FLIP is a division of the Athletic Department started in the mid-1980s as an opportunity for Athletic Department employees to immerse themselves in fitness and health activities. The program expanded over the years to include undergraduate and graduate students. Presently, it is open to the wider community, including Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center employees and Upper Valley residents.
Over 40 different types of activities are offered each term. The program offers general fitness classes such as meditation and relaxation, strength training and kickbox aerobics along with specialty classes such as yoga, Pilates and spinning.
Students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they take FLIP classes for a variety of reasons. Some participate in order to fulfill the College's three credit physical education requirement, while others simply do it for enjoyment and exercise. Each FLIP course counts for one credit.
David McClatchy '13 said the FLIP classes helps students familiarize themselves with sports and activities that they may have never tried before.
"I taught sailing during my sophomore summer," McClatchy said. "Sailing is a sport that not many people know about, so the FLIP class is a good way to go about learning it. It was a good experience being able to teach friends and other students something they weren't really used to."
McClatchy said the sailing course he taught was much more laidback than his normal practices with the sailing team.
"I taught class one day a week, and we were on the water for about two hours or so each time," McClatchy said. "There were only five boats and two instructors, so we were basically just there to help them. Our main tasks were to give students pointers, set marks and races and teach them the basics of sailing."
Despite the calm course, McClatchy said there were a few challenges that came with instructing.
"Aside from weather conditions, we didn't really run into many issues," McClatchy said. "Obviously sailing becomes tough when it is windy. Since we had many students who were beginners, often times it was easy to flip. And especially with smaller sailors, it was difficult getting back up."
McClatchy said his experience as a FLIP instructor was rewarding and that he would definitely recommend varsity athletes of other sports to engage in teaching their sport to students.
The FLIP program has been a tradition within the sailing team for many summers. Members who are on campus during their sophomore summers often take advantage of the opportunity not only as a way of teaching their friends, but also as a way to get to the lake in the summer since there is no official team practice.
Like McClatchy, Molly Wilson '13, who also sails for Dartmouth, spent her sophomore summer working as a FLIP instructor. Wilson, who taught the class with a friend, said the program provided her the opportunity to meet people in her class that she did not know before.
"Teaching sailing was definitely a fun experience," she said. "I became close to people who I had never met before. The students had great attitudes and were very willing to learn, which made my job enjoyable."
Wilson said the first week of her class consisted of sailing safety before progressing to advanced drills that focused on different sailing skills in subsequent weeks. She said teaching was a fulfilling experience, and she is glad she had the ability to participate in the program.
"I really enjoyed teaching with my co-instructor," Wilson said. "It was a great way to spend afternoons in the summer. In addition, it served as an excuse to get to the lake, which us sailors usually have a tough time getting away from."
Carissa King '12, a three-year varsity tennis player for the Big Green, had a different experience as a varsity athlete teaching FLIP classes. King decided to teach a class that had nothing to do with her sport Zumba.
King, who has always been interested in Spanish salsa dancing, has been involved with Zumba since the age of 16.
"I participate in Zumba and salsa dancing back at home, but at Dartmouth there was not really an outlet for that," King said. "I was thrilled when [head of the FLIP program] Hugh Mellert showed interest in me from the start, because I really wanted to teach. He was very supportive, and I'm very glad I got this opportunity."
King has been teaching classes for over two years now, beginning her sophomore Winter. Some of her classes have been taught alongside writing professor Jennifer Sargent, who also teaches kickboxing in the FLIP program. In the past, King instructed classes that took place twice a week for an hour, but during the 2011 Fall term, King chose to increase that number to three times per week.
King said her FLIP class is a great way to engage in the Latin-inspired aerobic exercise, which has witnessed a surge in popularity over the past 10 years. Despite the fun, "dance party" atmosphere that Zumba has to offer, King said there are some personal challenges that accompany teaching.
"When I used to play tennis, it was extremely challenging teaching class after three hours of practice," King said. "Since I'm standing up in front of the class making sure to keep up the energy, sometimes the job becomes pretty demanding."
However, King said she believes that there are great benefits that come from being a FLIP instructor.
"I'd say the best thing that I take from teaching is the interaction with students," King said. "I've built friendships and made connections with many different people, many of which keep in touch with me now. Also several of my friends, including several [Delta Delta Delta] sisters from my sorority, have taken my classes. It has been a great experience overall."
King recommended that more varsity athletes pursue the teaching opportunities FLIP has to offer.
"If you can fit it in your schedule, I would definitely recommend getting involved in this program," King said. "FLIP is a nice way to cross-train because it is done as a hobby and takes place in a different type of venue than varsity sports."
Despite its modest beginnings, FLIP has served as both a gateway for exercise and a great way to build relationships within the Dartmouth community.
