NEW ORLEANS, La.-- While bass fishing's top 45 anglers are casting for the sport's world championship title on the Louisiana Delta, another 10 equally as ambitious anglers will be casting for a title of their own in New Orleans. Younger in age but just as competitive, they will be competing in the CastingKids National Championship.
Presented by Chevy Trucks, the championship will begin at Noon on Friday, August 3, at the Morial Convention Center (900 Convention Center Blvd.).
CastingKids was created in 1991 by B.A.S.S. to stimulate youth interest in fishing and environmental stewardship. The 10 CastingKids finalists are all that remain from a program that ended its season with more than 1,400 events and some 150,000 participants nationwide and in Canada.
The finalists will compete for a share of $20,000 in college scholarship funds in their respective 7-10 and 11-14 age divisions. They qualified for the finals after advancing through a highly competitive series of local contests, state championships and a semi-finals held in April in Mobile, Ala.
The 7-10 age finalists are Jessica Digman, 10, of Sykesville, Md., Nick Anderson, 9, of Sparta, Wis., Dylan Schaefer, 10, of St. Mary's, Ga., Steven Nodine, 9, of Carlsbad, N.M., and Ory Schuman, 9, of Lincoln, Neb.
The 11-14 age finalists are Randy Helms, 14, of Stillwater, Minn., Frederick Phillips, 12, of St. Pauls, N.C., Jon Laukhuff, 14, of Beech Creek, Pa., Andy Whilden, 11, Craig, Col., and Dustin Plunkett, 12, Lawton, Okla.
In an unusual twist to the season finale, Digman is this season's only returning national finalist. At just 10 years old, she has won seven titles in three different states. Helms qualifies as a veteran, having competed in the program since 1994. During that time, he won eight local contests and two state championships. His sister Tami is the only repeat winner of the national title, having become the first girl to win it in 1996 and again in 1997.
"It'd be awesome for me to take home a national title for myself and my family," said Helms. "I have a brother and sister and we've all three competed in the program. It's a great way to make friends and in our case have some fun with sibling rivalry."
The mechanics of CastingKids look simple but they are not, considering the high level of skill displayed by the contestants as the program continues to gain popularity. The object of the contest is to hit a 42-inch-wide bull's-eye target with a hookless lure by casting from 30 feet, pitching from 20 feet, and flipping from 10 feet away. The target circles are worth 20, 30, 40, and 50 points. A perfect score is 150 and tie-breakers are more the norm than are flawless performances.
ESPN2 will showcase the 2001 BASS Masters Classic during each day of competition with same-day coverage on Thursday, August 2nd and Friday August 3rd taking place from 6 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. (Eastern). ESPN2 will also provide live updates on Saturday, August 4th, from 7 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. as well as covering the final weigh-in from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Additionally, ESPN2 will air a one-hour special on the 2001 BASS Masters Classic. The telecast is August 18 at 9 p.m. (Eastern). The program will provide complete coverage of bass fishing's world championship held on the sprawling Louisiana Delta.