For the love of running





RUNNING MAN— Coach Aaron Danchik, right, leads a running program for special needs youth at the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. With him is Jean Bell of the Rancho Simi district. The coach said his workouts are meant to inspire and motivate his students.

RUNNING MAN— Coach Aaron Danchik, right, leads a running program for special needs youth at the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District. With him is Jean Bell of the Rancho Simi district. The coach said his workouts are meant to inspire and motivate his students.

Aaron Danchik of Agoura Hills was a runner who qualified for the Olympics in 1984. But before the games he injured his leg and was unable to compete.

Now Danchik says he knows what it takes to master impediments and move forward on the track of life.

While he was recovering from his knee and ankle injuries, Danchik created a custom training program to restore his endurance, strength and dexterity. The program will also help other athletes reach the top of their game.

“I was never able to get back to the caliber that I was. But I still love track and field, so I’ve been coaching youth mostly privately for 20-plus years,” said Danchik, 47, who oversees an alternative running program for the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District in Oak Park.

His class at Indian Springs Park serves athletes between the ages of 5 and 17 who have developmental disabilities or physical problems that make exercising difficult.

An athlete, author and motivational speaker who works in the insurance business, Danchik competes at master levels through USA Track and Field.

He coached with United Track and the Thousand Oaks Flyers youth track club for years and works privately with athletes of all ages and capabilities.

Jean Bell, a representative for Rancho Simi’s alternative recreation program, said Danchik’s noncompetitive approach allows young athletes to work at their own pace.

“Aaron is not one of those coaches that put pressure on athletes. He works well with athletes that have special needs because it’s all about the individual and what they can do,” Bell said.

Danchik said he’s a goaloriented person who enjoys helping athletes develop their abilities and objectives.

“I enjoy sports and helping others recognize that they can accomplish more than what they think they can, whether it’s on a personal or athletic level.”

The coach said his workouts are meant to inspire and motivate his students.

Instead of just running in the same direction on a circular track, he mixes intensity levels and integrates diverse exercises into the routines.

He uses sports equipment, such as medicine balls, tension bands, jump ropes and agility ladders, to develop the athletes’ agility and strength, and incorporates drills such as jumps, hops and pushups to make the training more effective and enjoyable.

Jerad Chao said Danchik is a creative, nurturing and effective coach.

Since his son Zachary, 7, joined the class two months ago, Chao said, the boy is running better and following directions.

“His gait and conditioning improved. It’s something that he enjoys,” the father said.

In addition to improving stamina and health, Danchik said, regular physical training builds self-esteem and social skills.

“The principles of gaining strength, speed and agility are the same, regardless of the sport you play,” he said. “The objective of this program is to allow athletes to exercise a couple of times a week and not necessarily be tied to a sport.”

RSRPD offers recreational, social and leisure activities for individuals with special needs. Most classes are in Simi Valley, where the district is based, but officials are working to expand offerings in Oak Park.

The alternative running program at Indian Springs Park takes place from 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The monthly registration fee is $60.

Other alternative recreation programs in Oak Park include social movie nights and Dinner Squad, which gives adults with special needs a chance to meet and socialize at local restaurants on the third Friday of each month.


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