Paul Fick is dedicated to helping kids post-cancer treatment achieve what they never thought they could. image: yonne albinowski

Since its start in 2006, Back in the Game’s co-founder and head coach Paul Fick has been working with children in remission from pediatric cancer and blood disorders to ensure their readiness to get back to athletic activities. The curriculum, which is run through Professional Athletic Performance Center in Garden City, has been providing dynamic warm ups, running mechanics, multi-directional drills and core and muscle strengthening exercises to children struggling to achieve physical goals after harsh cancer-fighting treatments. Their fall session will be ending this month but will start up again with the spring session in February. Participation is free of charge thanks to funds from Miracle Foundation.

Fick, who is vice president of business relations at Professional Physical Therapy, volunteers his time twice a week to work hands-on with the kids, assists and trains fellow volunteers and promotes the program at local hospitals and fundraisers. “The most rewarding thing honestly, and it sounds corny, is just seeing the smiles on the kids faces when they start to be able to do things they once thought they might not be able to do,” said Fick. “For me, it’s great to see when these kids are smiling, participating and hearing stories about how they are back to playing gym with their friends.”