South Bend PAL Athletes lacing up for Junior Olympics Regional Qualifiers this weekend

 

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Young athletes with The South Bend Police Athletic League are lacing up their shoes for the 2024 AAU Junior Olympic Regional Qualifiers this weekend.

South Bend PAL relaunched in 2006, and the program pairs officers with local youth in a sports mentoring environment for things like football, swimming, and of course, track and field.

Brooklynn Washington, Jhenay Johnson, Joel Wells, Zyaire Washington, Ava Kealy and Peyton Bradford all qualified in the district competition this past weekend in Indianapolis, and now they'll travel to Dekalb, IL for Regionals.

They'll be showcasing their Track and Field skills, and the top 5 finishers in each event will move on to compete in the 2024 AAU Junior Olympics in Greensboro, North Carolina this summer!

While a big focus is having fun and making friends for the hundreds of athletes that participate each year, Head Coach and SBPD Officer, Georgia Wells says it's also about fostering a positive relationship between the police department and the local youth.

Wells says it's all to help, "...building the confidence of these athletes up as well as their performance, their athletic abilities, all while fostering that relationship with the police department, and giving them a safe place to just come and just develop their craft and their skill."

South Bend PAL is still accepting young athletes for its July summer camp, which includes a community showcase at the end of the season. 

If you're interested in registering your child, head to the South Bend PAL's website.