The “Boys of Fall” are back once again—-ONE MORE GAME VI will be played on Saturday, September 1 at Williamson Field in Pontiac. This “fantasy camp” for guys wanting to relive their glory days, experience the game of football for the first time, or just want to put on the pads one more time are eligible to play. In 2011, several cahnges were made that made the whole experience the best one yet.
For more details, click ONE MORE GAME
Champion Fitness Physcial Therapy is looking to hire physical therapists (PTs) for the Champaign and Tuscola areas. Any interested applicants should contact Human Resource Officer Stephanie Kennedy (skennedy@champfit.com) at their earliest convenience. (877-348-8500)
Champion Fitness Physical Therapy is EXPANDING!!!
Owner and Physical Therapist Jeffery C. Schade announced recently that TWO new physical therapy clinics will open by the end of January. The sites are located in Metamora at 912 W. Mt. Vernon Ave. and in Newton at 100 S. Sycamore. With seventeen clinics now all over central Illinois, Champion Fitness Physical Therapy continues its efforts to be able to offer its many services to area families. The company has always maintained a strong reputation for standing behind its patients by scheduling their first appointment within 24-48 hours, educating them along the way, and offering a caring staff who makes the physical therapy process as convenient and comfortable as possible.
Owner Schade is excited about the opportunity to provide services to both areas. “We are thrilled with the chance to have these clinics in Metamora and Newton,” Schade said. “These communities are exactly the type we look for when we search for areas to possibly expand. The city officials and the townspeople in both cities have been exceptionally warm to our arrival, and we look forward to serving the clientele in both areas. Our physical therapists for these clinics, Michael Bennington for Metamora and Cory Hanley for Newton, are both a couple of the top therapists in our company, so that should make things easy as well,” Schade noted.”
Schade went on to add, “The goal with each patient is to help that individual ‘Get Busy Living!’ We want that person to get back to enjoying the lifestyle that he or she was doing earlier, or even things he or she maybe hasn’t done for years, things like dancing at a wedding reception, or swinging that driver on the first tee, pushing that lawnmower, or planting those onions in the backyard garden. At Champion Fitness Physical Therapy, the patient comes first-always!”
Among the services offered by the clinic include therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, therapeutic modalities, and recovery exercise programs. Regardless of the situation, whether it be an accident occurring at home, an athletic injury, an industrial rehabilitation case, or just a case of Mother Nature catching up to an individual, Champion Fitness Physical Therapy gives the folks in both the Metamora-Germantown Hills area and the Newton-Jasper County area an opportunity to receive prompt, convenient, and comforting care. “We would like to be your choice for physical therapy for the rest of your life,” Schade concluded.
In honor of the 15th Anniversary of Champion Fitness Physical Therapy, staff members collaborated efforts to create a souvenir cookbook of their most “famous” recipes. A limited number of these cookbooks are available at your local Champion Fitness Physical Therapy clinic for $10 with all of the proceeds benefitting the “Champion in Needs” fund. Call 877-348-8500 for more details.
Do you know what the biggest mistake patients make when considering Physical Therapy?
It’s the idea that they have NO option when choosing a provider. It’s that they HAVE to go here or there, based on what someone else tells them.
NOT TRUE at all!!!
The fact of the matter is that the choice for physical therapy lies with YOU—– the individual who needs it. Naturally, you may get suggestions from doctors or clinicians to use one place or another because of an affiliation with a certain locale, but in no way are you required to follow their lead. The secret is for you to find the right place, the right atmosphere, the right therapist, the most convenient scheduling, and, most importantly, the best chance for you to make the type of recovery you feel you can make. Just like choosing a dentist or beautician or even a mechanic, the number one factor in making that decision involves TRUST. Right behind also has to be HONESTY and INTEGRITY.
Certainly, we are always pleased whenever someone chooses Champion Fitness Physical Therapy for his/her care. What makes more sense, though, is knowing that a correct decision in the quest to “Get Busy Living!” again is made by the patient. You, the patient, are the one who has to choose; we want you back doing things you were doing before you started with much more ease and comfort. That’s the result you want when choosing physical therapy.
