Where there's a will, there's a way, it's said, and the way for students at Gold Hill Middle School is through the school's wellness program.

Run by School Resource Officer Wayne Richardson and volunteer Vivian Freed, the wellness program started out for just football players looking for conditioning for the upcoming season, but it quickly turned into a program for everyone.

"I figured in order to better my life, I need to not lay around and be fat," said eighth grader Tyler Derosa.

The program, which is in its second year, eventually started getting interest from students who didn't consider themselves athletes.

"They felt like they couldn't work out because they didn't play a sport," Richardson said.

The school has about 55 students signed up for the wellness program, which includes weight training, along with stretching and cardio activities. Thirty students are regular participants in the wellness program, which takes place every Monday and Wednesday starting in January after school until about 5 p.m. Richardson said the number-one rule in the program is that if students don't do well in class, they aren't allowed to participate in the program.

The equipment was donated to the school from local resident Johnny Bivins, Richardson and from the Fort Mill High football program and head coach Ed Susi.

"This whole place wouldn't have happened without the donations," Richardson said. "It's been a great program."

Of those who participate, 15 don't play any type of sport. Richardson said the program helps students as a whole -- whether they are athletes or not.

"We want to make sure they maintain a healthy lifestyle," Richardson said.

Richardson, who is a member of the York County SWAT team, said he has to maintain a certain fitness level for his job, so he doesn't expect anything out of the students he doesn't do himself.

"I have had more fun working with these kids and watching them grow and excel," he said.

The program has also gotten students ready to play sports if they were leaning in that direction.

"I needed some discipline in my life," said eighth grader Garen Griffin. "I started football and my grades started coming up."

Richardson said he really wanted to get female students involved in the program, too, but couldn't do so until volunteer Vivian Freed came on board. Freed, who used to be a power lifter in high school, said getting girls involved in the program is helpful for them as whole person.

"If they can learn to appreciate and to keep their body fit at this age," Freed said, "hopefully, it will carry through for the rest of their life."

The program averages about 10 girls per session. Seventh grader Stephanie Dearduff said the program helped her with getting ready to run track.

"I promised myself, I was going to be in a sport," she said. "If it wasn't for the athletic conditioning, I wouldn't have been in track. It has helped me tremendously."