Summer activities for City of Miami Parks and Recreation campers just got a lot more exciting as 900 children will be participating in the 2007 Regional Junior Olympics and doing it with new tennis shoes. 

Thanks to the NikeSummerShoes shoe program 900 shoes were donated to the Miami Parks and Recreation Department from Nike Inc. to be distributed to children who needed new sport footwear to help teens get active and into sports this summer. 

The donation of athletic footwear coincided with the City of Miami Parks and Recreation department being selected as one of the Region Junior Olympics locations.  Approximately 900 campers will participate in basketball, softball, tennis, volleyball, soccer, track and field, swimming, football, t-ball and kickball competitions. The ultimate winners in each sport will then advance to the state level of Junior Olympics competition. 

"What better way to get our campers active this summer, new shoes to try out and sports to prove their skills in, it is going to be a busy summer” said Ernest Burkeen, Director of Parks and Recreation.

Campers from the Moore Park summer program have been given the challenge to earn their new shoes. Those enrolled in the advanced level of the tennis, basketball and softball program have to attend all of their practices up to the time of the distribution of the sneakers. Not only do they have to attend their practices but they have to display good sportsmanship; arrive to practice dressed appropriately, play fair, respect their team members and show they deserve the new shoes. 

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