This week's newsletter is packed with exciting questions, healthy recipes, inspiring athletes, local events you won't want to miss, and a must-read blog post! Enjoy reading this weeks newsletter!

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Which of these NCAA schools is famous for starting the tradition of the “12th Man” in football, where fans are considered part of the team?

A) University of Alabama

B) Texas A&M University

C) Ohio State University

D) University of Florida

Beet Salad With Goat Cheese and Balsamic

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 medium beets

• Olive oil for drizzling

• 2 cups salad greens, arugula, or sprung mix

• ½ shallot, sliced thinly

• ½ green apple, sliced thinly

• ¼ cup toasted walnuts

• 2 ounces goat cheese, torn

• Microgreens (optional)

• Balsamic Vinaigrette

• Flaky sea salt

• Black pepper

Instructions

1. Wrap each beet in aluminum foil and drizzle with a genours amount of olive oil and pinches of salt and pepper. Place the beets on a baking sheet and roast for 40 to 90 minutes, or until they are soft and fork-tender. Remove the beets from the oven, remove the foil, and set aside to cool. When they are cool to the touch, peel off the skins.

2. Let the beets cool and put them in the fridge to chill until ready to use them

3. Slice the beets into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Then assemble the salad with the greens, shallots, apples, beets, walnuts, cheese, and microgreens. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and season with the flaky sea salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Click HERE to go to the recipe!

This week, our swimming coach at The University of Illinois Sydney, is in the spotlight! Check out his bio below and book your next lesson by going to our website!

Introducing, Sydney Stoll!

“Hello! I am a recent graduate from the University of Illinois swim team. I specialized in freestyle and butterfly, but I also enjoyed backstroke and IM. I was the high school state champion in the 500 free, a 3-time finalist at the Big Ten Championships, and set several school records at the University of Illinois. I have been teaching swim lessons for 6 years, and my favorite part is watching how quickly kids progress when given access to water frequently! I would love the opportunity to get to know your kids and teach them water safety and other swimming skills.”

Book Your Lesson With Sydney Now!

Crafty Tales

The Urbana Free Library is hosting a Crafty Tales story time for children ages 2-6. The group will be working on their early literacy skills in a fun supportive environment that will be filled with music, rhymes, active learning, and books. There will also be a craft time after story time. This event is on Thursday, June 26th from 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM.

Click HERE to learn more! 

Long Grove Strawberry Fest

Long Grove is hosting their annual strawberry fest from June 27th - June 29th! This is a fun family event that offers fun strawberry themed foods along with a festival that includes entertainment, live music, carnival rides, games, and more.

Click HERE to learn more!

A big question that parents of young athletes might be asking themselves is if their child should specialize in a sport. While specializing in a sport can be an important step for athletes who want to play at a high level, its crucial to make sure that it is done at the right time. In today’s blog post we will be looking at when your child should specialize, the benefits, and what specializing looks like.

Click HERE to read more!

Based originally in Champaign, Illinois and quickly expanding across the rest of the Midwest, we at Top Tier make it our goal to connect you and your kids to high quality and successful college athletes across every playing field. We are currently offering lessons for several different sports from an array of elite college athletes. As college sports are expanding and becoming more popular throughout the country, we want to guarantee our customers can benefit from this great opportunity to receive quality training with flexible times. Check out our website to learn more.

The correct answer is B! (source: ChatGPT)