At a glance...

What is the National Congress of State Games?

The National Congress of State Games (NCSG) is a membership organization comprised of 37 Summer State Games and 14 Winter State Games organizations and a community-based member of the United States Olympic Committee. The NCSG is also the rights holder of the State Games of America, an Olympic-style event featuring competition between State Games medal winners (gold, silver, bronze) from across the nation.

What are State Games?

Forty states are conducting or organizing statewide sports festivals known as State Games. Modeled after the Olympic Games, State Games provide a motivational goal for all athletes within the state in which they are organized. Nationwide more than 90 sports are offered each year in State Games with competitions held in 536 communities for participants from over 6,000 cities and towns. Competitions are both recreational and competitive and have been the first step for many Olympic and professional athletes.

What is the purpose of the NCSG?

The NCSG is committed to the development of sports, the promotion of grassroots competition and the lifelong success of athletes nationwide. The NCSG exists to facilitate the organization and promotion of Olympic-style competitions open to athletes of all ages and abilities in every state across the country.

Which sports are represented?

State Games competitions include Olympic or Pan American sports such as: basketball, bowling, diving, figure skating, tennis, tae kwon do, gymnastics, ice hockey, road races, soccer, softball, swimming, track & field, volleyball, etc. as well as a wide variety of local favorites such as arm wrestling, field hockey, horseshoes, equestrian, mountain biking and more.

Who participates in State Games?

Each year nearly 500,000 athletes of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels take part in State Games competitions nationwide. An additional 1.2 million spectators attend State Games events made possible by the work of thousands of coaches, parents, officials, sponsors and more than 100,000 volunteers.

Why take part in State Games?

State Games evoke a strong sense of community and state pride in its participants by offering athletes a unique opportunity to participate and compete with citizens of their state. State Games provide a sporting event for everyone in the family as well as a measurement of one's success in accomplishing personal fitness and wellness goals.

What do State Games do beyond sports?

In addition to staging multi-sport athletic competitions each year, State Games organizations impact their communities through a variety of programs including: character development and sportsmanship programs, tobacco prevention campaigns, drug awareness activities, weight reduction programs, efforts to assist underprivileged and disadvantaged youth, as well as a number of scholarship programs. In addition, Athlete of the Year awards are presented each year to deserving individuals based on the criteria of: participation, sportsmanship, effort, and positive attitude.

The State Games of America (SGA) is the premier, national multi-sport event for athletes of all ages and abilities held every biennium. Medal winners from 49 State Games nationwide earn the right to compete against other winners and match their skills and competitive desire in a national arena.

In order to qualify for the State Games of America, participants must have won a gold, silver or bronze medal in a SGA sport in their local State Games in a qualifying year (2005 or 2006 Summer, 2006 or 2007 Winter), won a medal in the 2005 State Games of America or be residents of Colorado for at least 30 days prior to competition. College students, U.S. military personnel and their families who are stationed in Colorado, are also eligible to participate.

The State Games concept was developed in New York in 1978 with the Empire State Games. In 2006, more than 500,000 athletes competed in State Games nationwide. State Games feature various sports of the Olympic and Pan American Games as well as sports that have regional popularity within each state.

Prominent State Games athletes include: Jeff Blatnick, Ralph Boston, Mike Mussina, Tracy Caulkins, Calbert Cheaney, Curt Clausen, Diane Dixon, Tom Dolan, Suzy Favor-Hamilton, Dan Gable, Rowdy Gaines, Harvey Glance, Nicole Hislett, Nancy Hogshead, Roy Jones, Adonis Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Nancy Kerrigan, Mike Richter, Rusty LaRue, Danny Manning, Henry Marsh, Eric Montross, Rick Hamilton, Chris Mullin, Tab Ramos, Glenn Robinson, Alberto Salazaar, Doug Smith, Rex Walters, Lones Wigger, Jr. and Paul Wylie.

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