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A new Fitness Court at Wylie High School gives students, staff, and the Abilene community a free, world-class place to get active, backed by a partnership between Wylie ISD, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, and the National Fitness Campaign.
Wylie High School in Abilene welcomed its newest community asset on a characteristically breezy West Texas morning in May. With the school band playing and a crowd of students, staff, and community members assembled on campus, the ribbon was cut on a new outdoor Fitness Court, the result of a partnership between Wylie ISD, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, and the National Fitness Campaign. The energy was warm, the turnout was strong, and the new space was put to use almost immediately.
The Fitness Court sits on a campus that is growing in every direction. Sixty new classrooms, a new gymnasium, and new tennis courts are all part of a broader investment in Wylie High School's future, and the Fitness Court reflects that same forward momentum. It is free and open to anyone 14 and older, built for all fitness levels, and supported by the free Fitness Court app, which provides guided workouts and coaching directly on a user's phone. Wylie ISD is now one of more than 50 campaign partners across Texas building a statewide network of Fitness Courts in partnership with BCBSTX.
A district committed to the whole student
Wylie ISD has been part of the Abilene community since 1902. Today the district serves more than 5,500 students, including approximately 1,100 military-connected students and families, a population that brings a particular understanding of what physical readiness and daily wellness mean in practice. Superintendent Joey Light spoke to what this project reflects about the district's priorities:
"We are proud to partner with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and National Fitness Campaign to bring the Fitness Court to Wylie ISD. This investment reflects our commitment to the health and well-being of our students, staff, and community. We are excited to provide a space that encourages movement, wellness, and connection for years to come." Joey Light, Superintendent, Wylie ISD
The district's mission extends well beyond the classroom, preparing students for college, careers, military service, and life after graduation. A Fitness Court on campus is a tangible part of that work, giving students access to fitness habits and tools they can carry with them wherever they go next.
A launch day that belonged to the students
The ceremony was emceed by Andy Penney, the Voice of the Bulldogs, who kept the program moving with the kind of energy the morning called for. The school's own mascots, Spike and Spike, were in attendance, as was the Blue Bear from BCBSTX, and Aleah Ewing from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas offered remarks grounded in the long view: that the real value of a space like this is in the habits it helps build over time, not just the excitement of opening day.
The highlight of the morning, though, came from the students themselves. Members of the Wylie powerlifting team served as fitness ambassadors, moving through each of the Fitness Court's seven stations to show the crowd what the equipment could do. The crowd responded in kind, and when the ribbon finally came down, the enthusiasm was genuine. Students got on the equipment, people stuck around, and the Fitness Court began its life as exactly what it was designed to be: a place where the community gathers to move.
What the partnership means for Texas
For BCBSTX, the Wylie ISD partnership is one piece of a statewide effort to expand free access to outdoor fitness across all 254 counties in Texas. Dr. Mark Chassay, chief medical officer at BCBSTX, has been clear about the public health rationale behind that investment:
"Physical activity improves behavioral health conditions and can foster opportunities to make new social connections. About half of U.S. adults are not getting enough physical activity in their daily lives. Helping fund these Fitness Courts is just one example of how we can support optimal health outcomes for all Texans, right in their own communities." Dr. Mark Chassay, Chief Medical Officer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas
For NFC, welcoming Wylie ISD into the campaign is part of a broader mission to place a Fitness Court within a 10-minute bike ride of every American. The organization is on track to welcome its 750th healthy community in 2026, and school district partners like Wylie ISD are an increasingly important part of how that network grows.
Join the Statewide Campaign
The Fitness Court at Wylie High School is open now and free for students, staff, and community members of all fitness levels. Scan the QR code on site to access guided workouts through the Fitness Court app, and move at whatever pace works for you across all seven stations.
If you are a school district or civic partner in Texas interested in bringing a Fitness Court to your community, we invite you to learn more about what the BCBSTX and NFC campaign has built across the state and explore what a partnership could look like for you.
