By Heather Ricks, Newberg Resident
NEWBERG, Ore. — A new volunteer-run fitness program in Newberg is working to expand access to youth sports training for students who may face financial or structural barriers.
Adri Salazar, a graduate of the kinesiology program at George Fox University, leads FYR Rebuilt, a local chapter of Forging Youth Resilience, a nonprofit that provides free strength training, nutrition education, and mentorship to youth ages 9 to 18. The chapter meets at Rebuilt Fitness at 2401 E Hancock St, Unit C5.
The Newberg chapter operates entirely on volunteer labor, with college-age coaches leading workouts three days a week. Salazar also travels to Washington County schools, teaching weekly strength training classes to fourth- through sixth-graders.
FYR aims to “empower young people to build physical and mental strength for life by providing access to a network of community-based fitness programs, nutrition education, and mentorship.”
Salazar said many participants face barriers to traditional sports training opportunities at a time when competitive pressure on young athletes continues to grow.
Salazar’s interest in expanding access began long before she launched the Newberg chapter.
By middle school, she noticed a divide between youth athletes who had access to gym facilities and private training and those who did not. Through the support of community members, she was able to train at little to no cost, eventually earning a spot on the softball team she had hoped to join.
While at George Fox, Salazar focused her academic work on youth access to physical activity. As a senior, she conducted research with faculty mentor Tyler Whited, examining middle school physical activity costs and accessibility in Washington County. She also interned with Forging Youth Resilience National and Underground PDX, experiences that helped shape her plans to establish a local chapter.
During her final year at George Fox, Salazar helped launch the Newberg chapter. After graduation, she worked with the Keala Foundation in Kauai, providing youth with free CrossFit programming and memberships as part of an alcohol and drug abuse prevention initiative.
Today, many of the volunteer coaches with FYR Rebuilt are George Fox students pursuing careers in coaching, physical therapy, and related health fields. Salazar partners with her alma mater to provide field experience for students while expanding programming capacity.
Grady Todd, a senior kinesiology major, said coaching with FYR has strengthened his leadership and communication skills.
“I’m truly blessed to have been embraced as a coach, and it has enhanced my leadership and communication abilities … in a way that very few aspiring health professionals my age get to experience,” Todd said.
He said one of the program’s distinguishing features is its instructional focus.
“It’s not just another P.E. class or disappointing program where kids are dropped off to play for hours,” Todd said. “[There is] attention to detail from coaches, teaching kids how to perform lifts and movements in a manner that will most optimally benefit them.”
Salazar said the goal is to create the type of structured, affordable training environment she wished had been widely available when she was younger — one that helps youth build confidence and lifelong healthy habits.
Learn more about FYR Rebuilt at the organization’s website or Instagram page.
