Where Strength Found a New Shape

The tire was taller than her knees.

She looked at it, then back at the volunteer, unsure.

“I don’t think I can.”

“You don’t have to,” the volunteer said, smiling.
“But you can try.”

She squatted down, legs shaking — not from fear, just effort.
Then she gripped the bottom and heaved.

It tipped. Wobbled.
Flipped.

And the crowd — a mix of lifters, parents, and strangers — roared.

That moment wasn’t part of the competition lineup.
There was no medal. No scoreboard.

But it may have been the most important lift of the day.

What We Brought

When Star City Strong reached out to us at Play for All, they weren’t looking for bells and whistles.

They wanted to make sure kids had a space at the Star City Strong Fest — a space that wasn’t an afterthought, but part of the energy.

So we showed up.
And we brought everything we stand for:

• Tire flips (kid-sized, but real)

• Hercules holds (because endurance isn’t just for grown-ups)

• Ball Toss to the Giants (medicine ball throws)

• Tire pulls on ropes — the kind that require grit, not technique

We set up a full movement circuit — right there on the Fountain Walk at Elmwood Park.

Not on the sidelines.
Beside the real competitors.
In the same air. On the same pavement. With the same look of determination on every face.

Who Showed Up

Over 1,000 people came through the event that day — families from all over the region.

Some knew about us.
Most didn’t.

But the moment they saw a 5-year-old flipping a tire, or a teenager coaching a younger sibling through a strength hold, something changed.

Movement didn’t look elite anymore.
It looked possible.

More importantly, it looked fun.

We saw:

• Kids who had never done a sport before

• Parents who hadn’t seen their children move with this much confidence

• Whole families laughing, cheering their kids on, and saying things like:
   > “I didn’t know she could do that.”
   > “I wish I’d had this growing up.”
   

What It Meant

Play for All didn’t just show up with some activities.
We showed up with a different vision for what recreation can be:

• Not based on age, ability, or experience

• Not competitive for the sake of it

• Not expensive, intimidating, or exclusive

We brought a chance to feel strong — for the first time, or maybe the first time in years.

We brought proof that play doesn’t have to look like sports.
It can look like effort.
Laughter.
Breathless pride.
Shoelaces coming untied after dragging a tire 20 feet across the grass with a crowd yelling your name.

That day, we didn’t just adapt Strongman activities for kids.

We claimed space for them —
in a setting that didn’t usually include them,
with equipment that didn’t usually look like theirs,
at an event that wasn’t created with them in mind.

And they rose to it.
With joy. With strength. With zero hesitation.

What We Proved

We proved that:

• Strength belongs to everyone.

• Kids don’t need less — they just need the chance.

• Movement can be public, playful, and powerful — all at once.

• When you make space for people, they fill it.

So no — we weren’t the main event.

But Play for All left something on that pavement.

A tire mark.
A spark.
A challenge to every recreation system that thinks inclusion is an “extra.”

Let’s be clear:

We didn’t host a Strongman circuit for kids.
We showed that kids are strong already.

All they need is a place to prove it.

🧡 Want to bring Play for All to your next event?
We don’t just show up — we shift what’s possible.