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State-of-the-art outdoor Fitness Court^® Studio coming to Texas Southmost College

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Texas Southmost College, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and National Fitness Campaign announced a partnership to bring an outdoor Fitness Court® Studio and digital wellness programming to the college. The Fitness Court® Studio, 344 Ringgold Road, will open 10 a.m. May 6 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.  

The Fitness Court® Studio was developed by Texas Southmost, BCBSTX and NFC to expand free and equitable access to high-quality workouts and exercise for communities across the region. The Fitness Court Studio is the world’s best outdoor gym that lets users leverage their own body weight to get a complete workout using seven exercise stations. 

Created for people at least age 14 of all abilities, Fitness Court Studio workouts are adaptable for all fitness levels, allowing participants to move at their own pace. Users also may download the free Fitness Court app which works as a coach-in-your-pocket and enhances the outdoor gym into a digitally supported wellness experience. Texas Southmost is one of nearly 40 campaign partners building a network of Fitness Courts across the state with help from BCBSTX. Texas Southmost is the first institution of higher education in the Rio Grande Valley to install the Fitness Court Studio.

“Texas Southmost College is proud to partner with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and National Fitness Campaign to bring the Fitness Court Studio to our campus and community,” said Dr. Jesús Roberto Rodríguez, Texas Southmost College president. “This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to promoting wellness and improving quality of life for our students and the greater Brownsville community by making fitness accessible and free to all.” 

“In addition to improvement in physical health, physical activity improves behavioral health conditions and can foster opportunities to make new social connections,” said Dr. Mark Chassay, BCBSTX's chief medical officer. “About half of U.S. adults are not getting enough physical activity in their daily lives. Helping fund these Fitness Courts is just one example of how we can support optimal health outcomes for all Texans, right in their own communities.”

“We are excited to have Texas Southmost College join us in the journey to improve health and wellness as we work to make a powerful and long-lasting impact on health outcomes and happiness by building healthy communities across America,’’ said Mitch Menaged, National Fitness Campaign founder. “The addition of the outdoor Fitness Court, along with digital wellness programming, demonstrates a tremendous commitment to the health and well-being within the Brownsville community.”

Residents are invited to the event launch to try the Fitness Court Studio. Get more information online or contact Texas Southmost at 956-295-3394. 

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About Texas Southmost College
Originally established in 1926, Texas Southmost College currently offers the first two years toward a bachelor’s degree, along with career and technical education leading to certificates and associate degrees, college preparatory studies to prepare students for college-level work, workforce training, and continuing education. TSC offers 50 programs of study leading to an associate degree or certificate.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
Celebrating 95 years of helping improve the health of Texans, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas — the only statewide, customer-owned health insurer in Texas — is the largest provider of health benefits in the state, working with more than 168,000 physicians and health care practitioners, and 550 hospitals to serve eight million members in all 254 counties. BCBSTX is a Division of Health Care Service Corporation (which operates Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans in Texas, Illinois, Montana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico). Health Care Service Corporation is a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About National Fitness Campaign
Founded in San Francisco in 1979, National Fitness Campaign (NFC) is a wellness consulting firm that provides programs and services to cities, schools and sponsors. Our mission is to build healthy communities nationwide. The campaign delivers an integrated wellness initiative, centered around the Fitness Court®– the world's best outdoor gym. National Fitness Campaign is preparing to welcome its 750th healthy community in 2025, as it continues to grow the country’s largest public-private partnership in support of wellness with the goal of building a Fitness Court® within a 10-minute bike ride of every American.  Learn more about National Fitness Campaign at nationalfitnesscampaign.com and follow along on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Media Contacts

Texas Southmost College
James Walker
956-371-3831
james.walker@tsc.edu

BCBSTX
Parris Kane 
media@bcbstx.com 

NFC
Sarah Morgan
831-601-2438
sarah@nfchq.com