PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh Noon Kiwanis Club invites children between the ages 6 and 15 to the 2nd Annual Punt, Pass & Kick competition to exhibit their football skills.
“Our first year, last year, had a really nice turn out,” Nancy Church, Plattsburgh Kiwanis Club member, said. “We hope this one is bigger and better.”
The competition will begin at 10 a.m. Aug. 16 at Melissa Penfield Park, located at 139 Boynton Ave.
The Punt, Pass & Kick football competition allows young football fans to showcase their talents in five skill categories punting, passing, kicking, broad jump and a 40-yard dash.
Competitors must compete in all five skills events.
All categories are available for boys and girls in age brackets at ages 6 to 7, 8 to 9, 10 to 11, 12 to 13 and 14 to 15, and will be placed in age groups based on their age on Dec. 31.
Award ribbons will be presented to all first, second and third place finishers in each of the five skill categories.
Trophies will be awarded to the top 3 overall winners in all 10 of the boys and girls age groups.
Free t-shirts will be given to the first 75 registrants who sign up and participate.
No specialized shoes are allowed, including cleats, and no participants may compete in bare feet.
Aqua socks, tennis shoes and sneakers or running shoes are allowed.
Drinks and snacks will be provided, sponsored by Casella.
“Casella sponsored the event with drinks and snacks, not a full meal, but something to keep the kids’ energy up,” Church said.
Wendell Hughes, president of the Plattsburgh Noon Kiwanis Club, brought the competition to the club in 2024, and it was a success.
“We are looking for lots of volunteers for this event and would like to hear from them,” Hughes stated in a news release.
According to Nancy Church, the club was “overwhelmingly” in favor of the project, as the motto of Kiwanis is “serving the children of the world,”
“Kiwanis is focused on our youth,” she said. “So we wanted something for the kids, boys and girls.”
Sponsorship tiers are available to local businesses interested in sponsoring the competition, including $1,000 major sponsor, $300 t-shirt sponsor, $200 trophy sponsor and $150 ribbon sponsor.
During the 2024 competition, local football players from Plattsburgh High School worked to help participants learn how to compete in the categories.
“Last year, football players from the high school actually volunteered to help at the competition,” Church said. “They helped show the kids how to do things, stretch, and it was fantastic. We are so grateful for them and hope they come back this year, we would be really lucky.”
The Plattsburgh Noon Kiwanis Club has been serving the North Country since 1929. The club meets on the second Thursday of each month for dinner at 5:30 p.m. and the fourth Thursday of each month for lunch at 12:15 p.m. in the Comfort Inn’s breakfast room.
The competition is free and open to girls and boys.
All participants can register online at https://signup.com/go/vcZuSPf
For those without access to the internet, all participants are required to arrive by 9:30 a.m. to sign up with a guardian.
For more information about sponsorships, registration or to volunteer, contact Nancy Church at 518-572-5028.