...for City of Southlake news, business, and community happenings.
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- fitness
Monday, December 4, 2023
The autumn season has brought a whirlwind of exciting changes to Champions Club, and we can’t wait to share the buzz with you. One of the most thrilling updates is the arrival of our new team members, each bringing their unique energy to elevate your experience.
First in line is Ryan Tompkins, our enthusiastic Fitness Supervisor. With a passion for motivating you towards your fitness goals, he’s here to make your workouts extraordinary. Ryan is very excited to join the Champions Club team. “The people (members, staff, co-workers, and supervisors are awesome! Everyone has gone out of their way to make me feel welcome in joining the team!”
Here are a few fun tidbits about Ryan:
But that’s not all—say hello to Hayde Miranda, our new Guest Services Supervisor! Hayde’s exceptional performance as the Champions Club Rentals Coordinator earned her this role, and she’s all about delivering world-class experiences.
Discover what Hayde has to say about her exciting new position. “It has been a pleasure working with the Southlake community and getting to know all our wonderful members. Southlake is an incredibly vibrant city, and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of the Community Services team. Our team delivers excellence and is wholeheartedly dedicated to providing world-class experiences!”
Next up is Vanessa Sanchez, the creative genius behind our member appreciation events, fabulous giveaways, and goal-crushing campaigns as the Membership Services Coordinator. Get ready to be wowed by her innovative ideas as you embark on your Champions Club journey. When asked about her impressions of Champions Club so far, Vanessa stated, “I have enjoyed the community that surrounds me. Everyone has been so welcoming and kind to me throughout my time here at Champions Club. I appreciate all the help and patience from those I work and interact with every day.”
Get to know her a bit better:
Last but not least, meet Anna Valdez, the Rentals Coordinator extraordinaire. She’s your go-to for transforming our spaces into epic event zones. Imagine your next birthday party becoming a life-long memory, all thanks to Anna. Anna has already made a great impression. “What I have enjoyed most about working at Champions Club so far is the fun environment that I am welcomed with every day when coming to work. Whether it’s with the guests or my coworkers, Champions Club knows how to have fun!”
Find out more about her and her talents:
These incredible individuals have already hit the ground running in their new roles, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have them as part of the team. To our Champions Club members, be sure to give them a warm welcome and say hello when you see them. Together, we’re shaping the future of Champions Club!
The Champions Club family is thrilled to invite you and your family to a day filled with fun and excitement at the Champions Club Open House!
Mark your calendars for Saturday, July 29, for a free morning of incredible activities. No passes are required! Join us from 10:00 AM- 12:00 PM and bring your little champs to experience world-class activities planned exclusively for them. Kids of all ages will be delighted by various activities, including games, crafts, a fun obstacle course, and more!
Kids won’t have all the fun, however! Parents can also learn about the exciting lineup of programs and classes for Fall. If you’re not a Champions Club member, this is the perfect chance to explore what you’re missing at our award-winning community recreational facility.
Our friendly staff will have free snacks and drinks available, and they will be more than willing to give you a tour of the facility and answer all your questions. Learn what differentiates us from other gyms and see the Champions Club difference. Our vision is to be the premier destination for life-long memories.
Don’t miss your chance to join the Champions Club family. We’ll see you all on July 29!
It wouldn’t be Park and Recreation Month without celebrating the world-class efforts of our Recreation Division.
The Recreation team is the largest division of the Community Services Department. Their work makes our community stronger. From Athletics to Aquatics, these individuals go above and beyond to create life-long memories for our residents.
The City of Southlake boasts premier recreation facilities and programs, and the recreation professionals in charge of them take pride in delivering the best possible service. Whether you visit the Bob Jones Nature Center, Champions Club, or enroll in one of our programs, you’re bound to run into someone from the Recreation Division. Let’s learn more about their day-to-day.
Athletics: This mighty team runs our athletic leagues, hosts athletic clinics, programs, camps, and partners with our athletic associations to provide recreational athletics services to the Southlake community. They are naturally excellent teammates!
Aquatics: Our top-notch staff manages the award-winning Aquatics Center in Champions Club. Their priority is everyone’s safety while ensuring Champions Club members have access to fun aquatics programs.
Fitness and Performance: This energetic group is all about helping people develop healthy habits. They are happy to help Champions Club members on their fitness journey and always do it with a smile. Their can-do attitude makes everything they do look easy!
Guest Services: This team represents Champions Club to members and visitors daily. They care deeply about forming meaningful connections with our members and take pride in representing our premier recreation facility. Greet them at the Front Desk, and they will surely return the smile!
Marq Maintenance: You don’t become an award-winning facility without a fantastic maintenance team. This dedicated group of staff is responsible for facility safety, maintenance, contract management, and the custodial needs of The Marq Southlake.
Programs: This team is about creating outstanding programs for the entire community to enjoy. From Club Metro to Camp Mania, the Programs team is committed to creating world-class experiences for people to enjoy during their free time.
