It’s becoming an increasing trend among today’s youth: a teenager drops back to pass, reads the defense, and suddenly begins to run for his life from the all-out blitz coming at him. It looks like he is about to take a sack, when out of nowhere, his receiver dashes out across the middle of the field. The teen eludes the blitz and fires the ball to the receiver for the touchdown.
The crowd falls into a state of mass hysteria, but there’s just one problem: that teen is sitting on the couch in his living room, celebrating a TD in a game of Madden NFL.

The scenario described above has become almost as popular as the game of football itself, but an upcoming sports expo is hoping to buck that trend.

The Twelfth Annual Fitness and Sports Tour (FAST) Expo comes to the Monroeville Convention Center Memorial Day weekend, which includes a slew of activities the whole family can enjoy.

The marquee events include the World Teen Football Combine and the Kidz of Steel competition. The World Teen Football Combine, sponsored by NFL Hall-of-Famer Franco Harris, encourages youth from western Pennsylvania and its surrounding areas to compete in a variety of football-related workouts. Teens aged 13-19 can compete in events ranging from bench-pressing to tire flipping.

“It really is a showcase for the kids, and it gives recognition to them,” said Bill Viola, director of events for the FAST Expo. “ It creates a good sense of camaraderie.”

The other youth-centered activity for the weekend, the Kidz of Steel competition, is focused more on elementary-aged youth, but is open to all kids. Participants have 60 seconds to do the most push-ups, sit-ups and chin-ups possible.

“The events really promote and encourage kids to get out there and give their best effort,” Viola said.

In addition to the youth-focused events, a variety of other activities and vendors will seek to educate and promote healthy, active lifestyles.

With more kids becoming increasingly sedentary, Viola believes it’s important to get kids to think about getting out and having fun—which is what the FAST Expo is really all about.

“Coaches, teachers and parents see a lot of kids, and see this as a very inactive generation. We want to get these inactive kids out there, so they can get encouraged by role models, by peers, and be able to say that they gave their best effort and had fun,” Viola said.

The Fitness and Sports Tour Expo takes place Memorial Day weekend, May 27th-28th. The Kidz of Steel event takes place on the 27th, while the World Teen Football Combine takes places on the 28th. More information can be found at www.thefastexpo.com.