Franklin Fit Weight-loss Program SPORTS Step By Step Steve Stein Special to the Jewish News Don't miss another week call now! verag week weight-lo f 30 lbs. Food provider Gourmet Everyday GourmetEveryDaydelive rym VVWW.FRANKLINCLUB.COM 29350 NORTHWESTERN HIGHWAY, SOUTH FIELD. MICHIGAN 48034 I 248.352.8000 January 8 • 2009 & Fitness Akiva students journeying to Israel via laps in the gym. Jay Towers Lost 63 lbs. "It is impossible not to loss weight in this program" A36 It A _ bout 120 first- through fifth- grade students at Yeshivat Akiva in Southfield are running and swimming all the way to Israel. Not really, of course, but that's the premise of a creative competition between grades concocted by Akiva athletic director and physical education teacher Rick Kaczander. Here's how it works: Each time a student runs around the school's gym during a two-minute period, his or her grade is credited with one mile on the approximately 6,000-mile trip from Detroit to New York to Paris and, finally, Jerusalem. As students reach milestones on their journey on a map, Kaczander gives them a short geography lesson. As the 2008 portion of the school year came to a close, all the grades were crossing the Atlantic Ocean. To represent swimming across the ocean, students do their laps on scooters. Akiva's third-graders were leading the competition as 2009 began. They had traveled about 1,800 miles, putting them approximately halfway across the Atlantic. Kaczander estimates the first class will reach Jerusalem by the end of April. There will be a prize for that class, but Kaczander hasn't worked out the details yet. Kaczander organized a similar competition last school year, with Los Angeles as the destination. The second- graders (now the third-graders) were the winners. "The kids are really getting into this year's competition, probably because it's longer and the destination is more relevant to our school;' Kaczander said. "They're always asking me where they are on the map and how many miles they've traveled. We have a lot of broth- ers and sisters who attend our school, so we have some friendly sibling rival- ries going, toe Maccabi Meeting An important meeting for teens ages 13-16 (as of July 31) interested in repre- senting Detroit at the 2009 JCC Maccabi Games and their families will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 11, at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield. Tryout dates and times, coaches, host communities and other details will be discussed. This year's games will be held Aug. 2-7 in San Francisco, Aug. 9-12 in San Antonio, Texas, and Aug. 16- 21 in Westchester, N.Y. For more information, contact Karen Gordon at (248) 432-5482 or kgordon@jccdet.org, or go to the Detroit JCC Maccabi Web site, www maccabidetroit. org . Hoop It Up The winter season for the Kenny Goldman Jr. NBA/Jr. WNBA Basketball League at the Jewish Community Center in West Bloomfield is just around the corner. League play will begin Jan. 19 and continue through March 22. Divisions include 6-and-under, 8-and-under, 10-and-under, 12-and- under, 14-and-under and 16-and-under. Games are officiated by Michigan High School Athletic Association-licensed referees. Coaches, parents and players must sign a code of ethics to partici- pate. Players are using new jerseys this year. Cost is $15. Parent coaches are needed, and scholarships are available. For more information or to register, call Bruce Wineman at (248) 432-5498 or Lee Greenwald at (248) 432-5404. Best In Baseball Jewish Major Leaguers, a not-for-profit educational organization, has named its first Jewish Major Leaguers of the Year. Boston Red Sox infielder Kevin Youkilis is the JMVP (Jewish MVP) for the 2008 season. Pittsburgh reliever John Grabow is the JML Pitcher of the Year and Milwaukee outfielder Gabe Kapler is the winner of the JML Comeback Player of the Year award. Youkilis hit .312 with 29 homers and 115 RBI. He also set a record with 238 consecutive errorless games at first base (the streak began in 2006). The Cincinnati native beat out fellow All- Stars Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers and Ian Kinder of the Texas Rangers for the JMVP honor. Grabow was 6-3 with a 2.84 ERA in 74 games for the Pirates. Kapler, who had retired and managed in the minor leagues in 2007, hit .301 in 96 games for the Brewers. CI Please send sports news to sports@thejewishnews.com.