Summer Activities Fair encourages Minooka-area kids to stay active in summer

MINOOKA – When Minooka Junior High School student Messiah Edwards tried to jump rope faster than Nicole Lincoln, of Rush Athletics USA, she lacked just a little speed to overcome her.

Edwards didn’t feel bad once she learned who she was up against, though. Lincoln holds records in USA Track and Field Illinois in shot put, javelin and discus, and just made All-American for the long jump and the 200-meter dash. Lincoln visited the junior high Friday morning with demonstration-sized javelins, shots, discus and the sprint ladder to show students what Rush Athletics offers in the way of summer track and field programs for kids.

Twenty-eight organizations that attended the school’s inaugural Summer Activities Fair, organized by the physical education teachers to introduce students to what kind of fitness and other activities are available for them during the summer.

“A lot of our kids really don’t do a lot during the summer,” P.E. teacher and event organizer Mike Lanahan said. “There are a lot of great things happening in our area, but they just don’t know about them. ... We hope this will give them some ideas of how to go out in the community and really get involved this summer.”

Lanahan said the junior high’s students have physical education during the school year, and he wants them to continue their fitness during the summer break. Many of the outside programs will teach them about lifelong fitness, too, he said, that extends beyond the team sports years.

“If we can develop students who are healthier now,” he said, “hopefully they will be healthy adults.”

Represented at the fair were gyms, a golf club, martial arts studios, dance and cheerleading clinics, soccer clubs, volleyball and basketball camps, the YMCA, the Channahon Park District and Minooka Community High School summer camps, among others.

Bob Tyrell, athletic director at Minooka Community High School, brought a long list of the summer camps offered. They included conditioning, lifting and tennis, along with the more traditional soccer, track and field, football and other team sports.

“It keeps kids busy,” Tyrell said. “It’s great for the kids, and it’s nice and close. It’s pretty economical, too.”

Eighth-grader Calvin Alvarado took a try at bouncing one of Chicago Fire Juniors West Soccer Club’s soccer balls on his knees. He kept the ball in the air for a good amount of time, but later said soccer wasn’t his best sport.

“I play football,” he said. “I was never really good at soccer.”

Cara Currier, assistant athletic director and women’s volleyball coach at the University of St. Francis, said the fair was a good idea. She’s only seen one other similar event held at area schools.

“It’s nice to be able to reach them,” she said. “I’d like to see other schools do something like this. I want to see more students get involved and doing things instead of just sitting in front of the Xbox.”