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mokenamessenger.com sports
the Mokena Messenger | September 15, 2016 | 55
fastbreak
Young football players aim for nationals
Julie McMann/22nd Century
Media
1st-and-3
Top LW Central
performers of the
week
1. Brianne Bolden
(ABOVE)
As one of the
Knights’ top golfers,
Bolden displayed
her talent at the
LWC Invitational by
sharing medalist
honors with a 2-over
38.
2. Cassidy Wyman
The Central transfer
did her best to keep
the Knights afloat
against her former
team Lincoln-Way
East by serving
up three aces and
adding seven digs.
3. Grace Curran
The sophomore
shared medalist
honors with Bolden
and a Sandburg
golfer with a 38 to
help keep Central
undefeated at the
season’s midway
point.
Mokena Park District
hosts NFL Punt, Pass &
Kick at Main Park
Amanda Jarzynski, Editor
The sun arrived to Main Park just
before the contestants did on Thursday,
Sept. 8 so the field was dry
enough for the NFL Punt, Pass &
Kick competition for children ages
6-14.
This was the fifth year the competition
was held by the Mokena Park
District, and they had one of the best
turnouts ever with almost 30 children
signed up. The event was free
to participate, and it did not matter if
the child was a football superstar or a
beginner; all were welcomed.
“This is a sanctioned NFL competition,”
said Duane Smith, athletic
recreation supervisor at the Mokena
Park District. “So, we have certain
rules to follow, and they provide us
with the equipment to use, but we
use volunteer staff members to conduct
[the competition].”
The event held at Main Park was
the first in a larger tournament, said
Smith. It is simply the local competition;
winners from the Sept. 9 event
would move on to the sectional, then
regional and finally national competition.
The children were split up
into four different age groups (6-7,
8-9, 10-11, 12-13), and each winner
would qualify for the next round.
“We always send people to the
sectional,” Smith said. “But less than
five have ever gotten past sectional.”
But the competition is not as much
about advancing as far as possible
into the tournament. Smith said that
the event is held to get children together
to have friendly competition
among each other.
“To be out here interacting with
the kids is the most fun part,” Smith
said. “Then giving them another outlet
to participate in an event with not
a lot of pressure. Yes, it is a competition,
but it’s not about winning or
losing; it’s just about having fun,
throwing and kicking the ball, and
being with your friends.”
Smith said that a lot of the registrants
are children that have never
played football before.
“We do get kids that don’t participate
in football at all,” Smith said.
“This is their chance to participate in
a football activity without having to
try out for a team and get cut.”
At the same time, Smith said approximately
75 percent of competitors
are players who participate on
the Mokena Burros teams.
The competition was also open to
girls, too. This year, Gianna Amadio
was the only girl that participated.
After everyone was registered and
warmed up, the competition began.
“Everyone has three tries,” Smith
said. “First, they pass the ball – and
they’re aiming for the flags [at the
other end of the field] – but they
have to stay as close to the white line
as possible. Then, they punt the ball,
and then kick it off a tee.”
The white lines drawn down the
field were there to test the participants’
accuracy. Attempts were measured
away from that line and later
deducted from the total distance of
the throw or kick, Smith explained.
While he explained the rules to
the participants, several of the children
asked what would happen if
they could throw it past the red flags,
which were placed more than half a
football field away from the starting
point.
The volunteer coaches answered
that question with a joke, “If you can
get it past the flags, you win.”
To which the participants accepted
the challenge as several throws and
punts made it almost 100 feet out
Only girl of the competition, Gianna Amadio, throws the football in the
10-11 age group Thursday, Sept. 8, during the NFL Punt, Pass, Kick
competition at Main Park. Photos by Amanda Jarzynski/22nd Century Media
Brady Cunningham goes to punt the ball in the 6-7 age group during the
competition.
from the starting point.
“We’ve had some really close
competitions,” Smith said. “I’m talking
matter of feet. The winners from
each age group qualify for the next
level, but first through third place
each get ribbons.”
Happy with the amount of participants,
the Mokena Park District will
look to continue the event for future
years, as long as the weather permits.
“We rained out last year,” Smith
said. “And we also try to do the
MLB Pitch, Hit [&] Run competition,
but it has been rained out two
consecutive years.
“This is one of those things that
within the field, you’re always looking
for new things. You hear about
them from word of mouth. We don’t
have a lot of free events, so we threw
this in.”
Listen Up
“We’re looking to keep the mojo working and head
strong into the playoffs. We’re just trying to get better
every day. Just 1 percent better every day.”
Brian Shannon — Lincoln-Way Central girls golf coach, on winning the
Lincoln-Way Central Invitational Sept. 8 against five other teams
TUNE IN
Boys Golf
TBA, Tuesday, Sept. 27
• All the Lincoln-Way high schools will
compete in the SWSC Conference
Tournament at Kankakee Elks Country Club
in St. Anne.
Index
48 – This Week In
51 – Athlete of the Week
FASTBREAK is compiled by Assistant Editor F.
Amanda Tugade. Send any questions or comments to
f.tugade@22ndcenturymedia.com, or call (708) 326-9170
ext. 34.