Ready, Set, Hut! … Er, Zumba!

Rachel Breit photo
Noel (‘Nico’) Walton, mom Diana Walton and Isaiah Martinez

In an effort to raise funds for the Moanalua High School football program, Zumba instructor Diana Walton is hosting a Zumba Fitness Master Class Saturday, Sept. 29, from 9 to 11 a.m. in the school’s gym.

The class also will feature other Zumba instructors from Oahu, and an admission donation of $10 will go to Moanalua Football. The event is open to the public, and people of any gender, age and dancing experience are welcome.

Walton, who has two sons on the Moanalua JV football team, Noel “Niko” Walton and Isaiah Martinez, says she decided to donate her services to help get kids into sports.

“There might be kids out there who want to play football but don’t have the funds because sports can be a little bit costly,” she explains. “Also, I wanted to help the football program in raising funds for anything they need, such as gear. But to get kids off the streets and into sports is my main goal.”

Another team parent, Olga Caldwell, notes that like many other youth sports programs, supporting Moanalua Football is not just about buying footballs or pads, it’s about investing in the future of our youths.

“Our program stresses doing well in the classroom, in the community and on the field,” she says. “We want to coach the person, then the athlete. Realistically, it takes funds to run any sports program – buses, equipment, uniforms are some needs, to name a few.”

Walton has been teaching Zumba for the past five years, with classes at Hickam Air Force Base and at Madalene’z Dancefit Studio in Pearl City. Among her many students are some of the moms of her son’s teammates, and she hopes to see more of them at the upcoming fundraiser.

“I’m a working mom, and I want to show other moms that they can work and still make the time to exercise,” says Walton, a breast cancer survivor. “For me, Zumba keeps me active and gives me energy. But Zumba is not just a girl thing. I want to see families come to my class and to just have fun, to come back to life and let go.”

For the upcoming Zumba Master Class with Walton, interested participants can pre-register online at MoanaluaFootball.com (under “donations”; note Zumba when making your donation and be sure to include your full name) or call 368-2393. Walk-ins are welcome on the day of the class.