By Gillian Graham

Staff Writer

For 20 minutes, PaigeDeGeorge paddled laps in the pool, her bright pink goggles bobbing in and outof the water.

A few minutes later,the 6-year-old was jogging on a treadmill, her wet hair  slapping against her back.

Paige is the youngestmember of the first children’s triathlon club in the state, which draws membersfrom Scarborough, Saco, Biddeford, Kennebunk and Lyman. The club meets onSunday mornings at the YMCA in Biddeford, where coaches Erika DeGeorge andCharles Melton guide athletes from ages 7 to 13 through a one-hour workout.

DeGeorge and Melton,who both compete in triathlons, decided to start the club to get kids moreactive. During practices, participants alternate between swimming in the pool,running on treadmills and pedaling bicycles.

“We want to find away to get kids more involved in physical activities, especially during thewinter months,” Melton said. “They all have smiles on their faces and they workhard. They want to push themselves and they have fun doing it.”

DeGeorge said club members are gearing up toparticipate in the sixth annual YMCA Indoor Triathlon in early March, an eventopen to both children and adults. Participants will swim, run and bike for 20minutes each as they try to record the longest distances.

On May 23, DeGeorge, Melton and club members willkick off the new Healthy Habits Youth Triathlon Series in Biddeford. Thekids-only race will be open to all children 5 to 15, including those withdisabilities.

“We want to give them the opportunity to trysomething new,” Melton said. “By having a series, it would give them somethingto work on all summer long.”

To help club members train for the triathlons,DeGeorge has them swim laps in the pool to build endurance. She checks to makesure their strokes are formed properly and creates games to keep practice fun.

“They need to be able to swim as fast as they canduring the event,” she said.

Across the gym, Melton works with kids on running andcycling. Some of the younger members are too short to reach treadmill controlpanels, so he circulates around the room to start machines and adjust speeds.

During the 20 minutes spent running at each practice,Melton occasionally offers suggestions to the kids. But, he said, “most kidshave a good natural running form.”

DeGeorge and Melton said the response to theeight-week program has been positive and they will likely offer it again.Parents have welcomed the opportunity to get their kids off the couch andmoving around, they said.

Chloe Ebbrecht, a 9-year-old from Kennebunk, said shewanted to try a triathlon because her dad competes in races. She also is amember of the running club at the Master’s House school in Biddeford. She saidher favorite part of the club is spending time in the pool.

“You get to do so many fun things here like workingon your swimming, running and biking,” she said. “I feel excited, definitely,for the triathlon.”

Chris Ebbrecht, Chloe’s dad, is a member of theKennebunk Beach Triathlon Club and welcomes the opportunity for his daughter toget involved in the sport. He said the camaraderie of training with otherathletes helps kids enjoy the process.

“It’s great because for kids it’s helpful to dothings together,” he said. “It’s a little less scary and training togethermakes them feel more connected.”

For more information about the Healthy Habits YouthTriathlon Series, go to www.foundationsmultisportcoaching.com.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at282-4337, ext. 213.