Jackie Joyner Kersee And The Boys and Girls Club Get Triple Fit - Page 2

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America is endorsed by so many celebrities like Denzel Washington, Jennifer Lopez and more for good reason. It’s a place that many of those celebs learned life, sports, and social skills as young people. Olympian Jackie Joyner Kersee is no exception. The gold medalist in the pentathlon was a member growing up and she’s involved in the Clubs to this day.

She’s part of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s latest initiative to encourage families to be healthy and fit. The fourth annual Triple Play Fit Challenge culled five families who made significant changes in their lifestyle down from 200 families from the Boys and Girls Club around the country for a competition and talent show in Los Angeles. In addition to the all expenses paid trip to L.A., and other prizes, the winning family will receive another trip to the U.S. Olympic Training Facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

During the Winter Olympics coming up this February in Sochi, Russia, there will be several track athletes like sprinters turned bobsledders Lolo Jones and Lauryn Williams that have made the transition from summer to winter sports. Kersee, once viewed as the best female athlete in the world says that while she’s participating in some of the events surrounding the upcoming Games, she was never tempted to be a winter sports athlete.

“At one time, I was asked, but I wasn’t familiar with it and I was more afraid of the cold weather with of my asthma,” says Kersee. “I’m sure I could have, but I was trying to make sure I kept my asthma under control. Even now with the crazy weather in the E. Saint Louis area, it would trigger it. It’s great that the track and field athletes can move over the bobsledding event and bring a lot of recognition to it. It’s great for those that are able to do it.”