The 13th annual Youth Sports Day will be held Saturday in Ahwatukee to help educate student athletes and other youth ages 12 to 18 about careers in professional sports, as well as emphasize the importance of staying in school, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being financially responsible.

Youth Sports Day, a program of local non-profit Linking Sports and Communities, is a free event from noon to 3 p.m. at Pecos Park and Community Center, 17010 S. 48th St.

The event includes workshops, panel discussions and sports clinics with professional athletes and other sports professionals. This year’s theme is anti-bullying.

Denise Meridith, founder of Linking Sports and Communities, said she hopes the event encourages young people to achieve their dreams.

“The expectations that we project are high and too often kids are discouraged,” Meridith said. “What we are telling them is you can be anything you want to be if you have a good attitude, work hard and have good role models.”

The most popular aspect of Youth Sports Day is typically the careers in sports panel, an open discussion with former professional athletes about how they pursued their careers in sports and what they’re doing now, Meridith said.

Some of the athletes participating in the panel include former Dallas Cowboy Darryl Clack, former Arizona Cardinal and Arizona State University football player Levi Jones, former Phoenix Mercury player Jaysie Sheppard, former Arizona Cardinal Jamir Miller, former Arizona Cardinals coach Carl Hargrave, and former Dallas Cowboy Darrius Sims. The panel discussion will be moderated by 12 News sports anchor Bruce Cooper.

In addition to the workshops, a NASCAR pace car will be on display. Attendees can submit drawings of the car for a chance to win tickets to a NASCAR race in November.

The event will end with four sports clinics where professional athletes will give  participants lessons in basketball, football, soccer and baseball.

About 100 young people have registered for the event so far on the Linking Sports and Communities website, according to Meridith. Participants can also register on-site beginning at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Youth Sports Day schedule:

11:30 a.m.: Registration

Noon-1 p.m.: Careers in Sports panel

1:15-1:40 p.m.: Financial planning for student athletes by Charles Pascu, NY Life

1:40-1:55 p.m.: Fitness tips by Corina

1:55-2:10 p.m.: NASCAR pace car and Phoenix Police Department vehicles features

2:10-3 p.m.: Sports clinics in basketball, football, soccer, baseball