Advertisement But what made the contest unique is the Hanson boys were on stationary bikes and playing the video game Sonic Riders in the newly redesigned Pepsi Prime Time Center youth lounge at the YMCA-North, located at 400 Mason St.
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Caleb Wooden, 14, of Onalaska plays baseball on a Nintendo Wii in the Prime Time Center at YMCA North in Onalaska. PETER THOMSON photo |
“It’s pretty fun. You have to peddle to go and turn to stay on the road,” said Barrett, 12.
“This is better than regular video games because you have to be active to get it to move,” Carter, 10, added.
Geared toward kids, teens and families, the Pepsi Prime Time Center provides youths a place to gather and have fun while staying active, said Shelley Wetzel, YMCA-North youth and family director.
The room received about $20,000 in upgrades this summer that included interactive games such as Dance Dance Revolution, Nintendo Wii and the exercise bikes; a wall mural, social corner, new board games and more.
“We eliminated some computers and made it more interactive,” Wetzel said. “We’ve been serving about 1,100 kids a week, which is 20 more than before.”
Staff members interact with the kids and show them how to play the games. When the energy level peaks, the kids can go outside for additional fun.
Six-year-old Dawson Frydenlund likes to bowl and play baseball when he’s at the YMCA using the youth center’s Nintendo Wii.
He recently took on a staff member, showing him how to get spares, strikes and gutter balls.
“This is really fun,” he said, stepping and swinging his arm as if he were at the alley. “Wow, that was really close.”
Dawson missed the spare but was ready for his next frame.
“I think this is technology at its finest. The kids love it and it also includes physical fitness,” Wetzel said.
“They have so much fun they don’t realize they are getting exercise.”
The La Crosse Family YMCA in downtown La Crosse also has a similar center that offers a number of interactive gaming activities.
Both sites are open to the public.
If you go
What: Pepsi Prime Time Center
Where: YMCA-North, 400 Mason St., Onalaska
When: 3:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday;
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday
INFORMATION: (608) 783-9622
