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TBE Running Club — part of learning
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Since it’s inception over a year ago, students at Tommie Barfield Elementary have been lining up for the running club.
Under the direction of Marianne Nordberg, school assistant, the students are improving their running and classroom skills.
The TBE Running Club started in November 2006, when Assistant Principal Jackie Prosser had the children run before school. The students soon realized that they were more able to sit and do their class work after running.
To better accommodate the students, Nordberg now has the kids running in early afternoon. They meet and discuss the running strategy for the day and Nordberg keeps a detailed accounting of each lap the students run.
“The goal is for each child to develop excellent running skills,” Nordberg said. “Each child works to be able to run one mile in less than 15 minutes. Once they reach this goal, they work to run a mile a day when the club meets.”
Not only are the students rewarded physically and academically, they earn prizes for their accomplishments on the track. When they run 27 miles, they earn a stopwatch and receive a Marathon Certificate of Achievement. At the end of the school year, the running club celebrates with a pizza party.
Principal Jory Westberry recalls that the running club was started at a brainstorming session on how to help the students become more successful.
“The running club, under the direction of Mrs. Nordberg, is giving some of our students a break when they need it most. In addition to feeling more composed when they come back to class, they are also benefitting from pride in physical accomplishment. Some of them go on to run track in middle school, so it’s inspiring as well.”
The student runners are very excited about the program.
“I heard about the running club from my brother,” said third grader Kole Bartos. “The running club helps us get rid of our energy, so that helps us in class. If I keep running, I might get money (scholarship) for college. Mrs. Nordberg is really nice and she encourages me to run on the weekends.”
Happy-go-lucky third grader Elliott Totten loves going to running club.
“I like running, so my teacher said I could go,” Elliott said. “I look forward to running club. It feels good after we finish running.”
Also inspired by the club is fourth grader Nathan Snow.
“My teacher told me about it, so I started as soon as I was able to go,” he said. “I thought I needed more exercise. It makes me feel good because it helps me improve my soccer and martial arts skills. Mrs. Nordberg is very nice and she takes the time to keep track of how I improve my running skills. My mom is very proud. She even pays me 25 cents a lap!”
One of the student runners has a different outlook on the club.
“Running club really improves my skills in running,” said third grade runner Chris Gengenbach. “It’s really fun to miss class, and most of my best friends are here.”
The students, and TBE, are fortunate to have a person of Nordberg’s caliber managing the running club.
Nordberg grew up in Bloomington, Indiana where she received her bachelor and master degrees in physical education from Indiana University. She worked many years as a physical education teacher and has coached several sports, including track and field.
In 1984, Nordberg moved to Naples with husband Michael and then three-year-old daughter Emily. In 1985, son Andrew was born. During the time that her children were young, Nordberg was a stay-at-home mom. After her children started school, she served in various volunteer positions at her children’s schools.
“Right in the middle of everything, I developed Hodgkin’s Disease in November of 2000,” said Nordberg. “After successful treatment, I have been cancer-free since July of 2001.”
A cancer survivor, Nordberg decided to go to work in the schools. She is in her fourth year at Tommie Barfield, previously working as an assistant at Lely High School for two years.
How does she feel about taking charge of the running club?
“I feel honored to be selected to coach these wonderful students and provide them guidance in developing their running skills,” said Nordberg. “I look forward to each day meeting my students and sharing with them the achievements they make in running club.
“Running has always been a key ingredient to all the sports I have coached. The more they run, the happier they become. Each day brings me joy as I see each student accomplish their goal.”
Nordberg’s is enthusiastic about working with the children.
“After all,” she said, “Children are the future of our country, and what better thing to do than be part of helping them develop their learning skills.”
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