September 27^th, the Harrison County Parks and Rec in cooperation with the NFL and the Knights of Columbus will host the local qualifiers for the Punt, Pass and Kick as well as the Soccer Challenge starting at 10 a.m. at the Summit Park Rec Complex.

 

“These two events have been a part of the Harrison County community for years and while both events are successful, soccer has really picked up steam here in recent years,” related Deputy Director Doug Comer of the HCPRC.

 

“We just want to keep awareness of all the activities in the area for kids that fall into that age group.  Emily Riggs of Bridgeport has collected a lot of hardware during her stint in the PPK program as well as Mia Beto who went to Pittsburgh last year to compete.”

 

The Punt, Pass and Kick local qualifier is open to all boys and girls ages 6 -15. Boys and girls compete separately. The five age classifications are based upon the child's age as of December 31st of the current year.  The event is free to participate and all participants must show a verification of age in order to compete. A birth certificate or a religious document such as baptismal record will be accepted forms of verification.

 

Each participant will get one throw, one punt and one kick in order to get a combined overall score. While distance measured is a primary factor in scoring for the event, accuracy has weight in the final score.  Wetzel’s experience in judging these events over the past decade has seen accuracy hurt some of the final scores as he explains.

 

“In order to score the maximum amount of points, you need to keep the football in the middle of the field and with great distance.  The more you are off target, the more points you lose.  For example, a player who throws it 100 feet, but is 30 feet off target will result in a pass score of 70.  So, yes, accuracy is very important in competing,” said Comer.

 

 Following the PPK the Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge will take place at 1:00 p.m.

 

“Soccer continues to grow in the states and it has been a determining factor in the continuing growth of our event.  We have hosted local and sectional regions for years and you notice how the talent level has elevated especially in the scores posted by the competitors.  You have to have some skills in order to advance.”

 

Both boys and girls between the ages of 9-14 are able to compete in the annual event. Scoring will be based on accuracy as the point value increases based on the difficulty of the shot.

 

For more information, please contact the HCPRC at (304) 423-7800.