Rappahannock County Goes Bananas for QuickStart!

Rappahannock County is the smallest county in QCV's service area with just over 7,200 residents and only two public schools -- Rappahannock County Elementary (PK-7) and Rappahannock County High School (8-12) -- with less than 1,000 students. Their lack of size is totally overshadowed by their enthusiasm for healthy lifestyles and QuickStart Tennis. Thanks to Dr. Becky Greer, Rappahannock's Assistant Superintendent and HUGE QuickStart supporter, 36 people attended the Rappahannock in-service training session in August 2010. Ironically it was the largest in-service training QCV has ever done. Only three of the participants were PE teachers. The principals of both schools jumped right in. Elementary classroom and special education teachers joined in. Mike Costello, Director of Athletics at nearby Wakefield Country Day School, came to check out QuickStart for his school. Philip Strange of the Headwaters Foundation is working on starting an after-school program at The Link Community Center in Sperryville. QuickStart is the perfect after-school activity, so he wanted to see it first-hand. Philip is a tennis player who immediately understood what QuickStart can mean to helping create happy, healthy and active kids. Everyone had a GREAT time!

(Left) PE Teacher Jackie Tederick concentrates on "downsies" while her teaching partner Terrence Johnson shows off his QuickStart footwork.

(Right -- foreground) Mastering "upsies" Kathy Zehr-Rhodes of Rappahannock Public Schools and Philip Strange of Headwaters Foundation

Steve Iman, USTA School Tennis Instructor (below, in dark gray shirt), kept everyone focused on having FUN!

Dr. Greer, who has just been appointed Superintendent of the Radford, VA City Schools, made sure her enthusiasm for QuickStart Tennis would continue in Rappahannock County by gifting USTA organizational memberships to both schools.

We hope they will be adding QuickStart to Radford PE classes soon!

Dr. Greer, thank you for helping QCV spread QuickStart! You're a QuickSTAR!!!

A racquet in every hand! A smile on every face!