Jackie Joyner-Kersee training Tri-State youth
QUINCY, ILL. -- It's not easy to make it to the olympics, let alone win a medal, or six.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee knows just how hard that can be.
But she, along with Quincy Medical Group, is helping kids build the foundations to a successful athletic career.
KHQA's Jarod Wells shows you how.
The day started with a warm up and form running drills on Quincy University's Campus.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee said, "Basic drilling, acceleration work, how to land and jump. Also explosive power.
And moved on to station drills, working on core strength.
Joyner-Kersee said, "What's great about it all, even though we call it a clinic/camp it's getting them moving, they're doing something."
The camp is called World Class Speed and Agility, put on by Quincy Medical Group. It started Friday June 4th and will run through Sunday, June 6th.
Joyner-Kersee said, "Hopefully some of the things that they're learning here, some of them might not pick it up today, but it will give them something to think about and knowing them, the athlete in them is going to say I want to learn how to do that."
Six time olympic medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee says there is no reason the United States should be leading the world in obesity, and becoming dedicated to things like this at a young age could change that statistic.
Joyner-Kersee said, "When we talk about dedication, it's more about discipline and having short term goals. And short term goals could be like for that day, what is it that I want to accomplish, then you can work on a week, then you can work on a month and then you can work on a half a year, then you can see the long range plan."
But it takes more than just hard work. Some of the kids at Friday's camp complained of being lightheaded and fatigued, which showed them how important a good diet is.
QMG Dietician Lucy Crain said, "When we asked them who had breakfast and who didn't. It was those kids that didn't eat breakfast that actually were fatigued and lightheaded."
Lucy Crain says you can usually see a connection between athletic performance and your diet.
Crain said, "Pick more whole grains, healthy fats, fruits and vegetables, the less amount of junk food they can have the better, and the better they will perform. Also staying hydrated especially in the summer time. Just losing 1% of your body weight through fluids is going to inhibit your performance."
Not only will the World Class Speed and Agility teach kids good form and strength exercises, Jackie Joyner-Kersee hopes it will teach kids good working habits. Like being on time, being coachable and being a good listener.