AUGUSTA, GA. (WJBF)- The Boys and Girls Club of Greater Augusta held a Nike and E-A sports clinic for kids in the area– the goal was to get up and get active.

Mayor Garnett Johnson dedicated the month of April for people in Augusta to be physically active, and April first is now considered the “Day of Play.”

“It’s important to the Mayor and our administration that we continue to support every effort to make sure that children are moving and that they’re healthy and that they have an opportunity to be exposed to different elements of the sport of golf– we all know the importance of golf to the city of Augusta,” Chief of Staff City of Augusta Jasmine Sims said.

Saturday morning’s event was geared toward highlighting the importance of sports and physical activity while introducing them to new sports. 

“It’s not easy for a child to get started in golf without support from organizations like Boys and Girls Club and First Tee, so with Nike and E-A Sports bringing golf to kids who would normally not get introduced to a sport like that is pretty incredible,” President and CEO of Boys & Girls Club of Greater Augusta Kim Evans said.

The day included a women’s-only panel where they discussed why moving is good for them. 

The kids then moved to the main gym where it was set up like a sporty christmas. 

“Going through a lot of different stations where they’re golf but then also play some other sports, they’re gonna do some work with soccer and with hula hoops and jump ropes. So, just teaching them different ways to move their bodies,” Evans said.

Some teens who have been with the Boys and Girls Club for some time tell me they have learned so much. 

“They’ve given me three scholarships right now, I’ve gone on countless college tours, I just met Dr. Rice– Doctor Condoleezza Rice like two days ago, we went to the capitol building. They present a lot of opportunities for us here, I love it,” Boys & Girls Club 2022 CSRA Youth of the Year MaKenzie Watson said.

Overall, Evans says allowing kids the chance to know all that is available to them is key. 

“At the end of the day, all the lessons that we learn in sports are lessons that you can use in everyday life. I really hope the kids will leave here today understanding that from sports you can learn so much in life,” Evans said.