Jeremy Heath is the Dispatch Record's sports editor. His column appears Fridays. He can be reached via e-mail at jheath@lampasas.com. Let's see, how can I keep this as simple as possible.

OK, here goes: Whether it was privately funded or not, the state wasted $2.5 million with its physical fitness assessment of Texas public schoolchildren from third to 12th grades.

The tests, administered during the past school year, were designed by the Dallas-based Cooper Institute to measure body composition, aerobic capacity, strength, endurance and flexibility. The results, not surprisingly, were that most Texas kids are out of shape.

I'll give the state credit for not spending any tax dollars on this ridiculous waste of time, but at the same time, if private donors are willing to cough up $2.5 million for something as stupid as this, why aren't we asking those same people to help fund something legitimate, like the testing of UIL athletes for steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs or signing bonuses for highly qualified teachers? Just a thought.

All this fitness venture did was tell us what we already know. You can look at most kids and tell they could use some exercise. That is, if you ever see any kids. When was the last time you saw a group of kids playing together in a pick-up game at the park?

PHOTO BY JEREMY HEATH Zane Durham, 3, and his father, Dwayne, were just two of hundreds of participants in Wednesday morning's Spring Ho Fishing Derby. It's just another example of government waste.

The most ridiculous thing is that it does nothing to solve the problem, like educating parents on how to keep their kids active at home or refusing bigmoney contracts between soft-drink and snack-food companies and individual school districts.

Did anyone ever think that maybe, just maybe, telling kids to eat healthy before cutting them loose into hallways full of junk-food machines sends a mixed message?

Ultimately, it's another example of adding to the already mounting pressure on Texas teachers. Too many parents send their kids to school with no educational foundation (basic reading and math skills), expect teachers to work miracles with them and then complain when they can't. Now it's the education system's job to work the fat off these kids, too? Give me a break.

It's mom and dad's job to take away the video games and the potato chips, and send the kid outside to play. It's the state's job to spend money wisely, whether we're talking about tax dollars or not.

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Thanks to the wonderful people who put together Spring Ho, my son Landry's first big sporting experience was a blast.

Landry is barely 1, but he went nuts over the fishing derby Wednesday morning. Of course, he didn't fish. (You think Momma was going to let him anywhere near the water?) He just followed me around while I took photos, watched all the people and repeatedly yelled "Wack, wack" and pointed at the ducks.

What made the morning so special to my little family was the high level of community participation. Landry loves watching people, and there were certainly plenty to watch.

People here in town have been telling me for months how big a deal Spring Ho is. I just figured it was like any other community event in any other town this size.

I was wrong.

Wednesday morning's showing at the fishing derby was incredible. The banks of Sulphur Creek were lined with families spending time together. It's my firm belief that if more families would make the time to participate in activities together, the world would change for the better in a hurry.

The Spring Ho Committee is doing its part to give families opportunities to do just that. On behalf of my family, thanks for what is already a cherished memory.