jcc maccabi

Maccabi Games 2008

OA NS

ON THE COVER

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www.2008detroft.org

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Itirt

., Samantha Niskar, 12,

Elconin, 12, and
Jessica Niskari 14, all of

West Bloomfield

Jamie Ockner, 13, of
Bloomfield Hills
practices.

Steve Stein

Special to the Jewish News

T

he JCC Maccabi Games haven't
begun yet, but already the 513-
athlete Detroit delegation has
set a record. This is the largest number
of Detroit athletes to compete at a Detroit
Games.
Back in 1984 — two years after the
launch of the Olympic-style competition
for Jewish teens ages 13-16 — there were
1,000 total athletes here, including 200
from Detroit. When the Games returned
to Detroit in 1990, there were 2,200 total
athletes and 325 from Detroit. Eight
years later, in 1998, when 3,200 athletes
descended on the Motor City, Detroit had
425 athletes.
An estimated 2,700 athletes from the
United States, Canada, Great Britain,
Hungary, Israel, Mexico and Venezuela
will compete at 20 area venues Aug. 17-22.
This is the first time Hungarian athletes
have competed in the Games. Nine soccer
players, a coach and delegation head from
Hungary will be in town this week.
Gennifer Roth is one of Detroit's delega-
tion heads. She has the daunting task of
making sure Detroit's athletes and coaches
get where they need to go and have a great
Maccabi experience.
"We have teams in 14 sports," Roth said
during a quick break between meetings,
phone calls and countless other tasks. "We
always hold tryouts for team sports, but
nobody is cut from individual sports!'

There are six Detroit boys basketball
teams and five Detroit boys baseball
teams. Detroit boys and girls soccer teams
have a few players from other cities. The
largest Detroit team is the tennis squad,
with 83 players. Jodi Neirynck is the tennis
coach. Her assistants are Jeff Deitch, Ann
Podolslcy, Brad Rowens, Paul Snider and
Eric Wolfe.
In most cities, Maccabi coaches are
Jewish Community Center staff members.
In Detroit, the coaches are all volunteers.
But not all are Jewish. Steve Click has
been coaching Detroit girls volleyball
teams for eight years after he was con-
vinced to give coaching a try by his friend
and fellow volleyball player Ken Bertin, a
longtime Detroit Maccabi volleyball coach.
Click, 49, is entrusted with the Detroit
Blue team this year, the local team for the
players with the most experience. There
are two other Detroit volleyball teams.
Click's eight players are junior varsity or
varsity players at their high schools.
Last year, Click and Bertin guided
Detroit's top volleyball team to a bronze
medal in Houston, even though its 7-1
preliminary match record was better than
gold medalist Dallas and silver medalist
San Francisco.
Because Bertin is running the volleyball
competition at the Detroit Games, Click
has sole control of the Blue team.
"Ken is a very patient teacher;' Click
said. "I'm more of an X's and O's coach. I
enjoy strategy"
Click's team started practicing weekly