YSU athletes offer tips to kids at today's Family Fun Day

YOUNGSTOWN

Ten-year-old McKenna Dinard connected on every pitch thrown to her during a family-friendly gathering, but organizers hope the event will be a hit when it comes to encouraging closer, long-term family connections.

“I hit five balls in a row,” the Poland Union Elementary School fourth-grader said with pride, referring to one of the activities she took part in that made up Saturday’s Family Fun Day in Youngstown State University’s Stambaugh Stadium.

Sponsoring the two-hours of indoor festivities and athletics clinics were YSU and Meridian Community Care.

The fun-day program also promoted Meridian Care’s Families Who Know initiative, which helps parents and their children build closer relationships, increasing the likelihood youngsters will seek their parents’ guidance toward making healthful choices, noted Renee Amacher, Meridian’s director of marketing and development.

In addition, many of YSU’s athletes conducted skills clinics and offered tips and instructions in football, tennis, track and field, volleyball, golf, soccer, baseball and softball.

For more about the day's activities, read Sunday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.