Monticello — Imagine a physical education class where a sports icon like Tiger Woods instructs students on how to perfect a golf swing, or Buddy Lee, a USA National Greco-Roman Wrestling champ, teaches a jump rope training program. Students are eager to join in the activity, even if they are not normally involved in athletics.

It's physical education in today's world, and it could be a part of the curriculum for students in both local school systems soon, if the Growing Healthy Kids Coalition receives grant funding for the purchase of 10 HOPSports training systems.

The HOPSports training system is a state-of-the-art teaching tool that helps encourage youth and adults to get up and get moving. The Growing Healthy Kids Coalition has applied for $178,000 in Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant funds that will be used toward the purchase of 10 of the HOPSports systemsÑone for each school in the Wayne County School District and the Monticello Independent School District. There will be an extra unit available at the ASPIRE Center and one at the Extension Office for community use.

Bell Elementary already has a HOPSports system that they have been utilizing for physical education classes this year. It was purchased through a Lake Cumberland District Health Department grant, and is the only one in a Kentucky school system at this time. With the ARC grant, the Growing Healthy Kids Coalition hopes that Wayne County and Monticello schools will become the first two districts in Kentucky to have HOPSports available for every student.

Linda Brown and Gaye Hutchison with the Growing Healthy Kids Coalition were introduced to HOPSports in the fall of 2007 at a state meeting. They both thought it was a great program that would motivate all kids to participate in physical educationÑeven those who were not athletically inclined.