There are more than 20 different sports organizations already signed on and ready to show off their skills at the Interactive Sports Expo in Pitt Meadows on Sunday.

"It's a sports day. Kids are going to have a blast. We want to make this such a fun day," said Perry Bateson, organizer of the expo and a martial arts instructor.

There will be the standards like lacrosse, soccer, hockey, and martial arts, and then there will be some more unique sports such as archery, roller derby, speedskating, ringette, scouts, fitness groups, tennis, and ultimate Frisbee, explained Bateson.

"So it is a really wide variety and range of sports organizations we are pulling together to create this event," he said.

"The difference between last year and this year is that last year it was more boothoriented, where this year it is going to be interactive."

When anyone comes to see a sport, every group or organization has to provide a way for every child to participate in that sport, explained Bateson.

"We will also offer [the sport organization] a booth area for registration and information but they will have to have an area where people are participating,"

One of the unique components to this years event is the keynote speaker Drew Mitchell.

At 9 a.m., Mitchell will give a presentation titled Active for Life, which focuses on sports literacy.

Sports literacy is not about to reading a book about sports, but about how to give a child a foundation in all sports.

"This is so huge. What we really need to do is start educating all of our sports organizations on sports literacy, which is giving a child a foundation of sport," Bateson said.

"If a kid plays hockey from the age of five to 13 and then he wants to play baseball and he doesn't know how to catch a ball or throw a ball, then he is baseball illiterate," explained Bateson.

When a child has only played one sport for his or her entire life, but later wants to try something new, he or she does not have the fundamental skills to merge into the sport seamlessly.

For a coach, instructor, teacher, or parent to incorporate other sports into the routine of practice is the ultimate goal.

At Yuen's Famly Martial Arts, for example, Bateson instructs martial arts but also includes elements of other sports and the principles of sports literacy into his programs.

"Even though my kids are learning martial arts, we have games that have to do with running, jumping, catching, throwing - they are always doing a complete sport-literate game," Bateson said. "Obviously, I can't get them to skate or swim here, but you can educate a parent that their child needs to experience it all to be literate in sports."

Last year's expo was held at the family recreation centre in Pitt Meadows.

This year's event will hosted at the Pitt Meadows Arena and Athletic Park.

Nustadia, the management company for the arena, has donated the entire facility at no cost and the City of Pitt Meadows has donated the use of the fields.

The sports expo runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by a free public skate.

KidSport is going to be selling hotdogs and popcorn with all proceeds going back to KidSport.

smclaren@mrtimes.com