Aurora Sports Festival kicks off today
City and school budget cuts have forced the Aurora Sports Festival to trim several events and drop to only one day but when the whistle blows at 9 a.m. today, coordinator Al Miller promises the competition will be as fierce as ever.
The 16th annual festival kicks off in and around Phillips Park on the city's east side.
Miller said he helped design the original festival in the mold of the Prairie State Games to promote May as National Health and Physical Fitness month.
"Every other department has an incentive-based field trip for their students, and this is P.E.'s field trip," Miller said. "But Sports Festival is a more fitting name than incentive-based field trip and it more accurately describes the competition level these students bring to the contests."
About 1,000 students from several Aurora-area schools are registered to compete in events including bowling, in-line skating relay, checkers, sand volleyball, chess, soccer, softball, swimming, golf, tennis, horseshoes, basketball and tug-o-war. To compete, athletes must meet their schools' eligibility standards and maintain an A or B in physical education.
The event is a program of the Mayor's Youth and Sports Activities Division, in cooperation with Aurora's physical education teachers.
Miller said the festival also draws plenty of spectators.
"It's really something to watch these kids compete for the pride of their schools, in their school colors," Miller said. "The camaraderie and teamwork that is so often displayed by these youngsters is something everyone should see. They really do make the city and their schools proud."
The competing schools include Annunciation, Aurora Christian, Our Lady of Good Counsel, Holy Angels, St. Joseph and St. Rita of Cascia. District 129 schools are Herget, Jefferson, Jewel and Washington. District 131 schools competing are Cowherd, Simmons and Waldo.
The public is encouraged to attend the festival, which begins with an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. in the winter recreation area near the Phillips Park Aquatic Center. The events will be ongoing throughout the day at Phillips Park, East Aurora High School, Aurora Skate Center and Parkside Bowling Lanes.
When points are tallied at the end of the day, the wining school will be awarded the Mayor's Cup trophy and other placing schools will receive medals.