Regional event medalists show their medals won July 2 at Junior Olympic Skills championships in West Sacramento. After scores from 150 nationwide regionals are tallied, the top scorers advance to nationals. Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch Sarah Daly of Jackson talks with a Good Morning Sacramento crew after winning her age group in Rapid Rally Tennis. Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch Jackson student Meghan Daly serves in the Rapid Rally Tennis Junior Olympic Skills Championships July 2 in West Sacramento. Daly and her sister, Sarah, both took the gold medal in their respective age groups and await news of whether their scores are good enough to advance to nationals in Colorado Springs, Colo. Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch

On Saturday, July 7, local youth athletes brought home the hardware at the Junior Olympic Skills Regional Competition held in West Sacramento. Amador County participants won gold medals in every event in which they competed.

The Junior Olympic Skills Competition is an annual national event featuring four sports: tennis sponsored by the U.S. Tennis Association; basketball sponsored by Frosted Flakes; soccer sponsored by Band-Aid; and track and field action sponsored by Embassy Suites.

Thousands of local competitions took place throughout the spring and winners at those contests advanced to one of 150 regional events held across the country.

In the Rapid Rally tennis portion of the competition, competitors hit a ball back and forth against a wall as many times as possible in 30 seconds.

Amador children took five gold medals and one silver medal in Rapid Rally tennis, said Benita Asher, a member of the Amador Tennis Club and an organizer of the local Rapid Rally competition held at Argonaut High School.

Sierra Madden won the girls 8-9 age group with a score of 17, her brother Erinn won the boys 12-13 age group with a score of 20. Lefty Justin Maciel took the gold in boys 10-11 with a score of 19. Sarah Daly, who went all the way to nationals last year where she won a silver medal, showed her experience with a winning score of 21 in the girls 10-11 class. Her sister Meghan Daly squeaked past newcomer Lindsey McGrath in the girls 12-13 age group. The two had tied at the local competition with a score of 19, then they tied again with a score of 19 at the regional, leading to a playoff in which Meghan edged Lindsey by a score of 21-19.

Other Amador County local champs from soccer, basketball and track and field also fared well, winning several gold medals. Participants enjoyed a buffet breakfast courtesy of Embassy Suites and the KMAX "Good Morning Sacramento" television show did a live feed from the event during the opening.

The top scorers from all regional competitions held nationwide are invited to compete in nationals in Colorado Springs, Colo., in August. The four-day event, held at the National Olympic Training Center, includes a free all-expenses paid trip for the competitors and many fun activities and opportunities to meet Olympic athletes, Asher said.

"Based on Amador's strong showing at the West Sacramento Regional competition, our athletes have their fingers crossed they'll get the good news phone call," Asher said. "Congratulations to all our outstanding young competitors!"

For more information on local tennis activities, including Amador Tennis Club's youth summer camp and fall junior team tennis league, please visit www.amadortennisclub.org or call 257-1208.