Mat-Su Sea Hawkers host annual Play 60 event

WASILLA — Nearly 200 boys and girls spent their morning on the Menard Sports Center indoor turf field Tuesday.

Groups shuffled from station to station, participating in activities ranging from throwing the football to Native Youth Olympics games. It was all part of the annual Play 60 Challenge, an event the Mat-Su Sea Hawkers have hosted in the Valley for more than a decade. It’s based on the National Football League’s campaign to encourage children to become more physically active for at least 60 minutes per day. The Sea Hawkers, the local chapter of the Seattle Seahawks booster club, are united by their love for their favorite NFL franchise. But the group is also heavily involved in community activities and causes. Play 60 is one of their biggest events of the year.

The Sea Hawkers also work cooperatively with the Seattle Seahawks, and current and former members of the NFL organization are part of the event each year. Linebacker K.J. Wright, who played from 2011 to 2020 and Blitz, the team mascot, shared the turf with the participants Tuesday.

“It’s awesome to have professional athletes come out and be with the kids and tell them what’s important,” Wright said. “Teaching them about their health, getting them off social media, staying active, and eating properly.”

Seattle selected Wright in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL draft out of Mississippi State. In 10 seasons in Seattle, Wright started 140 games and helped the Seahawks win Super Bowl in 2013. Wright spent the 2021 season with the Las Vegas Raiders and started eight games.

Wright spent Tuesday morning interacting and enjoying the activities with the participants. While Play 60 was started by the NFL, there was more than just football on the Menard turf. Other activities included martial arts, golf and Native Youth Olympics.

“I tell kids all of the time, the more you can do the merrier,” Wright said. “Sports, they cross over. Everything connects with everything. Don’t do just one thing.”

Wright also had advice for the youth.

“Be a good person. Treat your classmates, teachers with the utmost respect. Stay active, stay off social media. Get out of the house. Have fun. Keep your grades right,” Wright said.

Mat-Su Sea Hawkers president Tom Spindler said they are happy with the turnout. The event took a hit during the early stages of the COVID pandemic, but Spindler said participation numbers are rebounding in the last two years.

Spindler also said the Mat-Su Health Foundation and Alaska Airlines played key roles in funding, and helped make the event possible.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at editor@frontiersman.com.