Blue Jackets go virtual to help local educators during pandemic

As a physical education teacher of more than 30 years in the Gahanna Jefferson district, Jon Grundtisch faced a bit of a nightmare scenario this past year.
With schools closed to students because of Covid-19 and everyone shifting to a virtual learning model, the one thing Grundtisch wants his students to avoid became their new necessary reality.
"Especially in my field, I don't want them sitting in front of a screen, so it's been hard," Grundtisch recently said. "It's really difficult getting kids at 8:30 in the morning to say, 'Let's get out of bed and do something!' You can't do anything about it. It's not like you can scold them.

"And the poor kids, if I was growing up in this time, I would be miserable. You're playing, playing, playing your whole life, and then your life stops, so I feel horrible for the kids."
In other words, it's not an ideal situation for any educator, but that's especially true for a physical education teacher. As hard as it is to teach math and science on a Zoom call, it's doubly so for gym class.
With that in mind, Blue Jackets also identified virtual learning could significantly impact the physical education of students this year.
The Power Play Challenge program presented by PNC
, a hockey-themed wellness curriculum aims to assist physical education teachers in the fight against childhood obesity in the classroom, would need to adjust to the new virtual climate.
The Blue Jackets quickly got to work producing a six-video series featuring former CBJ players Jody Shelley and Jean-Luc Grand-Pierre as well as 2010 U.S. Olympian, NWHL (National Women's Hockey League) player and Columbus resident Lisa Chesson. The videos walk students through the basics of hockey, from how to pick up and hold a stick, to skills like stickhandling, passing and how to take a shot on goal.

"I like the online lessons, the videos of the skills -- passing, shooting, stickhandling and so forth," Grundtisch said. "That was a big help. I got some reaction, some good feedback, about how they were really good."
MORE: To learn more about the Blue Jackets' efforts to no-cost resources to educators, visit BlueJackets.com/Education
Traditionally, Power Play Challenge is designed to meet Ohio state standards for physical education curriculum for grades 2-5 and aims to keep children active while encouraging healthy choices. Funded by the NHL's Industry Growth Fund, the program is part of the team's committment to remove barriers to the game.
Students are given fitness-related challenges to complete individually, while the class/grade will receive an introduction to street hockey during P.E. class. Students who complete all five challenges over the course of the school year receive Blue Jackets prizes, certificates of completion and a special ticket offer to attend a Blue Jackets home game.
In addition, the highest grade in each school can attend a field trip at an OhioHealth Chiller ice rink at no cost to the school. Those students will walk away with their very own street hockey stick and ball to keep.
This year, those field trips were unable to be fulfilled because of the pandemic, but one important facet of the program was making sure the hockey sticks and balls still ended up in the hands of students across central Ohio, which led to one unique situation for Tina Radivojevic.
The phys ed teacher at Monterey Elementary in South-Western City Schools was happy to give her students the sticks and balls to take home, but that could have been a bus driver's worst nightmare. But with the school at half capacity earlier this year -- some students attended classes Monday and Tuesday, the other half on Thursday and Friday -- they were able to get that done.
"I was happy we were able to get our hockey sticks before we went to 100 percent (attendance) because we were able to get transportation to agree to send the hockey sticks on our buses instead of me having to arrange a time for people to pick them up," Radivojevic said. "They only had half as many kids on the bus, so that's why they were cool with it.
"I sent all those (video) links to the fourth graders and I sent it in their Google Classroom and I said, "Look, here's a great way for you to practice the hockey stuff. Let me know how things go. You can send me videos, you can send me pictures.'"
One thing that remains consistent, as well, when talking to teachers who have used the Power Play Challenge is that the CBJ name goes a long way in getting kids excited to work out. Even taking out the benefits of being able to attend a game or a rink visit this year, the equipment helps open doors for kids to try hockey, the competitive aspect often engages students, and the connection to the local team adds a level of excitement that a traditional program might not have.
"You see the enthusiasm, but you also see it coming out of the kids that maybe aren't the most athletic," Radivojevic said. "It's something new, and because you're giving them something for free, they're a little more willing to try something. They get excited about it, too, which is my favorite thing. I like seeing the kids that maybe aren't as athletic get excited about something because they have the ability to give it a try because they have their own equipment to work with."
To date through the Power Play Challenge program presented by PNC, the Blue Jackets have partnered with eight Central Ohio school districts (Columbus, Dublin, Gahanna, Olentangy, South-Western, Upper Arlington, Westerville and Worthington) to impact 150 elementary schools and more than 47,000 students.
It's a buy-in that helps the community and helps grow our game, a true win-win for everyone involved.
"I have had other professional organizations come and go a workshop and give of things, but the follow-up from them was literally zero," Grundtisch said. "The follow-up from the Jackets has been fantastic. If I have any questions, whatever I need, it's going to happen. We feel like we're going to be connected for a long time."