The U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Competition is a free, grass-roots, Olympic sports program which teaches youth, ages 8-13, about the advantages of living a healthy lifestyle by promoting fitness, physical activity and sports participation.  The program is also a foundation for building youth interest and participation in Olympic sports.

In its first year of implementation, more than 1.5 million participants, representing all 50 states competed in the program.  Children from across the nation competed in more than 5,700 local qualifying events and 150 regional competitions which tested their skills in four Olympic sports:  basketball, soccer, track & field and tennis.  The top three scorers from each age group and sport were selected as finalists and will compete for the title of U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Champion in his/her age group and sport.  Finalists represent 32 states.

"Every Olympic athlete started his or her career through programs and activities similar to those offered by the U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Competition," said USOC Chief Executive Officer Jim Scherr .  "We partnered with Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and its Earn Your Stripes program to teach kids about the importance of setting goals and working hard to do their best, and to encourage them to strive for the same commitment to excellence that our Olympic and Paralympic athletes demonstrate.  The individuals that will join us in Colorado Springs next week are not only a talented group of young athletes, but they represent the future of the Olympic Movement and Olympic sport in America."

The finalists will travel with a guardian to the United States Olympic Committee national headquarters, where America's Olympic and Paralympic athletes, live, train and prepare to compete in the world's biggest sporting events - the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

U.S.Junior Olympic Skills Competition - National Finals Event
In addition to participating in the competition, finalists will partake in three days of activities which include interacting with U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes including: former U.S. National Soccer Team member and three-time U.S. World Cup member, Marcelo Balboa (Cerritos, Calif.);  U.S. world champion, Olympic silver medalist and professional cyclist Mari Holden (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.), the No. 1 ranked triathlete in the world; and five-time Paralympic medalist and the world's fastest amputee, Marlon Shirley (Chula Vista, Calif.).  Other resident athletes such as members of the National Gymnastics and Triathlon Teams will be on hand to cheer for youth as they compete in their given sports. 

The National Finals event will replicate the festivities of the Olympic and Olympic Winter Games.  Finalists will participate in an official Opening Ceremony, complete with a lighting of the cauldron at the Olympic Training Center, a Parade of National Finalists which will occur along the Olympic Path, and a special Awards and Medals Ceremony on the final day.  Additionally, finalists and their guests will receive special tours of the U.S. Olympic Training Center, and they will visit some of the historic and scenic surroundings of Colorado Springs.  This includes a trip to the top of Pikes Peak via the highest cog railway in the world.  Pikes Peak is a 14,000 foot mountain which inspired the song "America The Beautiful."

With the generosity of title sponsor, Kellogg's Frosted Flakes and supporting sponsors Tyson Foods, Band-Aid® and the United States Tennis Association (USTA), the U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Competition has brought free, grass-roots, Olympic sports programming to youth nationwide.

About the U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Competition
In the National Finals of the U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Competition, participants are tested in a variety of events through a timed competition.  The top scorers per age and gender will be named national champions in their respective sports.  Events include:
-Basketball: score as many points as possible by making baskets from designated shooting areas
-Soccer: dribble and shoot accurately in the fastest time possible
-Tennis: serve a low-compression tennis ball and continue to hit the ball against a wall and above the net as many times as possible in a 30-second time period
-Track & Field: perform three fundamental events, the sprint (50-meter in the fastest time possible), a standing long jump and the ultimate shot put (using a softball and proper shot put technique)

Following is the complete itinerary of events for the U.S. Junior Olympic Skills National Finals and a complete list of finalists.

For more information, please contact the USOC Media & Public Relations Division at 719-866-4529.  This press release is also available on the USOC's media specific website at www.usocpressbox.org.

2006 U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Competition
National Finals Itinerary - August 10-13, 2006

Thursday, August 10, 2006
7:00 PM - Opening Ceremony/Welcome Reception - U.S. Olympic Training Center, Visitors Center

• Official Welcome by USOC, CEO Jim Scherr
• Athlete Speakers:  Hunter Kemper, Marlon Shirley
• Lighting of the Cauldron
• Olympic athlete interaction with the participants

Friday, August 11, 2006
9:30 AM Parade of National Finalists on the Olympic Path (with Olympic athletes)

10:00 AM USTA Rapid Rally Tennis Competition- Olympic Path 5 Ring Wall

• Kevin Han, two-time Olympian (badminton)

11:00 AM Soccer Competition- Olympic House Lawn

• Marcelo Balboa, former U.S. National Soccer Team member and three-time World Cup team-member

12:00 PM Picnic Lunch and Tours of U.S. Olympic Training Center- Visitor Center

• Yewki Tomita, gymnast and 2008 U.S. Olympic Team hopeful

2:00 PM Basketball Competition- Sports Center #1, Court #1

6:00 PM Mr. Biggs Fun Activity

6:30 PM Dinner and Interactive Games

Saturday, August 12, 2006
8:45 AM Track & Field Competition - Sidewalk north of Sports Center 2

• Hunter Kemper, No. 1 triathlete in the world
• Marlon Shirley, five-time Paralympic medalist

