Children’s
games prove successful
By Todd Leland
On-line Forty-Niner
More
than 100 asthmatic children roamed Cal State
Long Beach’s Jack Rose Memorial Track Saturday
testing their stamina and athleticism in
the 2002 Air Power Games.
The track and field event is designed to
support and encourage children with asthma.
“It was a great day,” Maria Marquez of Long
Beach Memorial Hospital Children’s Clinic
said. “All the kids received a medal and
I am very proud of my kids from the clinic
for doing as well as they did.”
The children, ages 5 to 14, participated
in a variety of events that tested their
agility, athleticism and most importantly
their capacity to breathe.
“We had the 100-, 200-, 400- and 800-meter
running events,” Health Educator Cathy Pollak
of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of
America said. “There was also the long jump,
an obstacle course and the softball toss.”
Every child who participated in an event
received a medal and those who finished
first through sixth received another medal
congratulating their efforts.
Everett Spalding, an 8-year-old asthmatic,
won first place in the softball toss.
“I threw the ball pretty far,” Spalding
bragged triumphantly. “I also did the obstacle
course but didn’t get first place in that.”
In Spalding’s defense he had a slight note
of trouble rounding a cone in the obstacle
course and was penalized for the error.
Spalding enjoyed the 2002 Air Power Games
with about 150 other asthmatic children
from the Los Angeles area.
“We had a terrific showing this year,” Pollak
said. “Of the 190 children to sign up, 150
of them were here participating in the events.”
Helping the AAFA and the CSULB kinesiology
department generate such a favorable response
to the games is the fact they provide transportation
to those who need it and a little bit of
celebrity endorsement.
“We provide buses to transport some of the
kids here from as far away as Watts,” Pollak
said. “We (the AAFA) feel that there is
a higher participant turnout if we provide
transportation to those who would otherwise
be unable to attend because they don’t own
a vehicle.”
Also contributing to the success of the
Air Power games is the efforts of celebrity
rapper Coolio. An asthmatic and huge supporter
of the Air Power games, he can often be
spotted at AAFA events.
Unfortunately for the fans and children
at the 2002 Air Power games Coolio was unable
to attend.
“Coolio is always ready to help and we greatly
appreciate his support,” Pollak said. “But
unfortunately he could not guarantee he
would be able to make an appearance at this
year’s games.”
This year the Air Power games will mark
the 10th year of collaboration between the
AAFA and the CSULB kinesiology department
Pollak said.
“The AAFA and this event have a long history
with CSULB,” Pollak said. “Jim Davis and
the kinesiology department have been collaborating
with and supporting us for the last ten
years.”
The event was brisk and exciting, starting
at 9 a.m. and concluding around 30 minutes
past noon.
“We like it short and sweet,” Pollak mused.
“All we want is for these kids to have fun
and enjoy themselves.”
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