Happy Park and Recreation Month to the Community Services Recreation Division! This team represents where our community grows every day!
There are a lot of new faces at Champions Club, and Melanie Starkey, our new Manager on Duty, is one of them.
Champions Club members know that the sleek black polos our MODs wear signify world-class customer service, and Melanie is ready to rise to the occasion. Melanie has a track record of outstanding customer service, having worked in the customer service industry for over seven years. For Melanie, it’s not just about doing the job. It’s about serving our community.
“I’m deeply passionate about providing the best possible customer care. I am currently enrolled in college, pursuing a bachelor’s in business administration. What brought me to Southlake is wanting to grow as a public servant for a vibrant community,” stated Melanie.
Since beginning in her position, Melanie has taken the time to get to know the Champions Club family. She’s thrilled to work for and with an amazing group of people and states that her favorite part of the job has been connecting with Champions Club members. “I love being a part of their daily lives!”
Champions Club members can find Melanie behind the front desk or running around the facility. She’s always willing to help our members, answer questions, and resolve issues. She also loves to talk and is eager to strike up a conversation to get to know our members better! Don’t be shy next time you visit Champions Club, and be sure to stop and chat with Melanie.
Like all Recreation professionals, Melanie understands the value of free time and fueling hobbies outside work. When she’s not at Champions Club, she likes to spend time with her friends, family, and dog Nugget. “I also love live music, reading, and playing video games!” exclaimed Melanie.
Welcome to the team, Melanie! We’re excited to see how you continue to provide world-class customer service to our Champions Club family.
It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
The Fit City Challenge officially kicks off on Saturday, April 1. The 6-week challenge will test the cities of Southlake, Keller, and Colleyville and in the end, will award one of them as the Most Fit City 2023. We’ll challenge you to be physically active, focus on your well-being, and work with your fellow residents to move Southlake to the top of the leaderboard!
Join Team Southlake
The goal for this challenge is for Team Southlake to achieve the highest average point total. How do we do that? First, join the team, and then get active!
Not a part of Team Southlake Yet? Follow these steps to register.
Extra Tips
When you’re creating your account, one of the questions asks if you’d like to sync a wearable device. If you have one, say yes! All you’ll need to do is select your device from the list and the app will do the rest.
If you’ve already created your account, and forgot to sync your device or missed that step, no worries here are some step-by-step directions to sync your device.
Don’t have a wearable device? Not to worry, you can still manually input your activity. Here’s how to log activity.
Or, use the GPS tracker to record your activity in real-time.
Still, have more questions? Visit the 2023 Fit City Challenge webpage for more information and to view a few video tutorials.
Go Team Southlake!
It’s another motivational Monday at the Community Services Department as we pause to recognize International Day of Happiness.
March 20 is the UN International Day of Happiness. Parks and Recreation professionals know a thing or two about happiness because it’s our job! This year’s theme is “Be Mindful. Be Grateful. Be Kind.” While the world seems stressful, finding happiness can be simple if you practice the tenants of this year’s theme.
Be Mindful
Mindfulness is a practiced skill that can help you stay in the moment. If you start feeling overwhelmed, take a few minutes to breathe deeply and notice how your body is feeling. Commit to appreciating every moment you experience today!
Our Fitness and Performance Supervisor knows a thing or two about being mindful. Everyone at Champions Club has experienced Jake Coldren’s happy energy. Here’s how he maintains a healthy balance throughout his day by practicing mindfulness.
“I like to practice mindfulness by taking the time to stop and live in the present, also I try to remind myself that life isn’t happening TO me but more so FOR me,” stated Jake.
Be Grateful
Gratitude is essential to increasing our happiness. Instead of stressing about the things you don’t have or haven’t achieved yet, jot down a list of the things you are grateful for in your life. We’re thankful for many things at the Community Services Department, especially spending our days helping our residents create life-long memories.
Here’s what our Deputy Director of Community Relations is grateful for today. “I am most grateful for the time spent with my wife and two stepdaughters. I try very hard to be mindful of how powerful every moment is that we get to share together. Whether it’s a conversation during our weekly Sunday evening dinners as we prepare for the week ahead, or sitting outside watching my youngest ride her bike in the cul de sac, those are small moments of joy that I am very grateful for. I am also very grateful to work for the City of Southlake as we have an opportunity to truly serve others and live out our mission to create world-class experiences every day. I’m grateful for the teamwork and camaraderie that City of Southlake employees share that is truly second to none.”
Be Kind
Kindness is a quintessential trait for happy individuals. When you are kind to others, you enhance your confidence and sense of optimism. The best part? Kindness tends to be contagious! Once you give it to others, they tend to give it back.
Our staff knows that kindness is crucial to our commitment to world-class service. They also incorporate it into every aspect of their lives. Our Senior Center members experience Soheila’s caring nature every day. Here’s how Soheila keeps kindness at the forefront of her customer service approach.
