First Round of 2014 NFL Punt, Pass & Kick held in Des Plaines
The Des Plaines Park District hosted a free National Football League Punt, Pass & Kick Competition on Sunday, September 21 from noon to 3:00pm at Prairie Lakes Park, 515 E. Thacker Street. PP&K provides children ages 6-14 with an opportunity to compete in an event that recognizes individual excellence in core football skills. Each child is allowed one pass, one punt, and one place kick from a tee. Scores are based on distance and accuracy, and the winners are recognized based on their composite scores from all three events.
Local PPK hero, Alisa Fallon was in attendance to support this year's competitors. Fallon is the 2013 National Champion in the girls 14-15 category with the winning score of 387' 5".
About 40 boys and girls participated in the challenge. They were divided by gender into five age divisions: 6/7, 8/9, 10/11, 12/14, and 14/15. In the Boys Division, the First Place Champions were: Ages 6/7: Len Thomas Wright, 126' 6"; ages 8/9: Matthew Weinert, 175' 5"; ages 10/11: Connor McAndrews 246' 2"; ages 12/13: Vincent Parcelli, 278' 8"; and ages 14/15: Julio Cabrales, 301' 3".
In the Girls Division, the First Place Champions were: Ages 6/7: Georgia Herman, 35' 7" feet; ages 8/9: Gillian Herman, 156' 2"; ages 12/13: Alexis Mitchell, 181' 2"; and ages 14/15: Tattiana Cabrales, 119' 4".
Josh Cantres, DPPD Athletic Supervisor had this to say about the competition; "The NFL PPK is a great free event for the youth of Des Plaines. Last year was the first year running the event here at the Park District, and we were able to have Alisa Fallon win for her age group; girl 14- 15 yrs old. It created an amazing experience for her, which included visiting the Chicago Bears practice facility, being announced on the field at Soldier Field, and flying to Denver for the AFC championship game. We would like to continue to provide this opportunity to other children in Des Plaines for years to come."
Last Sunday's winners now advance to the Sectional Competition held on Sunday, October 19, at 10:00am, at Cannon Crossings Park, 1675 N. Nicholson Dr. in Hoffman Estates. Each competitor will begin anew with a score of zero. Only the top four first-place finishers in each age bracket of the boys' and girls' divisions, from the pool of Sectional Competition Champions, will advance to the Team Championship.
A complete list of the First, Second, and Third Place winners is available at www.DPParks.org. For more information about programs, classes, and events at the Des Plaines Park District, visit www.DPParks.org or call 847-391-5700.