Athletes Inspire at the Boys & Girls Club of Orlando

October 10, 2008, Orlando, FL - A day before the leaders of the U.S. Olympic Movement convene at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Assembly, several Olympians and Olympic Hopefuls inspired future athletes and fans at the Orlando area Boys & Girls Clubs.   

Athlete Advisory Council members Patrick Cota (Field Hockey) and Trischa Zorn-Hudson (Paralympic Swimming) were joined by local athletes Jim Milne (Figure Skating) and Scott Johnson (Gymnastics) as well as special guest, Buddy Lee (Wrestling).  Clubs in Walt Disney, Winter Park and the South Creek Middle School After School Zone participated.   

The outreach initiative promoted the spirit of Olympism and the 2008 USOC National Education "Real Athletes Show Respect" program theme.  Athletes shared stories of hard work, determination and achieving their goals with respect for themselves, their sport and their competitors. 

The highlight of the afternoon was an interactive jump-roping demonstration from Lee, a self proclaimed jump-roping "wizard" and founder of Buddy Lee Jump Ropes and Training System. 

Lee's story started with a local jump roping contest his friends convinced him to enter in 1986. He won and hasn't stopped jumping since. A 1992 Olympian, he is the author of a book that among other things, promotes jump roping as a way for schoolchildren to improve reading skills and mental alertness.

Says Lee, "[It's] more than just jump roping, it's a mind-body experience."

This summer, Lee was selected as an ambassador by the Boys & Girls Club and the USOC.  He visited military bases in Europe to inspire children living there with his jump roping program.  "Kids need to be exposed to all the different sports that exist," says Lee.  "Kids need to get involved; just get involved in sports. It's not necessarily the competition, it's just the participation."

Lee brought that same inspirational program to Orlando.  Each member of the Orlando Boys & Girls Clubs made a commitment to, in Lee's words, "find [their] inner champion, to work hard, to never give up, to make [their] dreams come true." 

All with respect for themselves and others.