SFU’s Athletics Department hosted 350 children for its 11^th annual Sheetz Sports4Kids Day on April 2.

The event honors Alicia Richardson, a former member of the Red Flash women’s volleyball team who died in 2007. She was an education major at Saint Francis and loved children.

The purpose of the event is to “expose children to a wide variety of sports,” said John Krimmel, Saint Francis associate director of athletics for student-athlete and leadership development. “It is a way for our student-athletes to engage with the community.”

Children kindergarten age through sixth grade are grouped by age and move between sports stations where they learn how to play all sorts of different sports, including basketball and volleyball.

About 200 Red Flash student-athletes volunteered throughout the day to play and teach participants about their sports.

“I love volunteering because we get to give back to the kids,” said Marisa Daly, an SFU swimmer and student-athlete mentor. “I had a wonderful time with athletics and I want the kids in the community to feel the same way.”

Sports4Kids Day is free for all participants. Sheetz sponsors the annual event.