Youth Fitness Trainer

Fitness Education Officer

The fitness officer is responsible for ensuring the cadet fitness program is implemented successfully. This officer teaches the skills and knowledge that cadets need to live physically active, healthy lives. They conduct classroom training, monitor the cadets’ performance in physical fitness activities, mentor cadets informally, assist with goal setting and assessment, and organize cadet fitness activities. Overall, they work to help cadets attain a healthy level of fitness and prepare them for an active life. Fitness officers do not need to be elite athletes, but should model an active lifestyle for cadets. This is a good position for a volunteer who wants to serve for one or two meetings per month plus an occasional Saturday or more.

Key Duties & Best Practices

1. Teach & Inspire Cadets. The FEO shares his or her enthusiasm for fitness and nutrition, acting as a classroom teacher or activity leader. By teaching cadets about healthy lifestyles and exposing them to different sports, games and exercises the FEO aims to support lifelong healthy and physical activity.

2. Manage the Fitness Program. Units are required to offer at least one hour of fitness programing each month, with most of the time spent doing moderate to vigorous physical activity. Cadets should lead the majority of the cadet fitness activities and classes. The Fitness Officer sets the tone for the fitness program and helps coach the cadets to be as hands-on as possible with their experience level. The Fitness Officer should require new trainers to provide a detailed outline before they teach a class and demonstrate a strong understanding of the fitness activity before they lead it. As cadets gain more experience they’ll need less direct oversight, but the Fitness Officer remains the person responsible for ensuring the fitness program is delivered appropriately to cadets.

3. Cadet Protection. Ensuring that the Cadet Protection Policies are followed is everyone’s responsibility. The Fitness Officer regularly observes unit operations to ensure alignment with the Cadet Protection Policy. When cadet protection violations or boundary concerns arise, they swiftly address concerns.

4. Safety & Risk Management. The Fitness Officer also familiarizes themselves with the Activity Risk Management Pamphlet and follow CAP’s Safety Risk Management Process of identifying hazards, assessing risks, developing controls, implementing controls and evaluating effectiveness for all activities and events.

5. Mentor Cadets. Every cadet has different fitness needs and goals. The Fitness Officer helps cadets set their fitness goals appropriately and helps them to create their plans to reach them. Encourage cadets to use the S.M.A.R.T. goal setting process and track their progress. Fitness Officers encourage the discussion of fitness goals during leadership feedback meetings and promotion review board. Note that the process of setting the goal and working diligently to attain it is more important than whether the goal is met. The Fitness Officer help to recognize cadets’ fitness achievements and encourage those who are struggling.

6. Lead Outreach Activities. The volunteer looks beyond the squadron into the local community and wing. Encourage squadron participation in local fitness events, such as bike races or fun runs. The squadron might also volunteer to work at these events, assisting with parking, water stops, etc. to support fitness in their local community. The volunteer may also help to organize wing or group cadet fitness events, such as a Wing Ironman challenge or Cadet Olympics.

7. Conduct Fitness Assessments. Conduct fitness assessments quarterly, or more frequently as necessary, to assist cadets in measuring their fitness. The volunteer should be familiar with the testing protocols and instruct cadets how to perform the exercises. After the assessment, the volunteer ensures that the cadets’ results are recorded.

Founded in 1941 and established as the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force seven years later, Civil Air Patrol is chartered by Congress as a nonprofit organization for the purposes of youth development, aerospace education, and to promote general aviation. In an auxiliary role as a Total Force partner of the Air Force, CAP operates the world’s largest fleet of single-engine aircraft for search and rescue, disaster relief, training, and education. Civil Air Patrol is dedicated to serving America’s communities, saving lives, and shaping futures.

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