August 19, 2024
Odessa College is the community’s college in Odessa, Texas with a rich tradition of providing fun fitness and wellness options and opportunities for more than 10,000 students and employees along with the greater Odessa community. In 2022, the OC Board of Trustees unanimously incorporated a state-of-the-art Fitness Court® into the college’s Vision 2030+ master plan.
The college is home to a 110,000 square foot multi-purpose Sports Center which is free for students and employees, and offers paid memberships to the community. The Sports Center also houses the colleges’ Kinesiology and Exercise Science degree programs with 600 duplicated students who have plans to incorporate the Fitness Court® into student athlete training. As a balance to the paid Sports Center option for community residents, the college also wanted to offer a free option to workout and build community adjacent to the Sports Center.
Enter the Fitness Court®.
On February 2, 2024, the state-of-the-art Fitness Court® presented by National Fitness Campaign, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Odessa College was officially launched to the college and greater Odessa community. Odessa College becomes just the second higher education partner and first community college to join the Blue Cross campaign in Texas.
The new Fitness Court® was celebrated alongside the grand opening of James Segrest Stadium, named after the legendary James Segrest, who served as Odessa College's head track and field coach from 1973 to 1988 and the Odessa College athletic director from 1988 to 1995.
“One of the best track and field runners and coaches in the history of track and field and he made his mark at Odessa College many, many years ago," Odessa College President Gregory Williams said at the opening ceremony. "Did a wonderful job for our community and for our college. We thought it was appropriate to honor him in this way.”
A large crowd of over 100 from the campus and greater Odessa community came together to celebrate the momentous day with a ceremonial walk around the new track followed by a live demonstration on the Fitness Court®.
“What an honor it was to represent Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas for the unveiling of our outdoor Fitness Court,” Evan Sherbine shared after the event on LinkedIn. “These Fitness Courts welcome adults of all ages and fitness levels and are free to the public!”
OC Tennis Coach and adaptive athlete extraordinaire Adam Lucio led the activation event on launch day with students and staff on the Fitness Court®. As a wheelchair athlete, Adam was able to showcase how each of the 7 zones on a Fitness Court® are ADA accessible and how everyone can modify based on their level of fitness or ability. Adam’s story of determination and his message that "mindset and attitude is everything" resonated with all in attendance. Lucio, who has excelled in NWFL and NWBA wheelchair leagues now plans to dedicate time to coaching young OC athletes at their new Fitness Court® through perseverance, inclusivity, and the pursuit of personal goals in the face of adversity.
The collaboration between National Fitness Campaign, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Odessa College illustrates the powerful outcomes that can be achieved when organizations come together with a shared vision for community health. Odessa College became the 20th healthy community to officially launch their Fitness Court® as part of the Blue Cross campaign in Texas since the partnership began less than two years ago.
As we look forward to the impact this Fitness Court® will have on Odessa and beyond, we are reminded of the importance of investing in spaces that not only promote physical well-being but also foster social connections and community resilience.
Together, we are making Texas a healthier, stronger, and more inclusive place for everyone.
