North Park is a place to be for fitness, friendship and fun.
Twice a week, a group gathers at the Highlands neighborhood park in the rain or snow to participate in the Females in Action South Coast.
In its second year, FiA South Coast is a local fitness organization that is led by 30-year-old Fall River resident.
It’s always free and always women.
Botelho explained that the group is more than just a bunch of people working out.
Botelho, who is the director of the Old Colony YMCA Emergency, said that it’s more for the social than the physical.
The mission of FiA is to make each other stronger by focusing on bodies, minds and hearts.
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More than just a fitness group
Botelho said the group hosts social gatherings so members can get to know each other and build relationships beyond the gym.
Philanthropy is also done by the group. Botelho said they put together diaper cakes for a community-wide shower. They got together at a church to pack Christmas gift bags and help out with Thanksgiving donations.
Botelho said that “confidence, feeling empowered, feeling like you’re contributing to our community in a positive way” is what FiA is all about.
Botelho obtained a master’s degree in Sociology while living in Tennessee. She was a new girl in town and looking for a place to exercise.
Botelho said that it had a huge impact on him.
FiA provided Botelho with the sense of community she needed to be successful. Botelho’s FiA group was there when she needed to paint the deck. She said they helped her through her grandmother’s passing and a break up.
Botelho said that they call each other FiA sisters.
How FiA South Coast was launched
Botelho wanted to build a community like that in Fall River.
The free workout program for the women of Greater Fall River was brought to them by FiA South Coast, which was launched in August 2020 as a result of the Pandemic.
“I joined a couple of gyms here but was doing the same exact type of workouts and paying a lot of money a month for it so I just decided to gather my friends and family and promote it all on social media.”
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More than 6,000 women have joined Females in Action since it began in Charlotte, N.C. The FiA South Coast is the only one in Massachusetts.
Most of the group are from the Fall River area and range in age from late 60s through age 6. Botelho said that over 50 women have joined since it started.
What can a typical FiA session look like? Botelho said a bit of everything.
What the workouts involve
Interval training, strength training, and cardio are included in the workouts. At Halloween time, Botelho said they did a lot of themed workouts using medicine balls, battle ropes and more.
She said they try to make it enjoyable.
Botelho said all classes are geared towards women of all ages and abilities.
It is a judgement-free area. Botelho said that sometimes people feel intimidated when they go to a gym.
Each member of the group is given a nickname by their local FiA community, and the group has their own jargon and terminology. Botelho’s name is Boston.
Botelho says that each boot-camp style workout ends with a Circle of Trust, during which the Q leaves the group on a positive note by sharing a message for the day or a personal story that might inspire.
In the traditional sense, FiA doesn’t have a leader. Each member contributes to the group’s success and classes are peer-run, with different members taking the lead each day, offering a bit of variety so sessions never get boring.
Botelho never thought she would one day lead a fitness class. Her job is to instill in others the confidence to do the same thing.
We build each other up and give them power. A lot of the women who joined our group were not used to working out at a gym. Botelho spoke.
The goal is to get there eventually with the help and guidance of their predecessors.
Botelho encourages workout leaders to play to their strengths. One member loves to do yoga, one has a black belt in karate, and people who love running include a lot of cardio in their sessions.
She said it was amazing to watch the women grow each in their own way.
She said that she has been able to connect with people in the community because of her role.
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Working out in all types of weather
The program doesn’t end when the weather gets cold.
Botelho said a good amount of members are brave in the cold. On snowy days, you’ll catch them bundled in winter gear, boots and hats and ready to go, even on the famous North Park hills.
It is difficult in the winter. Botelho said the workout felt like a negative 17
Botelho admitted those rainy and snowy day workouts are the best.
The local FiA group gathers at the top of the park on Wednesdays and Saturdays. If you show up at the scheduled workout time, you can look for the FiA flag.
Botelho said that the group’s Wednesday night location will be moved to the Bristol Community College parking lot under the solar panels on the Fall River campus in September.
You can find more information on their website at www.fiasouthcoast.wordpress.com or on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fiasouthcoast.