In many towns in rural America, the Friday night lights of local football fields shine over empty fields, due to a significant and growing decline in sports participation. To put it into perspective, in the year 1983, 355 Nebraska high schools had football programs. Fast forward to 2013, and only 282 programs remained. The problem is exacerbated every year, as participation numbers continue to decline. Socioeconomic concerns, fear of injury, and a lack of available, qualified, and willing coaches seem to be sources of the problem. This is concerning for a number of reasons, as school athletics have a number of significant benefits to students. For one, regular physical activity has been scientifically proven to lower the likelihood of … [Read more...]

Image Source: Pixabay If you’re going out of town for a vacation, a business trip, or personal reasons, you may be worried about sticking to your exercise routine. While not being able to stick to your regular schedule might feel stressful, it can be a hidden opportunity to get creative and try some new exercises. With the right mindset and a little planning, you can stay fit even as you travel. Road Trip Fitness For some, road trips provide time to yourself to listen to music and focus on nothing but the road and your company for a few hours. For others, road trips are simply an unavoidable, stressful endeavor to get from point A to point B. Regardless, the long amounts of sitting accompanied by junk food snacks from the gas … [Read more...]

Image Source: pixabay.com The vast majority of people agree, traveling is one of the best ways to completely check out and reset. But given this information, a shocking number of people, especially within the United States, just don’t do it. In fact, nearly 29% of American adults admit they have never left the country.  Many of these people are missing out on the thousands of reasons to experience traveling. Sure, there are certainly reasons traveling abroad can be out of reach, but even getting out of the state offers a lot of positive experiences. Believe it or not, traveling can actually change your life altogether.  Traveling — not just business trips, but actually packing bags, turning off the work phone, and taking … [Read more...]

Image Source: Unsplash Your home and your car are probably always going to be two of the biggest assets you have at any given time. So, it only makes sense to make them a priority. Taking care of your home and your vehicle will make them withstand the test of time and can actually end up saving you a lot of money, time, and headaches in the long run. There are plenty of benefits to performing your own maintenance checks and doing some handyman work. When you do something yourself, you’ll undoubtedly take the time to do it right and protect your investments. But there’s also a sense of pride that comes along with doing your own maintenance. You can feel as handy as Tim Allen in “Home Improvement” — but maybe with a few more safety … [Read more...]

Image Source: Pexels Schools are supposed to be one of the safest places for children. With hundreds of kids concentrated in one place filled with staff who are focused on their education, parents are supposed to feel secure that their children are in good hands. However, the large number of people moving in and out of one place can often pose certain risks. Whether your child rides the bus, a bike, or walks to school, there are many factors that can influence how safe they are at any given time. This includes whether their school campus is well lit, if there are safe zone markings along the road, as well as low speed limits in case children walk into the street without warning. Safety in School Zones Depending on where you … [Read more...]