The Detroit Shock’s second annual “Be Fit” Picnic Extravaganza was Tuesday, one of the hottest summer days yet. But the 90-degree heat didn’t stop a lot of fans from coming out to Bloomer Park in Rochester Hills for a number of activities with the whole Shock team.

“It was great,” said Shock guard Amy Sanders. “I didn’t expect it to be so big, but it was a good turnout.” Players and coaches arrived around 1:30 p.m., some of them with their dogs in tow, to hang out with the fans, sign autographs and pose for pictures.

Free water (which everyone was encouraged to drink a lot of), sub sandwiches, macaroni salad, chips and cookies were available from Gree’s Pizzeria & Deli, keeping everyone full during all the activity.

For the kids, there was a water hose to keep everyone cool and the music of DJ Earl to keep kids – and players – moving. The Shock’s own Plenette Pierson, Cheryl Ford, Ivory Latta and the Shockwave dance team joined the kids with their own dance moves, encouraging everyone to just let loose. “I had a lot of fun with the kids, they were out there dancing, it was cool,” said Latta after she got the kids to do some dance moves by the hip-hop group the Sugarhill Gang.

A large group from the Rochester Avon Recreation Authority (RARA) Camp kids, which often meet at the park, walked over to the Be Fit Picnic to join in on the action. “It’s free and we wanted the kids to have a really good time,” said counselor Lindsay Jolleiff from Rochester. “It was a blast last year for the kids so we brought them over here again for fun.”

Lindsay’s group is part of a weeklong theatre camp that concludes with a performance on Friday. To make sure the kids don’t get too nervous about their big debut, the counselors brought them over to enjoy the weather and do something fun. “They really liked the trampoline and the inflatables, they really get a kick out of that,” she said. “They really liked getting autographs from the Shock players. They love that.”

But the trampolines and ShockFest inflatables weren’t the only thing participants got to enjoy. There was a rock climbing wall, dunk tank, face painting station, water balloon toss, art station to make Shock signs, basketball courts and more. There was even a “Dash for Cash” competition, where participants raced to win an autographed Shock t-shirt with $50 pinned to it.

“It’s been great giving back to the community and getting the fans excited about our game,” said center Katie Feenstra. “They do so much for us and it’s fun to say thank you by signing an autograph and taking a picture.”

The Be Smart, Be Fit, Be Yourself program, a WNBA initiative, encourages kids, teens and women to learn more about health, fitness, nutrition and self-esteem. The goal of the “Be Fit” Picnic is to allow fans to interact with Shock players and coaches while instilling a greater sense of importance to personal physical fitness.