“Happiness is allowing people to express and be themselves. Kindness is bringing joy and a smile to someone’s day by doing the smallest things like acknowledging a new hairdo, a colorful outfit, and letting them know you are happy to see them. It’s letting someone know they matter to you and their joy is your joy. Seniors like to be seen, and letting them know you see them brings them joy and a reason to keep going,” said Soheila.
We love the UN’s theme for this year’s International Day of Happiness! Mindfulness, gratitude, and kindness go hand-in-hand with the Community Services Department’s mission to create world-class experiences.
How will you incorporate this year’s theme into today?
The Fit City Challenge is right around the corner, and we are in it to win. Mayor John Huffman chats with Jake Coldren, our Fitness and Performance Supervisor, about our expanded fitness classes, new equipment, and a plethora of options for wellness.
Last year was the first year of the Fit City Challenge. The Cities of Southlake and Keller competed in a head-to-head competition, encouraging residents to focus on wellness for 45 days.
Even though the City of Keller came out on top, our cities have decided to rematch this year! As this fun fitness challenge approaches, our City promotes wellness in some amazing ways.
“So here at Champions Club, we’ve expanded our fitness programming to offer over 60 classes a week… We’re super excited to always add some new stuff in. This time around, we aimed at our cardio section. So over here, as part of our Asset Replacement Plan, we’ve replaced all of our ellipticals and our AMTs or adaptive motion trainers,” said Coldren.
There are also other ways to focus on wellness in Southlake! You can hike and reconnect with nature at the Bob Jones Nature Center and Preserve, explore our beautiful walking trails at our parks, or dip in the pool for non-traditional workouts.
Mayor Huffman mentioned that this year will be bigger and better than ever, so stay tuned this month for details about registration and more!
To watch the full episode of Minute with the Mayor, click below.
Did you recently join Champions Club to take advantage of our New Member Special?
Are you feeling a little overwhelmed by the variety of fitness and wellness options available to Champion Club members? If you are still struggling to commit to your wellness New Year’s resolutions, then our Fitness Kickstarter Program is a good place to start. You’ve made the first step in your fitness journey by joining Champions Club. Now, let us help you reach your wellness goals!
The Fitness Kickstart Program is designed to provide new members with all the tools they need to assess their current fitness level, set realistic health and wellness goals, and learn about Champions Club resources and services. Our talented team of fitness instructors and personal trainers will help you customize a health and wellness plan unique to your needs and abilities. The best part? The Fitness Kickstart Program is complimentary for new members!
Here’s what to expect when you schedule your Kickstart:
Are you ready to take advantage of this incredible new member benefit? Learn more about this program here and schedule your Kickstart today.
The Community Services Department recently learned that it is the recipient of the 2022 Texas Recreation And Parks Society (TRAPS) North Region’s Excellence in Maintenance (Class II) Award!
The Department submitted its recently created Marq Asset Replacement Plan for consideration and is delighted to achieve this recognition from our peers. Let’s learn some more about our newly award-winning Marq Asset Replacement Plan!
With over 107,000 square feet of fitness, aquatics, social, and community spaces, The Marq represents one of the City’s most significant capital investments. In the last year, a cross-departmental team of City staff worked tirelessly to create a comprehensive Asset Replacement Plan for The Marq to proactively strategize critical maintenance and future replacement of every major asset in the building. This collaborative effort resulted in a comprehensive 20-year asset strategy for The Marq Southlake.
Creating the plan was a lengthy and collaborative process between Community Services, Finance, and the City Manager’s Office. Conducting careful research was crucial to creating an operationally and financially viable plan. Staff knew they needed a solid methodology for a fiscally responsible plan.
The plan’s goals were clear: build out a 20-year plan (through the year 2039) that creates a replacement schedule that all staff can adhere to. The plan accounts for future inflation, cost escalation, and labor costs. To be prepared for the worst, the plan incorporated the highest-cost options for the earliest replacement year for each asset to ensure enough funding is set aside annually. To determine accurate replacement years for the plan, staff relied on vendor recommendations, known industry standards, and best practices used by other cities.
After spending most of 2022 working on this project, The Marq Southlake Asset Replacement Plan was complete! A truly comprehensive asset maintenance strategy, the Asset Replacement Plan consists of several unique facility Asset Categories:
The Marq Asset Replacement Plan took an exhaustive approach far beyond large-scale investments, like fitness equipment, to include all assets, such as paint and flooring.
The Marq Asset Replacement Plan embodies a year-long process of research, financial know-how, and cross-departmental collaboration. Building solid partnerships with vendors and allowing Community Services staff to take ownership of their business areas was also a crucial step to turning this plan from an idea to improve our financial readiness to a reality.
According to the awards letter, our “nomination stood out above the rest to exemplify commitment and dedication in the field of parks and recreation. We are honored to present this award to you and for your commitment to excellence in all that you do in your daily pursuits.”
The Department will publicly accept this award at the TRAPS North Region Conference in Irving on Thursday, November 3.
Congratulations to everyone who worked on the Marq Asset Replacement Plan for being recognized for your commitment to excellence!