Imagine being 6 years old, running around on the very field on which the Detroit Tigers play baseball.
Soon, Oxford resident Wesley Walleman, son of C.J. and Virginia Walleman, won’t have to imagine it because that’s exactly what he’ll be doing at Comerica Park in downtown Detroit on Sunday, April 19.
The Daniel Axford Elementary kindergartner was one of six winners in the #MIKidsCan Train like an All-star Challenge sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
‘We are so excited,? Virginia said. ‘He’s super-pumped. He’s a huge Tiger fan. He and my husband went to a game about a year-and-a-half ago and he talks about it all the time.?
The #MIKidsCan campaign is an initiative focused on encouraging youngsters to adopt healthy habits early in life, so they are more likely to be carried into adulthood.
More than 1,200 Michigan kids registered for the challenge, which encouraged those in the 5-14 age group to complete four weekly healthy activities throughout March.
Kids spent the month learning how to jump, eat, throw and hydrate like a baseball player. A daily push-up challenge and eating three servings of fruits and vegetables each day were part of the challenge.
As a reward, Wesley and the rest of the winners will participate in a number of on-field calisthenic exercises led by Detroit Tigers mascot PAWS and team training staff as part of the third annual Detroit Tigers Kids Opening Day. They will then head to the stands to watch the Tigers take on the Chicago White Sox. The kids will also receive backpacks, t-shirts and a healthy lunch.
Wesley is looking forward to running the bases, just like his favorite player, Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera.
‘He’s a good batter,? said Wesley, who’s taking his cousin Nolan Taylor, 6, of St. Clair Shores, to the game.
Wesley is a very active little boy, who pours his boundless energy into everything from playing soccer to doing lunges as part of a Nintendo Wii exercise game.
‘He does a lot of running,? C.J. said. ‘He does a lot of throwing. He throws everything.?
Wesley typically exercises for about an hour each day between school and home. He loves exercising alongside his active parents.
‘Mom does a 30-minute workout and dad does workouts on Saturday mornings with yardwork and housework,? C.J. said. ‘He’s right there with us.?
‘I was doing a 30-day ab challenge and he would sit and do (the exercises) with me,? Virginia said.
Eating healthy is no problem for Wesley because he actually prefers fruit to candy.
He loves bananas and blueberries.
He also drinks lots of milk and Gatorade.
When asked why he believes it’s important to eat right, Wesley replied, ‘To grow.?
Wesley’s grandparents, Chuck and Debbie Walleman, own Art and Dick’s Party Store on W. Burdick St. According to C.J., his son pretty much has ‘free rein? at the store, but he doesn’t go wild and load up on junk food while there.
During the interview, Wesley took off to grab a snack. Instead of returning with a bag of salty chips and a sugary soda, he had an apple and a bottle of milk in his hands.
C.J. is glad to see his son has adopted healthy eating habits and a love of physical activity at such a young age.
Struggling with weight issues is something that runs in the Walleman family, so he appreciates how ‘very important? it is to get his son off to a good start now in order to avoid potential health problems in the future.
‘I don’t want that to happen to him,? he said.