by Hillary Reskin
For the second year in row, a group teens will be leaving Louisville for the Maccabi Games on July 28. This year, nine teens will compete in Austin, TX, in soccer, tennis, table tennis, swimming and dance.
The Maccabi Games are like the Olympics for Jewish teens all over the nation. Louisville’s delegation includes Nathan Cohen, Alex Dubilier, Gabi Dubilier, Alex Koby, Maiya Gaston, Allison Heffley, Becca Lustig, Laina Meyerowitz and Hillary Reskin. Louisville Jewish Community Center staffers Rachel Lipkin and Ben Goldenberg will be taking the team to Austin.
The teens have a lot to prepare for if they want to come home with the gold. There is training to do and don’t forget the fundraisers, such as a dinner at Sol Aztecas on Fourth Street and ice cream at Comfy Cow at Westport Village. Twenty percent of the money made from both nights went to the team.
The team also had a cookie dough fundraiser where each member sold cookie dough.The Louisville teens have to get in shape in order for them to be the very best they can be! “I had to choreograph a dance and I have to continuously practice and stretch,” Laina Meyerowitz explains.
Alison Heffley and Hillary Reskin will be joining teens from three other cities to make their own soccer team. Lucky for them, the coach will be David Siskin who worked at the Louisville JCC as the middle school director and left about a year ago.
The team also has a lot of packing to do, since they will be in Austin for a week. Every team member received the cool red and black team wear, which includes a shirt, jacket, pants and a bag with the Louisville team logo.
The team’s logo says 2013 Team Louisville JCC Maccabi Games with a cardinal bird and a list of the sports we’re participating in. This year, the team sent its own items to be customized with the team’s name so the athletes will have items to trade at the games.
Trading is a big part of the games. Every team has a pin that represents the city they come from to trade with other teams. The goal is to collect as many items as you can from other cities and countries. The teens also trade away their uniforms with other teens, its fun to come home with clothes from other cities.
In all, the Louisville team is prepared for the games and counting down the days until they leave for Austin.
