Athlete hour "kicked off" to a great start this afternoon, letting kids mix, mingle and put their game face on with members of Penn State's many sport teams.

Football players posed for pictures, volleyball players bounced a ball around and the golf team held a putting contest. One soccer player even went as far as to make himself into a human basketball hoop for Thon child Travis Hill, who told him to "stand up straight."

Travis’ mother, Dawn Hill, said her son wants to go to Penn State and might even be a future Nittany Lions basketball player.

Emily Wills, Penn State alum and the reigning Miss Pennsylvania, was in attendance, signing autographs and taking pictures with the kids.

"It’s nice to be on the other side of this," Wills, who previously participated in Thon as a member of the dance team, said. "Kids get a kick out of the crown."

Former Nittany Lion kicker Robbie Gould signed autographs and took pictures with kids, congratulating one child for making a touchdown for his youth football team.

"I never got to make a touchdown!" he said.