BYU athletes inspire sixth graders at Sports Hero Day

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Sixth graders interact with BYU athletes at the annual Sports Hero Day.
Sixth graders interact with BYU athletes at the annual Sports Hero Day.

Y-Serve teamed up with Division 1 BYU athletes to inspire sixth graders from different schools to become heroes for others at BYU’s Sports Hero Day on Jan. 16.

More than 1,000 sixth graders from 12 different schools participated in the event. The children rotated among five different stations, where they had quick lessons on different sports topics such as nutrition, teamwork, sportsmanship, goal setting and practice. After these lessons, they played games with the BYU athletes.

Students then returned to the Smith Fieldhouse for a pep rally, where they had the opportunity to listen to four short speeches from various athletes. Y-Serve program director Chelsea Fairbourn said the athletes were asked to speak about their personal heroes.

BYU Cougarette Jerra Kofford said anyone could be a hero, not just athletes. “To me a hero is somebody who’s not only good at what they do, but a good person,” Koffard said.

BYU baseball’s Chunner Nyberg spoke to the children about why Derek Jeter was his one of his favorite players.

“You know what I like about Derek Jeter? He’s never done steroids,” Nyberg said. “He’s never done drugs or steroids, and he’s still one of the best players in the game,” Nyberg said.

“One person that has helped me through it all and has been there for me since day one was my mom,” said BYU football player Jamaal Williams. “Anybody that knows me knows that I’m a mama’s boy. I love my mom to death. She has been there for me all the time.”

Y-Serve volunteer Ashley Cox was excited to help out. “I love kids and I love sports, so I thought it would be a fairly fun thing to do,” Cox said.

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