10:15 AM Awards Ceremony / Medals Presentation- North of Sport Center 2

Medals Presented by:

• Two-time Paralympian, Marlon Shirley (track and field)
• 2008 U.S. Olympic hopeful, triathlon, Jasmine Oeinck

11:30 AM Lunch at the Olympic Training Center Visitor Center

1:00 PM Pike's Peak Cog Railway

6:30 PM Closing Ceremony at Doubletree Hotel-Colorado Springs Ballroom

• World Champion and Olympic silver medalist, Mari Holden (cycling)
• Two-time Olympian, World Champion, Alison Dunlap (mountain biking)
• U.S. National Team member, Cara Heads (weightlifting)

2006 U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Competition
National Finalist Participants By Sport
2006 NATIONAL FINALISTS  - TENNIS
    
8-9 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Zachary Linder  Alpharetta, GA  East
Cross Tolliver  Bluefield, WV  Central
Greg Wischer  Grand Forks, ND  West
    
8-9 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Bridget Forster  Lebanon, PA  East
Nicole Gabe  Bluefield, WV  Central
Sarah Daly  Jackson, CA  West
    
10-11 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Christopher Wilson  Gaithersburg, MD  East
Elvis Henderson   Newllano, LA  Central
Noah Vento  Sierra Vista, AZ  West
    
10-11 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Cynceray Winder  Woodlawn, MD  East
Rylie Fallu  Lavonia, MI  Central
Rachel Christensen  Laie, HI  West
    
12-13 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
John Picard  Cumberland, RI  East
Chas Stonestreet  Bluefield, WV  Central
Brody Yardumian  Denver, CO  West
    
12-13 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name   Hometown  Region
Emma Forster  Lebanon, PA  East
Danielle Gabe  Bluefield, WV  Central
Diamond McNeill  Bellevue, NE  West

2006 NATIONAL FINALISTS  - TRACK & FIELD
    
8-9 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Josh Prickett  Medford, NJ  East
Tydarius Tyson  Jackson, TN  Central
Casey Saul  Yelm, WA  West
    
8-9 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Emily St. Pierre  Coventry, RI  East
China Dickson  Tunica, MS  Central
Danna Hanks  Powell, WY  West
    
10-11 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Devric Foster  Miami Lakes, FL  East
David Nothnagel  Springfield, MO  Central
Korey Sloan  Fort Irwin, CA  West
    
10-11 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Janisha Davis  Smiths, AL  East
Priscilla Daniels  Columbia, MO  Central
Alexandra Schmidt  Longview, WA  West
    
12-13 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Ashton Black  St. Petersburg, FL  East
Larenzo Williams  Antioch, TN  Central
Michael Mariteragi  Hauula, HI  West
    
12-13 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Lynn Burton  St. Petersburg, FL  East
Morgan Fritz-Ward  Mason City, IA  Central
Tierra Thompson  Tulsa, OK  West

2006 NATIONAL FINALISTS  - SOCCER
    
8-9 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Jonathan Tartaro  Narragansett, RI  East
Hunter Wallace  Springfield, MO  Central
Tyler Gordon  Provo, UT  West
    
8-9 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Amanda Flores  Silver Springs, MD  East
Caylon McMillan  Mesquite, TX  Central
Madeline Dilks  Owasso, OK  West
    
10-11 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Brandon Meyer  Largo, FL  East
Gabe Vervynckt  Plymouth, IN  Central
Tanner Zant  Anthem, AZ  West
    
10-11 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Jaclyn Iannucci  Saunderstown, RI  East
Shayna White  Deerfield, OH  Central
Amanda Dial  Edmond, OK  West
    
12-13 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Carlos Garcia  Silver Springs, MD  East
PJ Correa  Bowling Green, KY  Central
Austin Mack  Dickinson, ND  West
    
12-13 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Sarah Wilkins  St. Petersburg, FL  East
Paige Fallu  Lavonia, MI  Central
Jenna Dukart  Dickinson, ND  West

2006 NATIONAL FINALISTS  - BASKETBALL

8-9 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Andrew Kostecka  Germantown, MD  East
David Durand  Madisonville, LA  Central
Alohi Gilman  Laie, HI  West
    
8-9 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Lilly Murley  Sanford, ME  East
Paige Wogen  Dekalb, IL  Central
Angelica Medrano  Grand Forks, ND  West
    
10-11 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Lee Messier  Narragansett, RI  East
Gregg Easter  Little Rock, AR  Central
Davis Crawford  Edmond, OK  West
    
10-11 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Bryanna Velez  Springvale, ME  East
Remy Davenport  Blue Springs, MO  Central
Halie Bergman  Hilmar, CA  West
    
12-13 Year-Old Division - Boys
Name  Hometown  Region
Cody Johnson  Oldsmar, FL  East
Drew Houck  Portland, IN  Central
Joshua Christensen  Laie, HI  West
    
12-13 Year-Old Division - Girls
Name  Hometown  Region
Hope Melchor  Mitchelville, MD  East
Bianca Mitchell  Carrollton, TX  Central
Mindy Grensberg  Willow Lake, SD  West