Taking a step away from the intensity of the gridiron less than 24 hours after their dominating 34-0 victory over the Jets, 49ers TE Vernon Davis, RB LaMichael James and RB Kendall Hunter were among many assisting in completing a new outdoor 49ers Fitness Zone at Peterson Middle School.
Trading their cleats, shoulder pads and game faces for ratchets, power tools and even a broom, they helped install seats and hang two gates.
Featuring green technology, requiring no electricity and no scheduled maintenance, the fitness zone is designed to increase physical fitness and encourage healthy lifestyles among youth.
Several philanthropic community businesses teamed with the 49ers and United Healthcare in erecting the outdoor fitness zone as part of the NFL-United Way Hometown Huddle Day of Service. These include general contractor Robert A. Bothman Inc. (www.bothman.com), which served as the general contractor for the project and donated labor, cement, heavy equipment and project oversight. Central Fence Company donated and installed fencing.
Fitness equipment manufacturer Greenfields Outdoor Fitness donated half of the equipment for the project. Among the array of exercise options are a chest press, vertical press, lat pulldown, butterfly, and reverse butterfly, all utilizing the users’ own body weight for resistance.
In addition, a four-person leg press, as well as stations for abs and dips is featured. Other stationary exercise units will include a two-person incline sit-up bench, horizontal ladder, four-person combo-bars and five-person multi-level bars, designed to provide great cardio workouts. In all, the outdoor fitness zone will allow up to 28 people to exercise simultaneously.
49ers players, management, public relations staff, UnitedHealthCare Employer & Individual of California Senior Vice President Jeff Dooley and several others joined the 49ers players at the ribbon cutting ceremony on October 1.
The 49ers Foundation is the non-profit community funding extension of the 49ers, supporting development programs for underserved youth that keep them “Safe, On Track, and In School.” In its 19 years, the Foundation has donated over $16 million to support non-profits, including $2.4 million in 2011. For more information on the 49ers Foundation, visit www.49ers.com/community.
The dedication also correlates with the NFL’s Play 60 program, a campaign to encourage kids to be active for 60 minutes a day in order to help reverse the trend of childhood obesity. Visit www.nflrush.com/health for more information.
Peterson is one of Santa Clara Unified School District’s three middle schools.
This is the second 49ers Fitness Zone dedicated in SCUSD. The first was at Buchser Middle School in 2008.