Over 350 participate in successful Youth Summer Sports Blitz

The Youth Summer Sports Blitz held from July 24 to 29 brought out about 350 participants total for fun and exercise at the Oleai Sports Complex.

Filomenaleonisa Iakopo, student-athlete and chair of the Committee on Sports & Recreation of the 19th CNMI Youth Congress, said that the event was successful.

Although it was a rainy end to July, children aged 10 to 17 years old came out to spice their summer up with track and field, soccer, volleyball, and other fun activities and games.

The morning sessions for 10- to 13-year-olds were held from 8am to 12pm, while the afternoon sessions for 14- to 17-year-olds were held from 1pm to 5pm.

Iakopo said “​​The Youth Summer Sports Blitz was incredibly successful! We received a great variety of children, ages 10-17 from different backgrounds, schools, and villages! I am very humbled by the amount of participants, which was about 50-60 per day.”

As to what the goal of the event was, Iakopo said it “was an opportunity for the youth to potentially find athletic talent, foster a spirit of camaraderie, and healthy competition among participants.”

She added, “I created the Youth Summer Sports Blitz and organized engaging activities and a vibrant atmosphere with the help of our main coach, Peter Pulu, and volleyball coach, Bill Owens.”

Iakopo then said, “The Youth Summer Sports Blitz left a positive impact on every person who was involved, whether it was a participant or volunteer. Inspiring a generation to prioritize their physical fitness and mental wellbeing, nurturing a healthier lifestyle, and a connected community.”

The Sports Blitz sponsors are the Saipan Mayor’s Office, Youth Affairs Office, TurnKey Solutions, Bridge Capital LLC., Triple J, IT&E, Coca-Cola Beverage Co. (Micronesia), Inc., Run Saipan, Tupu Cane Juice, Paradise Dental, Saipan Nail and Spa, Hagu Real, Kensington Hotel Saipan, Marianas Variety, Saipan Tribune, vice speaker Rep. Blas Jonathan “BJ” Attao’s (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Joel Camacho (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Angelo Camacho (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Marissa Flores (Ind-Saipan), Rep. Denita Yangetmai (D-Saipan), Saipan International School, Mount Carmel School, Kagman High School, Grace Christian Academy, Northern Marianas College-Nursing Club, and Northern Marianas Sports Association.