Maryland native to urge Americans to get outside,eat smart
Three-time Olympian Dominique Dawes already practices what she preaches. At 33, she still looks like the gymnast who was a member of the gold medal "Magnificent Seven" team at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. She teaches gymnastics and tours as a motivational speaker.
On Aug. 11, Dawes and the other members of the 2000 women's gymnastics squad will be awarded the Olympic bronze team medal, which was stripped from the Chinese team for using an under-aged athlete.
Fit and poised, the Silver Spring native and University of Maryland graduate has been sworn in to co-chair with quarterback Drew Brees the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. Although she doesn't have her marching orders yet, she already knows the message, one she has lived by since age 6, when she began gymnastics.
Question: So what about this job intrigued you?
Answer: I'm still learning what I'm going to do, but I know I'm going to be a very positive spokesperson for not only the Let's Move initiative -- which was started by [first lady] Michelle Obama to combat childhood obesity and to educate kids on the importance of physical fitness and realizing that it's fun -- but also on the nutrition component. I'll also get involved in ensuring that adults in this country are becoming more physically fit and are watching what they're putting in their bodies.
Q: The first lady put you through your paces on that day [June 23] that you were sworn in. She looks pretty physically fit herself and you do, too.
A: Michelle is so fit. She came from Chicago and she's used to jumping rope ÂShe came over to my group of D.C. kids while we were jumping rope  she just started skipping so quickly. Michelle not only talks the talk but she walks the walk with her Let's Move initiative ÂI love jumping rope Âand I do about 20 to 30 to 40 minutes of jumping rope a day because that's how we warmed up during my Olympic years. So it's pretty easy for me. I'll put on my iPhone and I'll listen to some Pandora and I'll just have a great time.
Q: What is the challenge to getting kids outdoors again? For years, parents just opened the door and kids went out to play and came in at supper time. How do they overcome the inertia?
A: I believe there's a number of challenges for parents. Today is a new day and age and there's safety concerns, understandably, and so parents are reluctant to say, 'Go outside and play. Just come in when it gets dark.' We want to ensure there are safe parks to go to and not only the parks, but the pathways and transportation to get there. Maybe kids aren't interested in organized sports. We're going to try and come up with creative ways to get kids and parents and families and communities more involved.
Q: So how will the council go about introducing a new generation to the foreign concept of being outdoors and participating?
A: The Let's Move South Lawn series, which Michelle started, is a great idea. It really got kids out, on a lawn, in this case, the South Lawn. A number of [physical education] teachers from the metropolitan area volunteered their time and showed kids different activities, either speed and agility work -- which is fun to do and could be beneficial to a young athlete in the making -- but team-building exercises and nutrition exercises, so many fun things for kids to learn not only about competition or teamwork or nutrition but also to work on their physical health. This South Lawn series is perfect for parents to take and do in their own backyard with their kids or for communities to do at parks or for schools that are lacking in physical education to do during or after school hours.
Q: It's hard for families, especially in cities and close-in suburbs, to find this kind of space and also to remember what the activities are. Will this information be up on line for parents to access?
A: Right now, they can go to fitness.gov for more information. Also, they can go to letsmove.gov to get tips. But they can also go to their local boys and girls club, go to the local YMCA and YWCA. They've got organized activities already going on.
Q: How do you make the outdoors cool?
