Introducing MOSSA programmes to Anita Brown’s facility has transformed the team of instructors and created great growth for the centre. Here, Anita chats to Lynne Briggs about MOSSA’s impact at Strood Sports Centre: Medway Council.
Lynne Briggs: As fitness and group exercise manager, why did you choose the MOSSA pre-choreographed group exercise programmes?
Anita Brown: We needed a brand that would work for our community and I saw the programmes on social media, so I rang a colleague in Wales and asked her if she’d heard of MOSSA. She said yes and that the ‘word on the street’ was they were brilliant!
We needed something completely different to our competitors and MOSSA ticked all the boxes.
In order to convince our management team, I took my own instructor licence for Group Fight and was able to prove undoubtedly that we needed to invest in MOSSA.
The result? I was trusted to move forward by the centre manager, Eddie Gray, to invest in facility licences for Group Active and Power too!
LB: How did you go about recruiting your instructor team and how did your customers react?
AB: From the get go, the customers supported the training and launches – they loved being part of something new and refreshing.
We selected instructors from within the centre for the three programmes and the rest is history. They didn’t have much direction and the programmes gave them an opportunity to work together as a team, aiming for the same goals, team teaching at launches and cross-programme support.
They grew in confidence, set up a dedicated What’s App group and, when anyone had a wobble, the others stepped in to help. They all wanted the same thing, knew each other’s strengths and a true team spirit evolved.
It gave me the chance to coach and mentor them too, which gave me a huge sense of pride and satisfaction.
I cannot put into words how we’ve grown – the excitement of a new launch, the buzz around ‘have you seen?’, ‘have you heard?’, ‘have you listened to?’
These programmes have changed these instructors so much – they want to stay on brand and achieve the brand standards. Now new instructors want to be part of that!
They are so supportive of each other, participate in each other’s classes and the customers SEE that!
LB: Tell me about the power of the programme content and the music.
AB: With each release being periodised and having a different theme, without losing the continuity of the specific programme DNA, we find it empowering, invigorating and motivating.
I love the marriage of the content and music – it’s like they’ve been made to work together.
The music in each track is fresh and current – or even a popular ‘blast from the past’ – and each sounds like the original with extra sparkle and flavour. It actually helps you learn the tracks quicker too because of this.
LB: How do you introduce the quarterly releases?
AB: We do a major launch each year in the sports hall, complete with a stage, programme branding and refreshments, including MOSSA cupcakes. We teach as a team and our customers really look forward to seeing the new workouts. For the other three quarters, we do open weekends in our newly branded MOSSA studio!
Eddie 100% supported this; he is a manager who has vision and foresight. He trusts me to deliver an inclusive group X programme and MOSSA stands front and centre of our schedule.
LB: How has the introduction of the MOSSA programmes impacted on the business?
AB: To be honest, our year-to-date membership revenue is up 22% and I attribute a big chunk of that to the introduction of the programmes – we have a strong group X brand that is working!
We have created a social wellbeing place for classes that is for everybody – the programmes are inclusive and people talk about them. Our customers help newbies, not alienate them, so referrals are flying!
LB: How does the future look?
AB: We’re looking at introducing more programmes at Strood and initially taking Power and Fight to our brand-new centre, Cozenton Park (year two), which is due to open late summer 2024.
We are also investing in MOSSA on Demand for Cozenton, which will serve customers who attend in less busy times, as well as introduce new programmes in consultation with the members. It will be a great back-up to times when we are unable to cover classes for sickness, holidays and to avoid last-minute cancellations.
Year three will see the programmes launch at Medway Park to complete the offering across the estate.
LB: Anything else you’d like to add in summary?
AB: The support we’ve had from yourself, Lynne, and the whole team at MOSSA UK and FitPro has been outstanding. You’ve made us feel we’re worth something and we love being part of the wider MOSSA family.
At the start of all this, I didn’t realise just what an impact MOSSA would have on the centre. I feel a great sense of pride supporting the team, passing on experience and knowledge.
Before we were work colleagues; now we are a team and stronger for it!
If you’d like to know how you can bring the MOSSA programmes to your facility or find out how to own your own personal programme instructor licence, please email mossa@fitpro.com or call Lynne on 0208 586 8637
A little bit more about Anita…
Anita Brown has been a fitness professional for 20 years, she started her fitness venture in Caerphilly, Wales where ETM was her starting point and from there, it just hasn’t stopped. She loves learning, empowering and making people happy. She freelanced up until 6 years ago where she become a studio manager for Medway Council, working at Strood Sports centre with the aim to create a bigger, better class environment. Anita has 3 mottos which she always passes on to her team of instructors: Don’t sweat the small stuff, sweat your workouts. Your vibe attracts your tribe and Love what you teach, teach what you teach. Currently teaching 12 classes a week along with tutoring and coordinating the group ex timetable-her latest project is the opening of a new sports centre! New centre, new classes, new challenge!