At Champion Fitness Physical Therapy, the patient comes first—always! Whether it be Work, Play, or Everyday, we want to help you “Get Busy Living!”
We want to be your physical therapy provider for life.
But…the decision is entirely up to you!
This Friday, as part of our celebration of October—-National Physical Therapy month, Champion Fitness Physical Therapy employees will be honoring one of the most important causes our country faces…Breast Cancer Awareness. October is also National Breast Cancer Awareness month, and our staff members will be wearing Pink this Friday to show their support for Breast Cancer. Stop by and see how your local clinic is decked out.
Stephen Bardo is pictured with St. Mary's Principal Richard Moorehouse (L) and Champion Fitness owner Jeff Schade (R). Bardo spoke to St. Mary's students.
Champion Fitness Physical Therapy helped as well in sponsoring the St. Mary’s event.
The 2011 IESA Class A softball crown returns to Casey-Westfield for the first time since 1997 as the Lady Braves defeated Bourbonnais 12-6 in the title game for this year’s hardware.
The Lady Braves defeated Dwight 11-0 in five innings on Friday mornning to advance to the trophy round on Saturday. In the morning session, CW knocked off Bloomington Holy Trinity 9-3 to get to the title game.
In the championship game, the Lady Braves battled back from an early deficit to take the crown by a 12-6 score over Bourbonnais and finish the year with a 24-1 record.
“My 8th grade class stepped up huge this whole weekend,” said head coach Chey Howe. “(We picked it up) all around in batting and in the field which helped my 6th and 7th graders step up as well.
“I am a VERY proud coach and have been privileged to have coached a number of the 8th grade class this summer where they showed me the potential they had when they worked out the loser bracket to receive 2nd at State then finishing in the top 14 teams at the World Series; they deserved to add this to their list.
“They are just very well rounded athletes that know the game well… in certain situations on defense I didn’t even have to tell them to do little things as to get the lead runner or look the runner back.
Here are the first two winners of our Fall 2011 “Get Busy Living” Performer of the Week contest. Your school could be just like theirs and win $100 for the PE department. E-mail your entry to mpeterson@ champfit.com
Week #1 Winner--Cumberland HS QB Kendal Butler (C) along with AD Roy Clapp and Champion's PT Cory Hanley, himself a Cumberland HS alum
Week #2 Winner Flanagan-Cornell-Woodland HS RB-LB Josh Long (R) with Head Coach and AD Ted O'Boyle
Maybe we should have changed the name to “One More Play!”
With lightning flashing in the nearby sky, Orange QB Drew Peterson had one last play to try to bring his team back from a 30-28 deficit. As he looked downfield for one of his wide receivers from the White team’s 35 yardline, the protection broke down, and he was forced to scramble. He broke containment, headed down the east sideline, racing toward the endzone. At the ten yardline, he avoided a defender, but that juke allowed White team’s Michael Hert to close in. A collision…bodies grunted…a lunge…and a winning…saving tackle by Hert as Peterson landed on the one yard line!
Orange players wanted one more play to get in, but officials has already decided that the weather was too threatening, so with 5:24 left on the clock, the game was called….and Pontiac Mayor Bob Russell earned his third straight victory in the series, topping former head coach Mick Peterson’s Orange Team 30-28.
It was by far the best game in the five-years as the format was adjusted to fit the number of players involved. Fifty-yard field, eight on eight squads, more emphasis on offense resulted in easily the highest scoring game in history. Former Pontiac All-State quarterback Tommy Green hooked up for touchdown passes to former Indians Chad Nelson, Blake Stadel, and Paul Kelly, while Andy Lauber, Travis Miller, Peterson, and Chad Sibert scored for the Orange. The difference was a PAT scored by Stadel on the White’s last score.
Champion Fitness Physical Therapy owner Jeff Schade was ecstatic about the game, despite the fact that he once again came out on the short end of the scoring. “We had only 27 guys, we practiced and played through some tough heat and humidity; and everybody just played lights out!” he said after the game. “We have a format that we all like now, and we really can’t wait til next year to do it all over again.”
