classes Return in May!
We're excited to offer Yoga with Corrin, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:05pm, beginning May 4! Classes will run for six weeks (through June 10) but will be extended if we have good attendance!! Masks are required, as is pre-registering for the class. Please call (616) 735-6286 to get your name on the list!
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Cleaning the Equipment
To help prevent corroding the electronics, we ask that members do not spray the cleaner directly on the equipment. Instead, please spray the cloth and wipe down the equipment. This is crucial in maintaining the life of our incline trainers and treadmill consoles.Thank you to everyone for doing their part to keep our facility clean and germ free! We appreciate all you do!!
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The past 12 months have been a stressful time for many of us. April is Stress Awareness Month, an opportunity to learn healthy ways to manage our stress levels. These tips are recommended by our Fitness Manager, Sandie VanBeek.
- Maintain a healthy diet by limiting sugar and fat intake. Eating processed foods or foods high in fat can have a negative impact leaving you feeling more tired, less motivated, and less focused.
- Get plenty of exercise. Physical health and mental health go hand-in-hand. Regular exercise has been shown to reduce stress levels, improve sleep habits, enhance cognitive functions, and positively impact overall mood.
- Go for a 30-minute walk after you wake up and again before you go to bed.
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Join a fitness class or do simple stretches.
- Stay connected with others. Humans are naturally social creatures and it’s essential to have a solid circle of close friends and family with whom you have healthy and supportive relationships. You can ensure that you’ll always have someone to talk to when you feel stressed, frustrated, or sad.
- Practice gratitude. Living a thankful life does wonders for your mental (and physical) health. Write down what you are grateful for in your life, and you may start viewing the world from a different perspective!
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Lie on your back with pillow lengthwise and bent knees
(feet can be on the floor). Gently guide your knees together and lower slow from side to side (holding for 30 seconds each side).
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Lie on your back with a pillow underneath your
buttocks and extend your legs up toward the ceiling. Stay here,
breathing deeply for two to three minutes.
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Senior Walking Club is Back! |
Our Senior Fit Walking Club returns this summer! Join us every Thursday at 9am from June 10 through August 19 for a walk through Walker’s beautiful City Central Park with the WIFC Trainers! All are welcome, simply check-in at the WIFC Front Desk before walking. Members who join us seven times during the season will earn a T-Shirt! |
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Hiking our Walker Trails!
If you’re new to hiking or trail walking, here are some tips to get you started!
- Choose the trail that’s right for you: pay attention to distance, average walk times, logistics, and routing. Take your physical fitness ability into consideration
- Plan your hike: pick a day when the weather is suitable. Pack what you need if it’s a long hike.
- Tell someone your plan: this is especially important if you’re walking alone.
- Protect yourself: make sure you use sunscreen, use insect repellent, wear a hat, weather-appropriate apparel, and good shoes.
- Clean up after yourself: follow the “Leave No Trace” principle. Leave the trail in the same (or better) condition than you found it. Pick up your trash and other people’s if you can (consider taking a trash bag with you when you walk the trails). Don’t pick wildflowers, no matter how pretty, and don’t disturb the wildlife.
- Respect other users: don’t play loud music, be sure to let runners pass, be aware of bikers, and keep dogs on leashes.
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It’s been an amazing year for our HAWK Hockey kids. Our players and families dealt with pauses and new rules/regulations and our kids still excelled both on and off the ice! Friendships were made, games were won and lost but, most importantly, our kids improved and had FUN!
Also, a big thank you to our coaches, volunteers, and board members who, along with our HAWK Families, help to make HAWK the best place for your son or daughter to play hockey in West Michigan!
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Fall Tryouts take place the week of May 17th. Please go to www.hawkhockey.net for dates/times and registration. Please reach out to Hockey Director, Mike Fountain, at [email protected] for any information
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If you’re looking for a fun activity for your kids, we offer skating and hockey lessons year-round! Learn to Skate (for all ages) and Snow Plow (new skaters, ages 5 and under) provide a fun way for skaters to learn the fundamentals of ice skating.
Skaters are divided among our instructors based on experience, so the programs are great for beginners and more advanced skaters. Learn to Skate and Snow Plow will ensure your child learns the correct techniques of the basic elements of skating. Contact Coach Jaqueline at [email protected] with questions about our skating programs.
Learn to Play Hockey is a great way for boys and girls to start and develop their hockey playing skills. It's really important for Learn to Play Hockey that participants have basic skating skills. Full equipment is required. Contact Coach Mike at [email protected] with any questions.
Ready to sign up? You can stop by the WIFC, call us at (616) 735-6286 or email [email protected] for help with the registration process. For dates and times, as well as the registration form, please click here.
Session 5 of Learn To Skate/Play Hockey will take place on Wednesday evenings at 6pm from June 30 through August 11. You can stop by the WIFC to register or the Session 5 registration form can be accessed here. Send completed forms to [email protected]. That's also where you can email with any questions.
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Summer Hockey Camps
The Walker Ice and Fitness Center is hosting several youth hockey camps this summer. For more information, or to register, visit their websites:
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Buying the Right Shoulder Pads |
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Shoulder Pads
All the major hockey equipment companies produce shoulder pads, and we stock selections from each. Some, like the Bauer Vapor line, are focused on reducing the weight of the pads to allow for maximum freedom of movement. CCM Tacks are designed to conform to your body ensuring a tight fit for maximum protection. The Warrior Alpha line combines protection with comfort, with attention to ventilation in their design.
Whatever your equipment needs, playing style and budget, there’s the perfect set of shoulder pads for you. Stop by the Walker Ice and Fitness Center to see our great selection or call us at (616) 735-6286 with questions.
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The Walker Ice and Fitness Center Pro Shop has all the equipment for your skater. We have skates available for a rec level open skater all the way up to a professional hockey player!
We have a wide range of sticks and equipment from Bauer, CCM and Warrior. Casual wear like t-shirts, ball caps and other items are also available. There’s a wide selection of hockey bags and backpacks. Any time the WIFC is open, the Pro Shop is too!
If there’s a specific item you need that we don’t have, we can get it! Our Ice Director can special/custom order what you need. Reach out to him at [email protected]
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We have over 400 kids registered this season for soccer!!
All players must wear shin guards.
Ages 4 -8 will be playing with a size 3 ball.
Ages 9-10 will be playing with a size 4 ball.
Ages 11-13 will be playing with a size 5 ball. More information can be found at www.recsoccer.info.
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A huge thank you to all the families who came out to egg-splore our beautiful parks during Walker's Easter Egg-spedition earlier this month! More than 200 kids participated!! Several of you even told us this was your first time visiting some of our City parks! We hope you continue enjoying Community, Alpine Estates, Harmon, English Hills, Lincoln Lawns, City Central parks throughout the season!
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