MISSION STATEMENT To teach and promote a healthy lifestyle through fair and friendly competition; to provide youngsters across the country an opportunity to participate, free of charge, in an exciting youth athletic participation program PARTICIPATION All participants must fill out a registration/waiver/liability form prior to the competition. Boys and girls must provide a copy of a valid birth certificate or baptismal record for age verification. Youngsters may participate in any or all of the athletic sports, but can only participate in one Local Qualifying Event per sport, or they will be disqualified. Boys and girls will compete separately in three different age groups: 8-9, 10-11, and 12-13, with participant's eligibility being determined as of August 31, 2006. See the chart below. AGE VERIFICATION CHART Age Groups Born Between Ages 8-9 September 1, 1996 - August 31, 1998 Ages 10-11 September 1, 1994 - August 31, 1996 Ages 12-13 September 1, 1992 - August 31, 1994 STRUCTURE - LEVELS OF COMPETITION There are three (3) levels of competition. These levels are: Local, Regional and National. All participants MUST first compete in a Local Qualifying Event. The Champion in each age and gender for each sport will advance to the Regional Competition. If a tie occurs at the Local Qualifying Event, each youngster involved in the tie will advance to the Regional Competition. Local Qualifying Event Champions advancing to Regional Competitions ONLY participate in the individual sport(s) for which he/she was crowned Champion! Regional Competition Champions will have their scores ranked nationally and the top scorers will advance to the National Finals. The JO Skills Headquarters will notify all Regional Champions regarding advancing to the National Competition.
COMPETITION RULES Tiebreakers If a tie occurs at the Local Qualifying Event, each youngster involved in the tie will advance to the Regional Competition. If a tie occurs at the Regional Competition, each youngster involved in the tie will repeat the competition to determine the Regional Champion. The best score will be used as the final Regional Champion score. Eligibility Free for all participants. All boys and girls ages 8 to 13 are invited to participate. Each participant may compete in ONLY one Local Qualifying Event per sport. All participants must submit a signed registration/waiver/liability form and a copy of a valid birth certificate or baptismal record for age verification at all competition levels. Miscellaneous The USOC, Kellogg's, LEJ & Associates, Inc., regional and local coordinators/organizers of JO Skills reserve the right to make rulings and recommendations regarding the competition determined to be in the best interest of the program. All rulings and recommendations are final. In the event of threatening weather conditions, cancellations and rescheduling will be determined by JO Skills administrators at the competition site. Participation in the JO Skills authorizes the USOC, Kellogg's, and other JO Skills Associate Sponsors to use a participant's name and likeness for promotional use of the JO Skills Program without compensation. WHO IS AWARDED & WHO ADVANCES JO Skills consists of three (3) levels of competition: Local, Regional and National. Below is a list of who receives awards and who has the opportunity to advance to the next level. Local Qualifying Event Each Local Qualifying Event will declare a Champion in each age and gender group for each sport: The youngster(s) that advance to the Regional Competition in each age and gender group in each athletic discipline is the Local Qualifying Event Champion. If a tie involving the Champion occurs, then each youngster involved in the tie advances to the Regional Competition.
Local Qualifying Event Champions advancing to Regional Competitions participate inonly the individual sport(s) for which he/she was crowned Champion! Regional Competition Each Regional Competition will award the Champion in each age and gender group for each sport. If a tie involving the Regional Champion occurs, then each youngster involved in the tie repeats the competition until a Champion is crowned. The best score will be used as the final Regional Champions score. The youngsters in each age and gender group in each sport are the Champions. Regional Competition Champions will have their scores ranked nationally and the top 3 scorers in each age, gender and sport will advance to the National Finals. JO Skills headquarters will notify each Regional Champion regarding advancement.
JUNIOR OLYMPIC SKILLS SPORTS
BASKETBALL To challenge participants to score as many points as possible by making baskets from designated shooting areas and the free throw line. Procedure: Each participant competes one at a time against the clock. Participants may begin from any spot and may shoot in any order. Once a shot is made, the participant must shoot from a different spot (a participant may not take consecutive shots from the same spot). Participants have 45 seconds to score as many points as possible from shooting spots. The time starts when the participant releases the ball for his/her first shot. Participants must retrieve their own rebounds. The second ball may be used as a safety ball, instead of retrieving a rebound (i.e. if a rebound bounces far away, the participant may use the second ball). Each time a shot is made, the participant receives the designated point value. After the 45 seconds, each participant will shoot two (2) free throws, worth 3 points each. After the free throws, the participant's score is a total of all points earned. All ages and genders will shoot from the same designated free throw line. Rules: The basketball goal must be 10 feet in height. Participants must retrieve their own rebounds. Participants may shoot using any technique desired. The participant's foot must be touching the shot marker for the basket to count. A basket counts only if the shot is released before the timer yells, Time! Each participant receives only one attempt at the basketball competition. SOCCER To challenge participants to dribble and shoot accurately in the fastest time possible. Procedure: Each participant competes one at a time against the clock. Participants may begin with any ball of the three balls set-up on the start line, and may shoot in any order.
