Tuesday, January 30, 2007 10:45 AM
My son, Damian, competed last Summer in the Bassmaster CastingKids competition in Iowa and took 1st place at the state level. CastingKids is all about using a hookless lure to practice casting towards targets on the ground. The actual competition was held as an event at the Iowa State Games. He had practiced quite a bit and was very excited to have won. Just over a week ago (January 18-19) Damian competed at the regional (semi-final) level in Gadsden, Alabama.
There were two age groups and most states participated, so close to ninety semi-finalists were there to try to make their way to the national competition. We are in the Northern division, and I believe that there are six divisions total (including kids from Canada).
Damian had a great day competing. Sadly, he won't be moving onto the final level, but it was a great experience. He went right back to practicing again during recess time at school! He should be well-prepared to compete again at this Summer's Iowa State Games!
Damian at the competition. Click to see more.
While we were in Alabama, I decided to extend our trip a bit, so we went to Huntsville, AL to the US Space and Rocket Center (also home to SpaceCamp). What an experience! Not only did we get to see the space shuttle, but also the Saturn V, many real engines, the Lunar Excursion Module, a moon rover, and much more. If you ever find yourself in the area, I highly recommend the trip. The price is a little but steep, but probably in line with many other attractions these days. The only downside for us, was the weather. It was a bit cold for seeing the outdoor attractions, though not as cold as it was back home in Iowa! Unfortunately, the outdoor rides (space shot, gravity spin, etc.) were not running, and the IMAX was closed. The museum alone was worth the trip though!
Shuttle Pathfinder. Click to see more.