Dear Mayor Nutter

I'd Like to Be the New Fitness Czar. An Open Letter.

by David Sylvester

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Published: Jan 16, 2008

For years now, our city has ranked up there as one of the fattest in the land. Many people beat on themselves every time they look in the mirror in the morning — we certainly don't need other cities piling on, trying to make us feel worse.

We need a public face, speaking about health, fitness and wellness to stave off that negative image. In short, we need a fitness czar.

As a lifelong Philadelphian who attended Central High School and Temple University, I have taken part in many of the unique fitness events the city offers: the Broad Street Run, triathlons, biathlons, Mr. Philadelphia bodybuilding competitions, the Philadelphia Distance Run, stair-climb runs and more. Whether as a competitor or being there to support others, attending these events has given me a great vantage point to see and, more importantly, feel the value of a healthy lifestyle.

I've spent much of my career as a part of the YMCA of Philadelphia family, teaching a wide array of classes and training an even wider array of people. More importantly, I've learned to appreciate the value of exposing people to useful knowledge and teaching them how to apply it to their daily lives.

The city's fitness czar should do something similar, picking up where other city, state and federal agencies fall short and fill in the gaps. There is more than enough theoretical information out there, but your average citizen needs more practical applications and, most importantly, motivation to use that information.

We have many recreation centers around the city that are extremely underutilized by our citizens. In each of these centers an individual has a ton of space and opportunity to improve their health and conditioning level and with a few additions to the czar Web site — such as an exercise-a-day section — we can give Philadelphians a wealth of fitness information and show them how to train.

People aren't unhealthy because they want to be. They are unhealthy because they don't know otherwise. I want to help change that.

I have bicycled across three continents [Cover Story, "The Long Ride," Mary Wilson, August 2, 2007] — Africa, Asia and North America — to raise funds for a local charity. That alone makes me more than a compelling, motivated and uniquely qualified candidate for the position.

I'm sure that you and your staff are debating whether to even retain the czar position, and with the city's budget and other problems, it is wise and prudent to hold that debate; nevertheless, this position is a vital one.

You know, one of the most fascinating things is to see something grow: plants, societies, ideas, ideals and attitudes; as a personal trainer I have seen this growth in people. I've heard "I can't" morph into "I can" and "why not?" If just 10 percent of the residents of the city are happier and healthier, then think of the lives that they will in turn touch and potentially enhance. Think about how much better this city can be if that happens.

Better yet, when that happens.

Your Honor, I respectfully ask you to accompany me on a bike ride around the city to discuss the possibilities of all this.

David Sylvester can be reached via City Paper, Mr. Mayor.

 

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