Girl with local ties is finalist in next NFL Play 60 Super Kid

Waverly - Olivia Eckerman of Waverly Iowa, niece of Donna & Kelvin Rue from Ridgeway, is one of three finalists in the nation for the quest to become the next NFL Play 60 Super Kid. The Super Kid hands the official game ball to the referee before the Super Bowl, which will be held in Minneapolis on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018. She entered the contest by submitting a video of herself in mid-October. It was that 18 second video of her “celebration dance” that advanced her into the top 30. Judging was based on four categories: relevance to the theme, creativity, ability to portray passion, and entertainment value.

For the next round of judging, her video could be 60 seconds or less. Olivia described how she lived the Play 60 lifestyle. Olivia practices as a level seven gymnast and participates in three hours of dance class each week. When not at practice, she likes to get active with her family by hiking, biking, climbing trees and other outdoor activities. The NFL used the same set of requirements to judge her new video and advanced her to the top eight.

The next round included a 15-minute interview with the NFL. During the interview, she shared her extensive involvement with her school’s Fuel Up to Play 60 group which lead to her current role as the State Ambassador.

The NFL notified Olivia late Friday afternoon, stating “Out of the hundreds of kids who entered the contest this year, we felt that she not only had standout dance moves, but that she is an impressive leader in her community and a strong ambassador for the NFL PLAY 60 initiative. From her involvement in Fuel Up to Play 60 and how she brings the program to life within her school, to her extracurricular activities, she indeed embodies what it means to be a super kid!”

The next round of the contest includes a public vote. Voting started on Nov. 22 at and goes until Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 11 a.m. CST. Each person can vote once each day during the voting period at www.nflrush.com/superkid.

Olivia is so excited for the possibility to be named the next NFL Play 60 Super Kid and would like to encourage everyone to vote!