Proceeds from the event benefit the Champion Fitness Physical Therapy/Jill Bane Memorial Scholarship fund.
Watch and see for yourself!!!!!!
For the past two years, Pontiac Mayor Bob Russell has been on the winning sideline as coach in the One More Game competition, the annual one-day football spectacular now entering its fifth year here in Pontiac. Back in 2009, Russell’s squad defeated Pontiac High School’s Social Studies chairman Eric Sweetwood’s Orange squad 12-6 in double overtime; last year, Russell and former PTHS Athletic Director & Coach Don Daluga proved once again that “veteran” coaches can still get it done as their White team used two first half touchdowns and a staunch defense to upend the Orange squad of the “younger” coaches Eric Sweetwood, PTHS Social Studies Chairman and Mark Myre of WJEZ Radio 14-6.
This year, though, Coach Russell will face his “toughest” test yet as his opponent across the field will be former PTHS head coach and recently named Hall of Fame member Mick Peterson. The game will mark Peterson’s first contest since he retired from coaching following the 2006 season. Peterson’s last game at Williamson Field was a 14-7 Senior Night victory over Rochester on a cold, blustery October night back in that final year.
The fifth rendition of One More Game takes place on September 3 at Williamson Field. All of the proceeds from the event benefit the Champion Fitness Physical Therapy-Jill Bane Memorial Scholarship Fund, awarded to prospective students entering the physical therapy or athletic training fields.
Jeff Schade, owner of Champion Fitness Physical Therapy and organizer of the annual occasion, looks forward to the day each and every year. “The guys just have a great time every year, and the stories that go along with it get better and better. Plus, we are able to use the proceeds from the day to help benefit the Jill Bane Memorial Scholarship Fund. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Mike Farris from Casey was the winner of the 42″ HD TV in the 15th Anniversary Celebration drawing. Farris’ name was selected from a pool of over 4300 entries from all fifteen clinics in the Champion Fitness Physical Therapy family. The winner of the $100 restaurant certificate for 2nd prize was Barb Kobel of Champaign, while Sue Burke, also of Champaign, won the 3rd prize of a $50 restaurant certificate.
Congratulations to the Pontiac Boys and Girls Club, the winner of the $1000 top prize!!!!!!!!!
The Pontiac clinic finished in 1st place overall by scoring a total of 114.5 points, earning the $1000 for the Pontiac Boys and Girls Club. Other winners included: the Dwight Youth Baseball and Softball Leagues (2nd prize of $750); the Tuscola Boys Scouts (3rd prize of $500); and the Streator Community Center (4th prize of $250).
Prize totals reflected the overall scoring by the fifteen clinics in the Champion Fitness Physical Therapy family. Final results are listed below:
| Clinic | Promo Ave. | Pts. | Online | Pts. | Pre-Sign | Pts. | Gameday | Pts. | Attendees | Pts. | Total | Pts. | Semi-Total | Vote | Total Points | Place | Winners |
| Casey | 7 | 6.5 | 4 | 1 | 54 | 5 | 230 | 13 | 175 | 12.5 | 463 | 12 | 50 | 22 | 72 | 5 | |
| Lincoln | 8 | 9 | 24 | 11 | 59 | 6 | 207 | 12 | 146 | 10 | 436 | 10 | 58 | 12 | 70 | 7 | |
| Bloomington | 14 | 14.5 | 7 | 2.5 | 40 | 3 | 142 | 7 | 110 | 7 | 299 | 5 | 39 | 10 | 49 | 12 | |
| Morton | 3 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 32 | 2 | 23 | 1 | 40 | 2 | 104 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 15 | |
