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A special part of this year’s Park City SportsFest will be a soccer ball collection donation as part of the “Kick For Nick” program, which honors Pfc. Nicholas Madaras, a former Wilton High soccer player who was killed in action in Iraq in September 2006. The “Kick For Nick” soccer ball drive was created to have soccer balls collected and signed with Nick’s name and then shipped to Iraq where U.S. soldiers distribute them to children there. Anyone who brings a ball for the “Kick For Nick” program will be eligible to win soccer prizes donated by U.S. Women’s National Team captain Kristine Lilly, a Wilton native. A soccer demonstration and clinic will also be part of the “Kick For Nick” activities. An annual SportsFest highlight is the sports celebrity autograph session, hosted by the Fairfield County Sports Commission. Leading this year’s lineup are Norwalk native Rita Williams and Maria Conlon, former UCONN women’s basketball team standouts, who are both scheduled to appear at 3:00 P.M. Also confirmed are ex-UCONN men’s basketball all-time leading scorer Chris Smith of Bridgeport and Garry Cobb, a former National Football League standout and Stamford native. Members of the Connecticut Giants semi-pro football team will also be on site from 1:00 – 3:00 P.M. Additional celebrities and times of appearances will be announced as they are confirmed. Interactive activities fans won’t want to miss Nintendo Wii sports gaming stations courtesy of the Discovery Museum, Big Daddy’s Fast Track racing trailer, Gamezilla gaming stations, a mini putting green and golf club giveaways from The First Tee organization, a hockey slap shot to try out courtesy of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, a rock climbing wall and Hummer provided by the U.S. Army, free throw basketball hoops thanks to Sacred Heart University, soccer drills with Fairfield University staff and students, plus oversized inflatables donated by Coke for kids to jump around and play in. In addition, there will be indoor exhibitions and outdoor performances including demonstrations featuring the YMCA of Greater Bridgeport’s martial arts program and Trumbull Jazzercise, Stepping Stones Museum, James O’Rourke memorabilia courtesy of The First Hit, displays from the Women’s Sports Foundation, the Connecticut Cyclones, and John Molina’s “History of Women’s Basketball,” featuring one of the largest collections of women’s basketball memorabilia. The Coastal Chordsmen, jugglers, clowns, and sword swallowers will join local mascots BB the Bluefish of the Bridgeport Bluefish baseball team, Storm of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers hockey team, and Stripes of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo to entertain fans throughout the day. With support from People’s United Bank, Park City SportsFest made a successful debut in 2006 as part of the festivities for the NCAA Women’s Eastern Regional basketball tournament hosted by Fairfield University at the Arena. As host city, Bridgeport rolled out the red carpet for teams and sports fans alike to welcome visitors to Connecticut’s largest city. Presented by People’s United Bank, additional sponsors include AT&T, Bank of America, Mitchell’s of Westport, the Southern Connecticut Gas Company, United Illuminating, The First Tee and Cox Radio. Event partners include the City of Bridgeport Mayor’s Office, the Fairfield County Sports Commission, Fairfield University, the Downtown Special Services District, the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, the Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce, and the Arena at Harbor Yard. For a complete Park City SportsFest and NCAA Bridgeport schedule, visit www.infobridgeport.com. © Copyright by StamfordPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of StamfordPlus.com, Stamford Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. Related Articles: Fairfield County Sports Hall of Fame announces Class of 2008 inductees - Jun 24, 2008 - 12:02:18 PM Celtics Owner asked to bring team to Hartford for celebration rally - Jun 18, 2008 - 3:27:56 PM Greenwich’s Chris Ghaffari added to Shakespeare cast - May 9, 2008 - 6:14:02 AM The visual advantage: online videos and flash websites proving to be profitable for businesses of all sizes - Apr 28, 2008 - 6:49:41 AM Visual Concepts wins National Design Award - Apr 19, 2008 - 10:51:51 AM CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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