Sports4Kids Day Draws Crowd to Stokes Center

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Saint Francis hosted the 10th annual Sports4Kids Day on April 3 at the Stokes Athletics Center.

The event is named in memory of former Red Flash volleyball player Alicia Richardson, who died in January 2007.

Sports4Kids Day allows area students in kindergarten through sixth grade to play multiple sports with members of Red Flash athletics teams.

John Krimmel, SFU’s Associate Director of Athletics, was excited about the turnout for this year’s event.

“It’s our biggest turnout we’ve ever had,” said Krimmel. “This year we closed registration within one week because we hit our capacity.”

Dozens of Red Flash student-athletes offered their time mentoring children and leading stations where they shared tips on their respective sports.

Janiece Morton, a junior cheerleader and communications major, was among the volunteers at the event.

“By encouraging [the children] and allowing them to trust us, we helped the kids overcome their fears,” said Morton.

More than 350 children participated in the event, with each receiving individual interaction with athletes from more than a dozen Saint Francis athletics teams.

Morton stressed that the experience is not only gratifying for the children, but for the Saint Francis student-athletes as well.

“It is rewarding for me to see that look on their faces that says ‘I did it.’”