Texas Tech University Athletics
Texas Tech to Host Pinnacle of Fitness Challenge
January 30, 2009 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 30, 2009
LUBBOCK, Texas - Texas Tech will host the Pinnacle of Fitness challenge program, initiated by the NCAA in conjunction with this year's NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. The program is designed to energize middle school age children and allow them to compete for a chance to win the national title in St. Louis during the week of the 2009 NCAA Women's Final Four.
Lubbock is one of nine sites for the competition and will host its first Middle School Challenge at halftime of the first-round game of the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship that will be played at United Spirit Arena on March 22. Alderson Middle School and Evans Middle School will be involved in the competition. An additional Middle School Challenge will take place on March 24 during halftime of the second-round game at United Spirit Arena.
For tickets to the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball First- and Second-Rounds at United Spirit Arena, contact the Texas Tech Athletics Ticket Office at (888) GO-BIG-12 or (806) 742-TECH. Tickets also can be purchased on-line at www.texastech.com.
The Pinnacle of Fitness challenge is an NCAA Division I women's basketball initiative of healthy living and education that will challenge and improve individuals and their communities. The 2009 Pinnacle of Fitness challenge is expected to involve 100 middle schools in nine selected cities, with 74,000 middle school students participating.
"The Pinnacle of Fitness challenge is an important and fun initiative that will connect the great game of basketball with youth in communities across the country to help in the promotion of improved physical fitness," said Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice president of Division I Women's Basketball. "We have enjoyed the challenge of beginning the program in nine markets in 2009 and hope to expand the reach of the program in the future."
The cornerstone of the program is the Middle School Challenge, which will educate and challenge students to improve their level of physical fitness through leading active lives, goal setting and developing life skills. The program will reward youth for improving their health and wellness and will be conducted at sites that will host a first- and second-round or regional round during the 2009 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship.
The Middle School Challenge will begin with each of the competing middle schools conducting in-school physical fitness assessment and testing. The top-10 students from the competing schools will compete in progressive on-court competitions at the sites.
