Popular recreational sports at CCWF
Recreation coach G. Martinelli talks training at any age
G. Martinelli serves as the recreational coach for Central California Women’s Facility (CCWF). He works with multiple departments to ensure that there is something available for everyone. “The goal is inclusion for all,” said Martinelli. He gives as much as he can while he is at CCWF.
Q: What is your sports background?
A: I started playing sports when I was young, maybe four or five years old. I played in middle school, high school, and into college. Before working at CCWF, I was a P.E. teacher for eight years for grades kindergarten through 12, coaching various sports.
Q: Why did you leave teaching in school for coaching in a prison?
A: I wanted to try to make a bigger impact. Rather than going with instructing the students, I decided to try to impact the adults in order to change the lives of the kids. That way everybody lives with a healthier mind, body and spirit.
Q: Do you have a favorite part of your job? If so, what?
A: There is not one thing that I would consider my favorite. I do fitness training with the residents assigned to the Firehouse. I go to A Yard [the Reception Facility] and also go to Building 505, where residents who have mobility concerns are housed. I try to include everyone in the whole prison as best I can. That’s why we have recreation equipment in the housing units and recreation boxes on the yards.
Q: Can you give me a brief overview of the machines and activities that are offered in the gym?
A: There is a cardio room with several different machines designed to keep the heart rate going. There is a fitness bag and spin cycles. There are opportunities to play pickleball, volleyball, basketball, cornhole, and there are body weights that can be used for strength training. We also offer a High Intensity Interval Training or HIIT. In addition, there are board games and card games in the general population housing units.
Q: For residents who have not engaged in any fitness for a while, what advice would you give them?
A: Start by getting the body moving. Walking is a good starter. Set small goals for yourself and create a building block system where you do a little bit more each time. Staying consistent is important as well.
Q: What are your top tips for staying active?
A: Set goals for yourself, try new things, and do the best you can. It is better to start small and build from there. Create a plan that is specific for you and maintain consistency. Having an accountability partner helps.
Q: How can CCWF residents find out about upcoming sporting events or tournaments?
A: A recreational event calendar is generated monthly. A hard copy is distributed to all the housing units to be placed in a visible location. A digital copy of the calendar is put on the GTL tablets. There will be flyers posted for the tournaments, which include the games in the housing units. There are sign-up sheets that accompany the flyers so that everyone has the option to sign up if they so choose.
Q: Any closing thoughts?
A: Physical activity is the key to having a healthy mind, body, and spirit.
