Local student to compete in Jr. Olympic skills basketball competition
 The Junior Olympic Skills Competition recently announced that Kaliyah Mitchell has advanced as a finalist in the 2008 Junior Olympic Skills National Finals. Mitchell, an eighth grader at Stone Mountain Middle School, was one of three girls in the 12 to13 age group nationwide who will advance to the national basketball competition held July 24-27 in Chicago.
Junior Olympic Skills is a free national grassroots skills competition that provides boys and girls, ages 8 to 13, the opportunity to showcase their athletic abilities in four individually scored sports contests: basketball, soccer, tennis, and track and field.
The organization is designed to encourage youth participation in any or all of the individual sports and advance through three levels of competition, including the National Finals in Chicago, Ill.
As a member of the Corpus Christi Lady All Stars, Mitchell initially won first place at the local event hosted by Corpus Christi Catholic Church in February.
With that victory, she advanced and also won at the Regional Competition in Winder, Ga., in early June. Her score at the regional competition was one of the top three nationwide, which qualified her for the Chicago competition.
As a national finalist, she was awarded an all-expense paid weekend trip for Mitchell and her father to attend events scheduled at Chicago’s Soldier Field, Wrigley Field, Lincoln Park Zoo and University of Illinois at Chicago.
This is one of many rewards Mitchell has earned through her dedication to basketball. She plays year-round on one of three teams. In addition to playing for Corpus Christi Youth Basketball League (CCYBL) on the recreation level, she also plays for her school team and she is a member of the AAU Georgia Hoop Stars. Her CCYBL coach, William Tarver, said “Kaliyah’s great attitude, endurance, and love for the game deserve this recognition.”
|
