07/11/2025
Kettering Fitness Spotlight: "The Still Got It Squad"
Meet Three Phenomenal Women Who Prove Age is Just a Number
The Kettering Recreation Complex is proud to showcase three extraordinary group exercise instructors who embody the spirit of lifelong fitness and dedication. Together, these remarkable women form what we lovingly call "The Still Got It Squad" – and trust us, they absolutely do!
Sherri Raderstorf: The Yoga Transformation Expert
Sherri's fitness journey began 40 years ago when she attended an aerobic dance class at the KRC during the Jane Fonda craze. When the instructor moved on, Pat Morris asked Sherri to take over the class on September 16th, 1985 – a decision that would transform not only her life but the lives of countless others.
"One of the best decisions of my life was to become a fitness instructor, and to be employed with the City of Kettering Parks and Recreation Department," Sherri reflects. Over the decades, she has expanded her expertise to include step, weights, water workout, yogalates, and yoga, earning multiple teaching certifications along the way.
What sets Sherri apart is her genuine love for sharing how amazing the human body is. "I love sharing with others how amazing it is how our bodies move and function," she says. The social aspect of group exercise has allowed her to build meaningful connections and create a true community within her classes.
Sherri's ideal students are those who don't take themselves too seriously – the ones who bring playfulness, talking, moaning, laughing, and singing to her classes. Her favorite moments come from yoga classes, where she witnesses internal transformation. "When someone tells me that something in their life has shifted for the better, I am so grateful that I am able to play a role in their change."
Despite having both knees replaced in the last two years and a shoulder replacement just last month, Sherri continues teaching with modifications. "Yes, I have become the bionic fitness instructor and I will not stop and am committed to moving my body until the very end."
Gail Basine: The Music-Motivated Motivator
Gail began her journey at KRC in 1987, teaching aerobics and strength classes for over 20 years. After a brief hiatus, she returned to teach at the Charles Lathrem Senior Center and in the group exercise studio classes. Music was her inspiration to teach, and group instruction became her profession while personal exercise remained her priority.
"Having fun with people who want to feel good about learning to exercise safely" is what Gail loves most about instructing. She doesn't have an ideal type of patron – anyone who enjoys her classes and feels good about their fitness journey is perfect in her book.
One of Gail's most inspiring success stories involves patrons in their 70s who take her first 50-minute senior exercise class and then stay for her next 50-minute class. "They are still rockin' and rollin' just like me," she beams.
Even after a recent knee replacement, Gail maintains an active lifestyle that includes daily bike rides in the summer and pickleball games with her 9 and 10-year-old grandsons. Her ACE Fitness certifications and hiking adventures with her daughter keep her busy and engaged. She also works part-time with Ohio State helping disabled individuals and cares for her 52-year-old disabled son on weekends. Despite volunteering to help people with rent, food, and utilities, and maintaining her love for reading, Gail declares she's "singing and dancing my way through it all!"
Nancy Boss: The Dance-Fitness Pioneer
Nancy's remarkable journey with the City of Kettering spans multiple decades and departments. She started teaching dance classes at Rosewood Arts Center in April 1985, began the 6:00 am Rise and Shine Aerobics Classes at the Kettering Recreation Complex in September 1989, and became the Group Exercise Coordinator in June 2011 when the new Fitness Center opened.
Dance has always been Nancy's passion, beginning when she started teaching for her dance teacher's studio in 1973. When aerobics became popular in the late 70s, she found the perfect combination of dance moves and aerobic exercises to share with students.
"To be able to share my years of experience, strength and knowledge of a safe exercise workout for all patrons and students no matter of their age and fitness levels is quite the privilege," Nancy explains. She teaches everyone from 3-year-old Tiny Dancers to adults in Belly Dance Classes to cardio land aerobic participants.
Nancy's goal is to create support in the Kettering community, motivate and inspire patrons, and celebrate each person's progress at their own pace. Her success story includes witnessing the growth of the Fitness Department over 40 years, from the 1991 building wing addition to the spectacular 2011 Fitness Center expansion.
As a certified group exercise instructor for over 33 years with ACE and a member of IDEA Health and Fitness Association, Nancy stays current through National Fitness Conventions. Her recent trip to London, Paris, and Normandy with three daughters involved 10 miles of daily walking and hundreds of cathedral stairs – proving her fitness dedication extends far beyond the gym. She even did headstands on the glass bottom bridge-walk on London Bridge and struck an arabesque on a random London street!
At nearly 70 years "young" this Christmas, Nancy's plan is simple: "stay fit, stay healthy and to keep on teaching dance and exercise classes for the City of Kettering, as long as they will have me, teaching one day at a time!"
The Still Got It Squad represents everything wonderful about the Kettering Recreation Complex – dedication, community, transformation, and the unwavering belief that fitness is a lifelong journey. These three incredible women have collectively inspired thousands of patrons while proving that passion, perseverance, and a positive attitude can overcome any obstacle. They truly embody the spirit of "still got it" – and we're grateful they're sharing it with our community every single day!
For more information on our fitness facilities, please visit: https://www.playkettering.org/fitness-wellness/