MERIDIAN —
A brother and sister from Hattiesburg have been named the State Games of Mississippi 2012 Athletes of the Year. Dallas and Christie Stricker took home the honor for th State Games, a statewide amateur sportsfest modeled after the Olympics.
Coaches, officials, athletes, volunteers and spectators nominated one male and one female athlete from each of the 34 sports for the award that best personify the ideals of the State Games, such as participation, sportsmanship, special attributes, achievements, efforts and positive attitudes.
All five children in the Stricker family have competed at the State Games throughout the years and older sister, Kayla, was the 2009 Athlete of the Year.
“This year, it was time for Dallas and Christie to be in the spotlight,” State Games director of marketing and development Leslie Lee said.
Dallas can bench press 26 pounds, squat 45 pounds and lift 65 pounds, but he only weighs 38 pounds. As the 2012 male Athlete of the Year, Dallas has been the smallest when compared to other kids his age, but he proves that size and age don’t matter.
The youngest of the Stricker family, 6-year-old Dallas has completed more than 20 races, including three 10Ks and three duathlons. In the 2012 State Games, Dallas competed in the 200-, 400- and 800-meter dashes in tack and field, cross country, cycling, the 5K road race and powerlifting. He took home seven gold medals and one silver, finishing second to older brothr Timothy in cross country.
Coming from an athletic family, Dallas looks to his brothers and sisters for inspiration. On most mornings before school, Dallas takes a run around the block with his father John and on the weekends the family competes in their own “Tour de Trace”, a 26-mile family bike race.
Female Athlete of the Year winner, Christie brought home eight medals — six gold and two silver — in eight different events in 2012, adding them to her growing collection of medals from the past five years. This year she competed in track and field, 5K, cross country, cycling and powerlifting.
The 16-year-old is the middle child and her father John said “she has been chasing Kayla all her life.” The chasing is over and Christie has become first in her family to complete a full marathon. She also holds the title for her age and weight class for the state in powerlifting.
Entering her junior year of high school in Hattiesburg, Christie runs on the cross country team, the track team, is on the powerlifting team and plays soccer. She began running at the age of 5 and doesn’t have any plans to stop. Explaining the Stricker family’s love of sports and competition, John said, “this is just what we do.”
The State Games kicks off with an Olympic-style Opening Ceremonies each year in Meridian. Christie and Dallas will have the honor of lighting the torch at the 2012 Opening Ceremonies, set for June 14.
Sports
Strickers sweep State Games top individual honors
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