Sports Expo Coming to Triangle in August

July 5, 2010 | Story by: Lindsey Chester | Categories: Sports

Story by Lindsey Chester. Photo by Hal Goodtree.

Raleigh, NC – VYPE Magazine is hosting the first annual High School Sports Conference and Expo at the State Fairgrounds’ Expo Center from 9-5pm on Saturday August 21. Although this event isn’t specifically about Cary, anyone involved in athletics in this town should be interested in attending. From high school booster club members, to parents who foresee a career in college or pro athletics for their kids, this expo is geared for you.

There will be a Booster Club Breakfast to jump start the  event from 8-9 am. High school athletic booster clubs will have the opportunity to speak with VYPE Conference exhibitors.  After breakfast, the booster clubs and their guests are invited to attend the High School Conference & Expo free of charge.

What to Expect

The Leesville Road High School marching band will lead the procession at 9 am. Two keynote speakers at 10 am and 2:30 pm will discuss high school athletics. Booths will be set up with everything from athletic gear to a Hoop City “3 Point Challenge”- where you can “take your best shot”.

Watch for the School Spirit Showcase. Area schools have registered their cheer squads and drill and dance teams to perform routines. These performances will help everyone get geared up for the fall season which officially kicks off the next weekend with the first football conference games.

So far, 20 high schools have registered to visit the event. A dunk tank will be there with varsity coaches signed up to get wet, including Cary High’s wrestling coach Jerry Winterton (at 2 pm), and Green Hope’s football coach Steve Katz (at 4:30 pm).

Folks that register in advance will be eligible for drawings some great raffles- Skin Sense, Sonic, and Try Sports and other companies have made generous donations to this first ever event in the Triangle.

Why an Expo?

I spoke with Richard Williams, publisher of the Triangle area’s VYPE magazine. He explained that VYPE is a lifestyle magazine. They publish monthly and focus on the athlete stories and information to help families stay focused on the many facets of being involved in high school sports.

Richard had this to say: ” The Expo will have all different elements wrapped in, kids will have a  great experience and parents can find the information they need.  We aim to provide a balance for the whole family to attend.”

This Expo is a natural extension of that. After a friend suggested an event to kick off the Fall season, Richard realized  there was no single event anywhere in the entire State of North Carolina that put together all the different concerns of parents and athletes that focused on health, gear, college.

Here are some of the stations that you will want to check out with your athlete:

TrySports: Performance Evaluation Station will enable athletes to take fitness and performance evaluations designed to give athletes an extra edge during workouts.     Available evaluations will include TrySports’ signature “Five Steps to the Perfect Fit” shoe fitting process designed to give athletes their ideal fit, as well as, a VO2 Max Oxygen Testing Station.

“The TrySports Performance Evaluation Station is a great way make sure (athletes) are maximizing their fitness potential as our sports season gets underway,” said Jessica Kenny from TrySports. “Whether they are in high school or taking up a new sport.”

• Recruiting 101: Are You Recruitable? Moderated by Mark Thomas, Co‐Host of The Insiders on 620 The Buzz. This panel will address the ins and outs of being recruited by college athletic teams. The presentation will begin at 11:00 am on the main stage.

• Injury Prevention: Play Smart, Stay Safe will focus on preventing injury on and off the field.  Beginning at 11:30 am, this session will be moderated by Rick Strunk of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association and will include panelists from Orthopaedic Specialists of NC’s  Dr. Mark Galland, and Eye Care Associates’ Dr. Michael Peters.

• Health, Wellness & Nutrition- Athletes pay a lot of attention to physically training their bodies, but a healthy diet and good nutrition is equally important in performing your best.  A.E. Finley YMCA’s Wellness Director Donnie Jackson will be moderating this session at noon along with a host of additional panel of healthcare experts.

• The Academic Athlete: How This Affects Everything!-In addition to being a standout on the court, athletes today need to excel in academics as well.  BobbyGuthrie, Wake County Athletic Director, will moderate this session with panelists including Joel Pitzel, Miller‐Motte Technical College; Philip Moses, AcademicSupport for Student Athletes at NCSU; Justus Hoffmann, Millbrook High School & VYPE Academic Athlete and Lyle Burnham, StudyWorks.  This session begins at 2:00 pm on the main stage.

• Training Tips to Take Your Game to the Next Level- Athletes always want to improve their game and this panel moderated by Charlie Rozanski, Associate Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine at NC State University will help them learn how.  Panelists include Rik Seymour from Hoops City U.  Session begins at 3:00 pm.

• College Financials: Who, What, When & How – The question on every high school parent’s mind – how do you pay for college?  Doreen Kelly, Head of School at Ravenscroft, will lead a discussion to answer this question for parents.  Panelists include Sgt. Angel J. Velasquez, U.S. Marines and a representative from the U.S. Army. This session will take place on the main stage at 3:30 pm.

Admission: Free  for High school athletes wearing their team jersey,  coaches, athletic staff and teachers. Future VYPE MVP Athletes under the age of twelve will also receive free admission.

Everyone else: Register early: $5 per person by registering early online or pay $7 at the door.

Pre-registrations are encouraged as each person that pre-registers will be entered into the VYPE Game Day Expo Prize Drawing with a chance to win one of several prizes during the event.

Head over to the Fairgrounds and learn how to help your student-athlete succeed.