A new contender has entered the fray for this year’s Best Sports Program or Series Gemini. Up against established favorites like Coach’s Corner with Don Cherry and Molson Hockey Night in Canada, Insight Productions’ Pumped! tackles a slightly different audience than traditional sports broadcasts – kids.

The sports magazine is an eclectic and fast-paced blend of amateur and pro sports, young athletes and heroes, magic moments and bloopers. It is, says creator and producer Dale Burshtein, ‘more than just chat and cover.’

The program has caught the attention of sports superstars, many of whom have been guests, talking about their sports specialty and trying new ones.

Burshtein talks of ’empowering’ young people by showing them that even their sports heroes have to start from scratch when they try their hand at something new (example: Kurt Browning struggling to pick up golf tips from an 11-year-old whiz).

Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Brett Hull and Katarina Witt are just a few of the big names who have been involved. Mike Myers even dropped in to give tips on playing ball hockey. Energetic (and photogenic) young hosts Richard Yearwood and Cara Pifco tie it all together.

The program has finished its premiere season on tsn and is now in preproduction for its second. tsn has been enthusiastically involved from the start. When Burshtein and Insight’s John Brunton brought the concept to tsn’s Rick Brace, the all-sports network scooped up the idea and the show went ahead. Now u.s. sports network espn has picked up on the program’s success, and is not only broadcasting the first season, but becoming actively involved in the second.

Pumped! won’t be the only new Insight program at the Gemini ceremonies. After a very successful first season, Ready or Not’s Hart Hanson is up for Best Writing in a Dramatic Series.

Last month, broadcaster CanWest Global gave the series, which is now seen in over 20 countries, the go-ahead for 26 new episodes. Production began at the beginning of this month, and according to producer Alyse Rosenberg, it’s going great. Both she and Brunton emphasize the ‘family’ feeling among cast and crew, and are pleased to have many of the same people back for round two.

Rosenberg has nothing but praise for lead actors Laura Bertram and Lanie Billard. They are, she says, ‘amazing as people. As far as going back to real life, they’ve coped beautifully.’ This season, Rosenberg plans to get the young stars more involved in input on their characters.

The coming-of-age drama series proved popular both with its target group in the ‘tween’ range and with an older audience. Rosenberg attributes this to its honest and ‘heartfelt’ look at growing up. The challenge this year, she says, will be to keep tuning in to the common experiences that have really linked the program with its viewers. ‘The bottom line is the universality,’ she adds.