(201) Health 2018 Edition | Page 41

FITNESS Fun in FITNESS F Former Oakland elementary teacher Jessica Glazer’s inspirational ways win national attention INTERVIEW BY CINDY SCHWEICH HANDLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANNE-MARIE CARUSO or as long as she can remember, Jessica Glazer has found joy in gymnastics and physi- cal training. For eight years, she passed along her love of physical education and health, teaching the subjects to students at Dogwood Hill Elementary School in Oakland. Her experiences and insights into staying fit won her a position as one of 12 finalists in 2017’s “America’s Most Inspiring Trainer” competition, conducted by lifestyle publication Well+Good in partnership with ReebokONE, the fitness instruc- tor network. Among the secrets of her success: Turning what can be a solitary struggle into a fun, bonding experience. How did you get into gymnastics? I was one of those kids who couldn’t sit still. My parents enrolled me in gymnastics at age 5, and I loved it right away. After one year, I joined the pre- team, and then the regular. I started competing at 9, doing 20-25 hours a week of training. In fourth and fifth grades, I was traveling all over the East Coast for competitions. I joined the high school team just for fun; we won All County a couple years in a row because we had a very strong team. What appealed to you most about gymnastics? I loved being upside down, being able to swing and hang, manipulate my body and make it stronger. I’m in my 30s now, and I still love the same things about it. I might work on a new skill for six months or two years. I love the physical challenge, coming home sore and tired. Not much has changed. What prompted you to switch your focus to physical training? By my senior year in high school, I had a ton of injuries. I’d fractured two vertebrae, and decided not to pursue gymnastics in college. Meanwhile, I’d been working in gyms for years after school. By college, I had a lot of experience coaching and training. At the University of Rhode Island, I got certified to teach physical education and health to kids in kindergarten through grade 12. JESSICA GLAZER , Age: 34 For eight years, you taught at Dogwood Hill Elementary School in Oakland. What did you like best about that job? jessglazer.com @jess.glazer, @fit.trips facebook.com/glazerjess Kids at that age are sponges, and they absorb everything. I tried to decrease the pressures the girls might feel about what their bodies look like, and encouraged them to play and get sweaty, to focus on what their bodies are capable of doing. They’re so enthusiastic; I think I learned more from them than they did from me. What was your biggest challenge at Dogwood Hill? I had surgery twice to have the ligaments reattached to both ankles, and I had to teach in a wheelchair three months at a time. Both surgeries happened around Halloween, so I had to think of costumes to go with the chair. Once, I was a farmer on a tractor, and the other time, I was Superwoman with fake legs making me look like I w as flying over the city. But the kids saw that adversity didn’t stop me; (201) HEALTH | 2018 EDITION > 39