| Champaign | 7 | 6.5 | 17 | 7 | 71 | 8 | 105 | 4 | 75 | 4 | 268 | 4 | 33.5 | 16 | 49.5 | 11 | |
| Tuscola | 11 | 10.5 | 13 | 6 | 251 | 15 | 257 | 14 | 155 | 11 | 676 | 14 | 70.5 | 18 | 88.5 | 3 | $500 |
| Urbana | 5 | 3 | 7 | 2.5 | 26 | 1 | 46 | 2 | 30 | 1 | 109 | 2 | 11.5 | 6 | 17.5 | 14 | |
| Fairbury | 7 | 6.5 | 21 | 8 | 74 | 10 | 131 | 5 | 135 | 9 | 361 | 7 | 45.5 | 20 | 65.5 | 8 | |
| CC-Diamond | 7 | 6.5 | 32 | 12 | 42 | 4 | 96 | 3 | 80 | 5 | 250 | 3 | 33.5 | 4 | 37.5 | 13 | |
| LeRoy | 6 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 72 | 9 | 147 | 8 | 175 | 12.5 | 402 | 9 | 46.5 | 8 | 54.5 | 10 | |
| Minonk | 11 | 10.5 | 22 | 9 | 75 | 11 | 170 | 11 | 133 | 8 | 400 | 8 | 57.5 | 14 | 71.5 | 6 | |
| Streator | 12 | 12 | 26 | 11 | 138 | 12 | 168 | 10 | 109 | 6 | 441 | 11 | 62 | 26 | 88 | 4 | $250 |
| Pekin | 4 | 2 | 79 | 15 | 70 | 7 | 132 | 6 | 63 | 3 | 344 | 6 | 39 | 24 | 63 | 9 | |
| Dwight | 13 | 13 | 36 | 14 | 179 | 13 | 161 | 9 | 178 | 14 | 554 | 13 | 76 | 30 | 106 | 2 | $750 |
| Pontiac | 14 | 14.5 | 34 | 13 | 248 | 14 | 298 | 15 | 247 | 15 | 827 | 15 | 86.5 | 28 | 114.5 | 1 | $1,000 |
Here are the results of our 24 hour vote….the FINAL category of our Clinic competition!
We will be posting the the final results of the clinic competition and announce the winners of the 4 Grand Prizes for Local Youth Organizations here at 4:00 this afternoon!!!!!!
“It was the third of September,
that day I’ll always remember (yes I will),
cuz that was the day that my daddy….”
…played in ONE MORE GAME V!!!!!!
With respect to the Temptations, September 3 IS the day for One More Game V, the fifth annual fantasy football day when the boys of “old” become the “boys of fall” again. All proceeds go to the Champion Fitness Physical Therapy/Jill Bane Memorial Scholarship fund. Click here for more details!
Through the generosity of a local business, the Village of Saunemin/Saunemin School District Fitness Center has once again received several new pieces of equipment to upgrade their facility. For the second time in eighteen months, Champion Fitness Physical Therapy has donated several new free weights and weight machines to the Saunemin center, valued at over $18,000.
Champion owner Jeff Schade, a graduate of Saunemin High School in 1985, saw another great opportunity to help out his boyhood community. “Our company recently went through some changes in our wellness facilities, and we had a surplus of equipment on hand,” Schade explained. “It just made sense to us to see that the equipment would be put to good use. We helped (the Fitness Center) out back when they opened with equipment too, so that made it easy. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
The Village of Saunemin and the Saunemin School District joined forces back in 2008 to construct a new gymnasium for the grade school and community fitness center together. The project culminated with the doors opening in January of 2010. Currently, the fitness center has over 160 members from Saunemin and the surrounding area.
Summer hours are 7 AM- 12 PM and 3-9 PM Monday through Friday and 9-12 on Saturday.
PTHS PE Co-department heads Gary Brunner (L) and Betty Murphy are joined by AD Ryan Pearson to collect the Indians award.
Marshall High AD Pete Manuel (C) is flanked by Girls BB Coach Kathy Miller, teacher Sara Brannan, Boys BB Coach Tom Brannan, Head FB Coach Todd Evers, and Volleyball/Track Coach Mike Farrell.
