The body strengthens. The mind stretches. The heart speaks. This isn’t mind over matter or brawn over brains; this is Health Idol, back and better than ever.

You know the drill—Health Idol is the annual school competition where students and teachers compete to prove who is the most healthy in mental, physical, and emotional aspects. This year looks to outshine the others with impressive participants and a few firsts. This is the first year that creator, Ian Enriquez, the Wellness Center counselor, will compete in the competition. That alone is cause for controversy.

“People say ‘Oh, you’re the creator, you have to do good,’” Enriquez said. “I don’t think it actually gives me an advantage.”

Enriquez came up with the idea for the competition five years ago. He was trying to find some way to get students and teachers to think more about their health.

“I’m a big fan of reality T.V.” he said. “I was a semifinalist to get on The Mole.”

Health Idol blossomed from this inspiration and has spread across the country to various high schools and even one middle school. But even the creator has to prepare for such rigorous challenges.

“Sit-ups are my biggest weakness,” Enriquez said. “My friend will meet with me to help me prepare because I need someone to push me.”

Sit-ups aren’t the only thing that Enriquez has to worry about. Participants this year have more experience than he does in his own competition.

“Steven Flynn is the one I’m worried about,” Enriquez said. “He is my Health Idol. He inspired me to apply.”

Steven has even more on his plate this year. Not only is he competing for his final year, he’s also competing against his twin brother, John.

“I do hope I get into a [huge] battle with my brother,” Steven said.

Steven retains a positive outlook on his situation despite potential anxieties.

“I’m pretty confident…[that] I’ll make it at least in the top four or three,” Flynn said. “I’m as prepared as I can get.”

Perhaps the most prepared of all participants this is year is senior Rebecca Choi. Choi is the first student to participate in Health Idol all four years of high school. This year, Enriquez predicts that she’ll have more than a good chance at victory.

“I definitely feel I know the game,” Choi said. “I am afraid I’ll go into it too confident and it’ll come back and bite me in the butt.” Choi got into the competition her freshman year in order to meet new people and to show off her athletic abilities. Now in her final year, she’s in it to win, but that doesn’t mean she isn’t weary of her competition.

“Ian is definitely [competition],” Choi said. “I mean, he is the coordinator.”

Though they have as little experience as Enriquez, the freshmen are expected to last longer in this competition than the freshmen of previous years. There has only been one year where a freshman was not the first to be eliminated.

“Their [competition] applications were really serious and that’s why I’m confident they’ll last longer,” Enriquez said.

The freshmen themselves are staying optimistic.

“If you try, you try. If you fail, you fail,” freshman Kevin Trinh said. “But, if you win it’s the best.”

As far as winning goes, Trinh is setting his expectations a bit lower.

“I just hope I don’t get eliminated the first round,” Trinh said.