By Shawn Williams – Dallas South News Editor

On December 1st, the Moorland YMCA hosted the NBA/WNBA Fit Challenge regional competition.  The Moorland Y in Southern Dallas was one of 36 regional locations nationwide where challenges were held.

James Parker, Senior Program Director at the Oak Cliff YMCA on Hampton says that he’s glad to see the NBA/WNBA regional event travel to Southern Dallas.  Though local competitions are held throughout North Texas, Parker says regional events such as these are generally held in North Dallas or northern suburbs.

Prior to the challenge, NBA/WNBA Fit held a one hour clinic in the Moorland gym for local hoopsters. Kids went through running, dribbling, and jumping drills and were given tips to help with their basketball skills and conditioning.

According to their website, NBA FIT encourages kids, parents and families of all fitness levels to be physically active. They also expand on the Fit Challenge:

The NBA FIT/ WNBA FIT Challenge is free for boys and girls ages 14 and under, and encourages participants to maintain healthy, active lifestyles. The competition will offer more than 100,000 youngsters the chance to demonstrate their physical fitness through a time-based fitness course that includes line sprints, jump rope, speed revolutions, wall passes, and defensive shuffles.

On hand was WNBA star Ashley Robinson, Grand Prairie native and member of the Seattle Shock.  Robinson was drafted 14th overall in 2004 by the Phoenix Mercury.

Winners of the regional NBA/WNBA Fit competition will have a chance to participate at the NBA All-Star Game in Arlington in February.