Hundreds of Long Beach youth were running, catching, throwing and more on Tuesday, June 23, as they participated in the Youth Sports Festival in celebration of LA28 National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport.
National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport is a worldwide celebration held annually on June 23 to promote fitness, inclusivity and community, according to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s website. Created by the International Olympic Committee in 1948, the day commemorates the founding of the modern Olympic Games on June 23, 1894.
As Long Beach will play a major role during the 2028 Games – hosting 11 Olympic and seven Paralympic events – the Youth Sports Festival was intended to help build children’s excitement for the Games, organizers said.
“Today, we have an exciting day full of sports and you get to engage with Olympian and Paralympian athletes,” Dalane Nash, who helped organize the event, said during the opening ceremony. “This is really, really here to build confidence, community and get us prepared for LA28.”
Nash – with Leadership Long Beach and the community experience director for Studio One Eleven, an architecture firm in the city – was one of many volunteers, with Parks, Recreation and Marine staff helping guide the children throughout their full day of sports.
Long Beach youth were excited to learn and practice rugby skills during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth practiced swimming skills on land during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth raced against Track and Field Paralympian Isaac Jean-Paul during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth of all ages play soccer during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth played volleyball during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth used pool noodles to learn fencing skills from Fencing Paralympian Mario Rodriguez at Long Beach’s Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth played volleyball during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth practiced flag football skills during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth of all ages play soccer during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth used pool noodles to learn fencing skills from Fencing Paralympian Mario Rodriguez at Long Beach’s Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth raced against Track and Field Paralympian Isaac Jean-Paul during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth practiced flag football skills during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth of all ages play soccer during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth learned about track and field during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth of all ages play soccer during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Fencing Paralympian Mario Rodriguez at Long Beach’s Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth used pool noodles to learn fencing skills from Fencing Paralympian Mario Rodriguez at Long Beach’s Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth were excited to learn and practice rugby skills during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Dalane Nash, with Leadership Long Beach and community experience director for Studio One Eleven, welcomes hundreds of Long Beach youth to the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Cliff Meidel, a Sprint Kayak Olympian, playing volleyball with Long Beach youth at the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Track and Field Paralympian Isaac Jean-Paul at Long Beach’s Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Track and Field Olympian Queen Harrison Claye welcomes hundreds of Long Beach youth to the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth were excited to learn and practice rugby skills during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Dalane Nash, with Leadership Long Beach and community experience director for Studio One Eleven, welcomes hundreds of Long Beach youth to the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Long Beach youth were excited to learn and practice rugby skills during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Hundreds of Long Beach youth participated in the LA28 National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport on Tuesday, June 23, with the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Olympians and Paralympians joined hundreds of Long Beach youth in celebrating National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport on Tuesday, June 23, at the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Hundreds of Long Beach youth participated in the LA28 National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport on Tuesday, June 23, with the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Olympians and Paralympians joined hundreds of Long Beach youth in celebrating National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport on Tuesday, June 23, at the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
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Long Beach youth were excited to learn and practice rugby skills during the Youth Sports Festival at Houghton Park on Tuesday, June 23, in celebration of National Olympic and Paralympic Day of Sport. (Photo by Christina Merino, Press-Telegram/SCNG)
Different sports were set up across Houghton Park, in North Long Beach, where children of all ages got to engage in interactive sports clinics, games and demonstrations alongside Olympians and Paralympians from Ready, Set Gold – a nonprofit that promotes healthy and active lifestyles for youngsters across Southern California.
The Olympians and Paralympians at the event included Katrina Young, USA Olympian in diving; Mario Rodriguez, USA Paralympian in fencing; Gia Trevisan, Italian Olympian in track and field; Prince Mumba, Zambian Olympian in track and field; Kate Hansen, USA Olympian in luge; Marlene Wilcox, USA Olympian in heptathlon; Tiffeny Parker, USA National team in track and field; Cliff Meidl, USA Olympian in sprint kayak; Ileana Rodriguez, USA Paralympian in swimming; Isaac Jean-Paul, USA Paralympian in track and field; and Queen Harrison Claye, USA Olympian in track and field.
“In two short years, the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be here in Los Angeles, and we’re so excited to welcome the world here,” said Harrison Claye. “But today is a day about all of you. Today is a day about kids getting out and active, trying new sports, and having fun.”
The Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine partnered with Ready, Set, Gold, and the LA28 organizing committee to make the Youth Sports Festival possible. Other community organizations also helped, including Gays for Good, Hidden Genius Project, Leadership Long Beach, Arts Council for Long Beach, Able Arts and Studio One Eleven. organizers said.
During the event, youth participated in fencing, volleyball, soccer, flag football, rugby, and track and field, as well as other activities — including practicing their swimming skills on land.