Each participant must dribble into the penalty box (18 yard mark), touching the ball with each foot at least one time prior to shooting. The player is allowed to shoot on goal from anywhere within the penalty box. A three (3) second penalty will be added for each of the following: missing a shot, shooting outside the 18 yd penalty box and not dribbling with both feet prior to each shot on goal. Time starts when the participant touches his/her first ball and stops when the final shot passes over the end line. Rules: Participants may shoot the ball using either foot. Participants may not compete in bare feet. USTA RAPID RALLY TENNIS To challenge participants to serve a low-compression tennis ball and to continue to hit the ball against a wall and above the Net Line as many times as possible in 30-seconds (Rapid Rally). Procedure: Each participant competes one at a time against the clock. Each participant starts behind the Rally Line with a low-compression tennis ball. Each participant starts the Rally with an overhead lob and serves the ball against a wall, trying to hit the Serve Target for three (3) Bonus Points. Timing begins when the starter yells serve and stops when 30 seconds expire. The participant MUST stay behind the Rally Line when hitting the ball, otherwise, the stroke does not count. The ball MUST hit above the Net Line or the stroke does not count. If the ball goes past the participant, then a secondary ball may be put into play and the count continues. The score is determined by the total number of hits accumulated behind the Rally Line and above the Net Line in the 30-second time period. It is OK if the ball bounces more than one time to continue the rally. If the initial serve does not hit the Serve Target, but does hit above the Net Line, the participant is awarded one (1) point as that begins the rally. If the initial serve hits the Serve Target, the participant receives three (3) bonus points and one (1) point as the rally has begun.
Rules: Each participant must start with an overhead lob and serve. Participants may hit the ball using any technique. All rallies MUST be attempted from behind the 15-foot Rally Line. If a secondary ball is put into play, the participant does not need to start with the overhead lob serve. TRACK & FIELD To challenge participants in three fundamental skill events: The Sprint (50-meter dash), The Jump (standing broad jump) and The Ultimate Shot Put (softball put). Participants must compete in all three athletic events. Scoring: Each Track & Field event is based on a modified decathlon/cumulative point scoring system, in which participants' times and distances are converted into points and then combined to determine overall scores. The participant who accumulates the most points from the three Track & Field events in his/her age and gender group is declared the Champion. THE SPRINT To challenge participants to complete a 50-meter sprint in the fastest time possible. The Sprint Procedure: Participants begin from a set position at the start line. No starting blocks or footholds are allowed. Participants race one at a time against the clock. Time begins from the moment the starter yells Go! until the participant crosses the finish line. Each participant is allowed one false start. If a participant false starts, the starter blows the whistle so the runner can return to the starting point. If a runner false starts a second time, he/she continues to run and three (3) seconds are to be added to his/her time.
The Sprint Rules: Participants begin from any desired set position, as long as both hands and both feet are behind the start line. No running blocks or footholds are allowed. Only one false start is permitted. Only soft-soled shoes are allowed. Track spikes, cleats, and bare feet are not permitted. THE JUMP This event challenges participants to jump as far as possible from a standing start. The Jump Procedure: Participants have two (2) attempts to jump as far as possible along a tape-measured line. The BEST jump is used for scoring. Each participant must start with both feet together and behind the start line. Participants jump directly on the tape measure to make it easier to measure each jump. Each jump is measured to the nearest inch (1 in.), rounding up, at the point where the jumper lands that is closest to the start line. For example, if a participant lands and falls backwards and his/her hand is closest to the start line, the measurement is taken from that point. The Jump Rules: Participants must begin with two feet together behind the start line. Participants may not start with one foot in front of the other. A jump does not count if a participant steps over the line before he/she jumps. A jump does not count if a participant double jumps (i.e. takes a small hop prior to jumping). Only soft-soled shoes are allowed. Track spikes, cleats, and bare feet are not permitted. THE ULTIMATE SHOT PUT To challenge participants to shot put a softball for distance, using proper shot putting technique.
Ultimate Shot Put Procedure: Participants have two (2) attempts to "put" the softball as far as possible along a tapemeasured line. Each attempt is measured from where the ball first hits the ground and the throw line. The attempt is measured from the throw line to the nearest foot (1 ft.), rounding up, to the point where the softball first lands. The Ultimate Shot Put Rules: Participants MUST use proper shot putting technique. Participants MUST rest the softball between the neck and shoulder, and PUSH their throwing arm straight when they release the softball. The staff will demonstrate the proper technique prior to participants performing the event. An attempt does not count if any part of a participant's foot crosses the throw line. The participant's hand/arm may cross the throw line after releasing the softball. An attempt does not count if the participant throws the softball instead of using proper shot putting technique. Only soft-soled shoes are allowed. Track spikes, cleats, and bare feet are not permitted.