Jr. Olympic Skills Competition results

At just 11, Paul With has served his community more than many adults have. The young athlete already has taken five mission trips to Mexico, helping groups of impoverished people.

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"We played volleyball with them and soccer, and other sports, too," With said. "And we gave them shoes, also. They had beat-up sandals, but that was it."

During each mission, With shares his love for sports with the little kids in Mexico.

"They live in poverty," said Steve With, Paul's father. "Those kids don't have anything. Everything we bring is all they have."

With has given back a lot for someone his age, and found a way to combine two of his greatest life passions - service and sport.

But on Friday, With will be dedicating all of his energy toward sport. The Brentwood, Calif., native is just one of 72 extraordinary young athletes competing in the Jr. Olympic Skills Competition National Finals in Chula Vista, Calif.

The finalists, ages 8 to 13, will compete in skills competitions in basketball, soccer, tennis and track and field. These young athletes, who come from all over the United States and Puerto Rico, advanced to the finals by winning their age and gender category at one of 130 regional events. More than 1.6 million competitors participated in the program, which emphasizes fair and friendly play and promotes an active lifestyle.

With, an honor-roll student, said he has never done anything like this, but has always loved sports, most notably basketball, baseball and football.

"We're super proud of him whether he wins or not," Steve said. "I think it's a great experience."

Gayle Milam echoed Steve's thoughts.

Milam, who coordinates local and regional events every year with Madison Parks and Recreation in Madison, Ala., said the main focus of the program is to make sure every child has a chance to participate have the privilege to experience it.

"We go into our elementary school system and sat down with all of our principals and P.E. teachers and scheduled dates to go into schools," Milam said. "It is a way to get the children involved, get them active and let them do something to showcase their skills. It's something that everyone can do. They don't have to be a perfect athlete. The competition allows them to be who they are."

Each year, Milam hosts seven local events and one regional event in Alabama. This year, Erin Young, a tennis player from Huntsville, Ala., will be representing Milam's organization in her third consecutive finals. Young will contend for her third gold medal.

Meanwhile, St. Louis native Kate Daus, a soccer player, is very excited for all of the weekend's festivities - including a harbor cruise on the Pacific and a trip to the San Diego Zoo. Daus found out about the competition when her mother, Mindy, stumbled upon a brochure at their local YMCA.

"I've been playing soccer for a really, really long time, but I didn't think I'd make it to the nationals," Daus said.

Mindy was more than impressed with the atmosphere at the local level.

"I thought it was all a positive thing for the kids,'' she said. "Even the kids that didn't win were very excited. Everybody was cheering them on. We have been blown away by what the USOC has been doing for it and what they have planned."

At the finals, Mindy hopes her daughter will make friendships with the other young athletes and learn valuable lessons from the program.

"We've told her that the sponsors and the committee will be there, so it is her responsibility to do her best once she's there," Mindy said. "I hope it really boosts her confidence and that she learns that practice and hard work really pays off."

But Daus isn't just a standout soccer player. She is an eloquent writer as well.

Daus, who aspires to be an author when she grows up, prefers to write fantasies - her favorite story being about an adventure on an island.

"I love writing stories, and it's so much fun to come up with new things to write about," she said.

In addition to speaking with the young athletes about their passions, Milam enjoys watching them learn new skills and having their families attend the competitions.

"It is just amazing to know that these children not only have their parents, but they have their grandparents, and their siblings and aunts and uncles," she said. "We have so many parents thanking us for doing this because it lets their child feel like they are somebody."

Tags: Jr. Olympic Skills, Junior Olympic Skills, USOC