In the end, the students at Pontiac and Marshall High Schools were the real winners. The Best Team Since 1996 contest resulted in both finalists each earning $500 for their PE departments after a computer system malfunction was discovered during the final competition. Pontiac High was represented by their 2002 Class 5A semi-final football team, and the school felt this “gift” was a fitting send-off to retiring co-department head Betty Murphy, a long-time proponent of fitness in the schools. Marshall High AD Pete Manuel decided to share the wealth. Each of the elementary/junior high schools that feed into Marshall received $100 apiece, while the high school itself kept $200.
AA Denise Noe, PTA Ricki Tuffentsamer, PT Tim Highland, PTA Autumn Gillibrand, and PTA Christine Hoving are the new members of the 2011 President's Council for Champion Fitness Physical Therapy.
Pontiac High School students wishing to become athletic trainers someday will be given the opportunity to gain valuable experience through a new program to be initiated this fall. The program, formed jointly by the PTHS Athletic Department and Champion Fitness Physical Therapy, will provide selected students with hands-on training techniques and concepts involving athletic teams at PTHS under the supervision of a certified athletic trainer.
“This is a program we’ve wanted to get started for a few years now,” Champion Fitness Physical Therapy owner Jeff Schade stated, “and we finally have the staff available to see it off the ground. Kevin Casey, who serves as our trainer at PTHS, will coordinate the program, but we will also rely on others for input along the way, including our own ATC Luke Thompson and Jill Francis at the high school.”
The program will be open to students who have a love of athletics and a desire to help others. “It could be a manager of a current team; it might be an incoming freshman; it could be someone who loves sports but maybe can’t play for one reason or another; or maybe it could be an athlete who’s involved during one season and maybe not another, but he or she just wants to stay involved,” Schade commented. “There’s a lot of time involved and a lot of commitment, but the rewards are long-lasting.”
Students will attend workshops and seminars early in their training, picking up the necessary knowledge to help service a squad. Taping techniques, assisting injured performers, applying heat and cold treatments will be just a few of the many fundamental principles taught along the way. “We will have them come to our clinic in the morning before school, for example,” said Schade, “so they can actually see how modalities’ applications are done properly. We’ll also emphasize the importance of stretching and focus on specific stretches that they can use with athletes on the teams they will be servicing.”
Both PTHS Principal Jon Kilgore and Athletic Director Ryan Pearson endorse the idea. “We see it as a win-win for everybody. With all the programs we have here, our one trainer on staff can’t be everywhere, and now we have an extra set of hands to help out,” noted Pearson. Kilgore sees the long-range benefit of the program. “It’s an excellent teaching tool and a great possibility for a career choice for our students down the road,” he added.
Students with questions can contact Champion Fitness Physical Therapy at 815-844-5411 (ext 1107). The official sign-up for interested applicants will take place on August 11 during the Parents’ Night meeting at the PTHS auditorium.
From the Desk of Jeff Schade:
Champion Fitness Physical Therapy-Jill Bane Memorial Scholarship
Jill Bane was well known for serving the Pontiac community as an Athletic Trainer and Physical Therapist Assistant at Champion Fitness Physical Therapy. Highly regarded by the athletes, parents, and patients she worked with, Jill built her reputation by putting patients first. Jill truly loved her career, and she held close to her heart the family of co-workers and friends that she made in her eleven years at Champion Fitness Physical Therapy. Jill worked with numerous students and served as a mentor and inspiration to new employees and students interested in the athletic training and physical therapy fields. In the spirit of her commitment to advancing patient care, Champion Fitness Physical Therapy is offering the Jill Bane Memorial Scholarship.
This scholarship is available to any senior who plans to pursue a career in either physical therapy or athletic training. Applicants must reside within a thirty-mile radius of any of the fifteen Champion Fitness Physical Therapy clinics in central Illinois and have maintained a 3.0 GPA. One letter of character reference from a non-family member is required, along with a 1-2 page essay discussing the following prompt-“How have my high school experiences prepared me to enter the physical therapy/athletic training field?” Deadline for all materials is April 16. Winners will be announced by May 1.
Applicants should submit all materials (Letter & Essay) to:
Mick Peterson (e-mail: mpeterson@champfit.com)
Champion Fitness Physical Therapy
924 W Custer Ave.
Pontiac, IL 61764