There are many strategies aligning themselves with the Eat Smart, Move More campaign. Simply, there is an increased emphasis on the types of

foods eaten (heightened fruits and vegetables consumption) and physical activities (both individual and team efforts). In the end it differs

little from common sense, if you consume more than you expend, you will expand.

In real life I have watched a change in some eating habits. For example, after a road game, Lumberton High's boys soccer team has almost as many

players eating healthier alternatives at sub-type places as those frequenting the fast food chains. That's not to say that these guys still are not masters of the chicken finger/planks world, but their eating habits are now mirroring the girls team. The coaches, who order last, are still eating at the fastest preparation places so as to be back on the road, but they are cognizant of the expanding quotient listed above.

We encourage all kinds of physical activity. A tip of the hat goes to Lumberton High's boys soccer team, which is going to the state playoffs

for the eighth straight year; this is the fifth consecutive graduating class that has gone to the playoffs their entire high school career. The

only program close is the girls team, which has seven and will be trying to tie the boys in the spring. Lumberton has proven to be consistently

better than most teams in the area except for Terry Sanford and Pinecrest, which are very tough.

This newspaper detailed the lack of success for the program outside of our area and in the playoffs. Soccer

is the only team sport —not to be confused with individual events aligned as a team — that is not played at the middle school level in

Robeson County. Without this level of play, recreation, club and travel teams must take up the slack in keeping interest alive. With Pembroke

having excellent participation in soccer at the new complex there, perhaps Purnell Swett can once again field a boys team. Red Springs and

St. Pauls have new teams as well as does Fairmont's girls.

Anytime we can keep 20 or so students per team involved in this highly invigorating sport, that is time well spent. There are no cheap sports for the

schools, but there are some less expensive and soccer is certainly one of them. Encourage the children to play and to keep at it — it is

beneficial for them and helps our community move more.

— Bill Smith is the director of the Robeson County Health Department.