As much as we all look forward to summer in Chicago when it gets here we always seem to be too busy to really enjoy it. Its turning out that way again for World Sport Chicago this year. July has been a very busy time for us with weightlifting, gymnastics and track consuming most of our time as well as preparations to continue the second year of our youth anti-violence program (BAM+Sport) and our scholarship program.
The major youth events in July were the two track meets that we had (or tried to have), one on July 17 and one on the 24th. Unfortunately, the 24th, as many of you remember, happened to be the day of a torrential downpour. Needless to say, the track would have been better suited for a learn to swim program. The event on the 17th was held at Hanson Stadium and we had over 250 kids participate at the meet. While the day was quite hot it didn’t seem to bother the kids who not only ran their races, but seemed to run from one event to another. Our program has grown from last year both in the number of wards participating (24) and the number of kids. We are looking forward to the championship meet at Hanson Stadium on Saturday, August the 7th.
In addition to our youth events we also had two elite events in July. The Cover Girl Classic, USA Gymnastics’s qualifier for the national championships, was held on the 23rd and 24th at the UIC Pavillion. The junior and senior event combined to bring almost 100 of the top US gymnasts to Chicago. On Saturday night 16 US National Team members competed including such big names as 2009 World Champion Bridget Sloan, 2009 World silver medalist Rebecca Bross, 2009 World Vault Champion Kayla Williams, and 2008 Olympian Alicia Sacramone in her first competition since the Games.
We also supported USA Team Handball in their first international event here which involved the Polish national team playing the German national team. We are helping USA Team Handball grow the sport here in Chicago where the demographics make it a likely fit for many neighborhood groups.
One of our newest programs that we are still piloting is weightlifting. On the 17th of the month we took some of the participants in the program up to Buffalo Grove for a day long training session with Olympic Coaches Mike Gattone and Roger Neilsen. The youth from Taylor and Lindblom parks had a great time. With so many of these small trips that we take with kids we are finding that it does wonders for keeping the kids motivated in the sport and also provides them a new experience that helps broaden their horizons.
As we look out to the next couple of months I want to bring everyone’s attention to the end of September. On September 18th we will be hosting the World Sport Chicago Family Sports Festival. This event, on the Midway Plaisance, will bring together all Chicago’s professional sports teams as well as community organizations in a day long festival. The objective of the day is to help kids from around the city find a sport that they enjoy and a place were they can participate in that sport. We’ll have more on this event in next month’s newsletter. This festival is the kick off to the Beyond Sport Conference. You should watch the Tribune for ads about the Beyond Sport Conference for which we are the host.