Rocky Mountain State Games Athletes Go Over 10,000 For The First Time
Mike Moran's Sports Commentary
Rocky Mountain State Games A Historical Success As More than 10,000 Athletes From
Across The State Compete In The State's Largest Sports Festival
In a city of 460,000 souls, there is a rather substantial number that will always scoff at the
notion of bigger and better when it comes to events like the rodeo, 4th of July fireworks,
parades and in this case, the 2014 Rocky Mountain State Games.
This largest of Colorado's sports festivals is a fusion of the traditional sports--volleyball, track
and field, diving and swimming, with a collection of sports and activities that is designed to
attract men and women, kids, individuals with physical disabilities and hundreds of others
who simply enjoy themselves for a few hours and feel the warmth of knowing they can
achieve something special.
These past two weekends, Colorado Springs proved once again that it's a city that can do,
not can't do.
For the first time in the Rocky Mountain State Games history, more than 10,000 athletes
participated in these unique Games that play to the purists who want to better their old
college or high school 100-meter mark on the track, to a new class of amateur athletes who
see their skills mirrored in BMX Racing, Inline Speed Skating, Dog Agility and Goalball, a
sport for blind athletes that demands putting a ball equipped with noise, into the goal.
More than 2000 runners kicked off their Saturday morning, June 26 with a stylish 5K run
made into an art form when the runners splashed themselves with a rainbow of colored corn
starch as they traversed the course.
Some 8,000 fans came downtown on Friday night, July 25 to take part in the Olympic
Downtown Celebration/Rocky Mountain State Games Opening Ceremony. They were
rewarded with music, food, sport demonstrations and the sight of 2014 Olympic Figure
Skating Bronze medalist Jason Brown lighting the State Games cauldron. The celebration
ended at 10:30 p.m. as country music star Josh Gracin belted out his final piece.
Former Montanan Tom Osborne, the Sports Corp's multi-talented President & CEO is the
individual who runs the massive event with a lean and talented staff headed by another exMontanan, Chief Operating Officer Doug Martin, Event Coordinator Aubrey McCoy and
Special Projects Manager Jeff Mosher, backed up by a team of eager college interns and
some 900 community volunteers.
It's important to point out that this tidy and talented Sports Corp staff has already taken the
lead role in the staging of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the Olympic
Downtown Celebration, Salute to the Olympic Family Luncheon, and still has the USA Pro
Challenge, The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb, the Pikes Peak Downhill
Skateboard Invitational and the annual Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame on their
schedule of operations and support.
The world-famous Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb falls into the Sports Corp's
Hill Climb Executive Director Megan Leatham and Director of Development Lincoln Floyd.
These two young executives recruit 300 volunteers and spend the entire year with thousands
of details that must be accomplished to keep this event the world's most famous hill climb and
a Colorado Springs treasure.
The Summer of 2014 is without question the busiest and most exciting time In Colorado
Springs sports history, and has stamped the city as one of the most desirable sports
destinations in the United States, along with its pristine reputation as a Rocky Mountain
vacation and leisure hub.
You will barely have time to catch your breath before the world's top cyclists and
skateboarders hit town. The Broadmoor Pikes Peak Cycling Hill Climb could be destined to
be one of the world's most challenging events and create more attention for Colorado
Springs, domestically and internationally.
It's an understatement to say that Osborne is elated over the success of the Rocky Mountain
State Games, which started under the radar in 2002 with only 2,016 athletes.
"We are thrilled to have reached 10,000 State Games athletes... it's been our goal since day
one 12 years ago, said Osborne. The key to the success of the Games is our sport
commissioners, sponsors, volunteers and staff who all have worked together to make it
happen.The byproduct of the success of the games is a positive economic impact to our
Pikes Peak Region, as well as adding an extra layer of polish to the sports reputation of
Colorado Springs."
Listen to another voice, that of a proud Colorado Springs family that was downtown for the
Olympic Downtown Celebration and Rocky Mountain State Games Opening Ceremony:
"Just a quick thank you for the great event last night. My family and I attended the Downtown
Olympic Celebration and had a blast. We watched XPogo (which was surprisingly super
entertaining), wrestled, judo'd, fenced, etc. with OTC athletes and danced to Grass It Up.
Thank you for hosting the event to celebrate the State Games and bringing the community
closer to the USOC and the NGBs - we don't connect enough with that amazing CS asset
and this event helps bring us together, which has been increasingly apparent these last few
years via events like this.
"Again, thank you. Events like this take tons of time and work. My family and I appreciate it
and hope it becomes a longtime community tradition."
Amy Triandiflou and family (Jesse, Jake, Alice & Lucy)
Mike Moran
Senior Media Consultant
Colorado Springs Sports Corporation
1631 Mesa Ave., Suite E
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719) 634-7333, ext.1011
[email protected]
www.coloradospringssports.org
Colorado Springs Sports Corp Promo Reel
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