Medals and trophies brought a ray of sunshine to New Iberia Senior High Tuesday morning as athletes chosen from schools throughout the parish competed in the Iberia Parish Elementary Fitness Meet.

Despite gray, overcast skies and the threat of thunderstorms, the previously postponed event took place as planned. Student participants from fourth, fifth and sixth grades had the opportunity to become eligible for the state meet. Sponsored by the Louisiana Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The Iberia Parish Fitness Meet was the final stage before qualifying for the state meet, scheduled April 21 in Lafayette.

“I’m so glad we have this morning to do this,” said Catherine Segura, Iberia Parish School supervisor. “We couldn’t postpone it again with (LEAP) testing beginning, so this was the last, final chance to have this.”

Competitors finish the sit and reach flexibility test Tuesday at the Iberia Parish elementary Fitness Meet. INNESS ASHER / THE DAILY IBERIAN Advertisement

Although the opportunity to compete on the state level was an important consideration and added additional incentive to the event, Segura said the the meet’s goal is instilling knowledge about health and activity. Teaching the lifelong practice of exercise and a healthy lifestyle remains the essential reason for the competition.

“We want to make sure our children get a good foundation for a lifetime of health,” Segura said. “And we want to start early.”

On hand for the day’s activities was Durand “Rudy” Macklin, former star basketball player at LSU and NBA player for the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers. Macklin’s presence inspired and encouraged the children as they moved from station to station, completing each activity before moving on to the next.

Activities during the meet included the 50-yard dash, shuttle run, pull ups, the standing long jump, curl ups, sit and reach and a 600-yard run.

All student participants competed in all activities, adding points from each of the seven stations in the circuit.

Macklin, now with the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, recorded and verified the event scores throughout the morning as student runners delivered them to the broadcast booth.

“We encourage the schools to use the exercises they’re doing here today to get kids to be athletic, and to encourage them to be physically active,” Macklin said. “All children might not be athletes, but they can all be fitness champions.”

As the morning ended Macklin announced the winners while Miss Louisiana Blair Abene presented the medals and awards. A Hammond native, Abene also works with the Governor's Council promoting physical fitness and plans to be on hand at the state meet in Lafayette. Prior to the awards presentation, Abene congratulated the students for their efforts and told them how impressed she was with them.

“All of you did so well,” she said. “Everyone here deserves congratulations for doing such a great job.”

The six-member Iberia Parish team continuing on to the Lafayette finals will be chosen from the winners in both the boy and girl categories.