|
| 7-13-00 Contacts: Murray Blackwelder, External Affairs, (515) 294-7730 Jim Hallihan, Iowa Games, (515) 292-3251 Steve Sullivan, News Service, (515) 294-3720 AGREEMENT EXTENDED, IOWA GAMES IN AMES THROUGH 2005 AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University, the city of Ames and the Iowa Games have extended the agreement to hold the Iowa Games at Iowa State and throughout the Ames area through 2005. The Iowa Games is an Olympic-style sports festival that attracts more than 15,000 athletes for the summer competition. The event has been held in Ames for 14 years. "The Iowa Games is a well-known part of the summer at Iowa State, and we're pleased that the university and Ames will continue to host this popular event," said Murray Blackwelder, Iowa State vice president for external affairs. Jim Hallihan, executive director of the Iowa Games, said Ames is an ideal location for the event because it attracts athletes from all 99 counties. "For the participants, central Iowa is the most convenient. The facilities at Iowa State and in the Ames area really support the needs of participants and spectators," Hallihan said. Iowa Games Board Chairman, Douglas Reichardt of Des Moines, said another factor in renewing the agreement with Iowa State and Ames is the level of volunteer and sponsor support. The Iowa Games is a nonprofit organization supported by sponsors and participant fees. "Support in Ames is just tremendous. Add to that the extensive facilities available at Iowa State and we have a great location for the competition," Reichardt said. "The community has embraced the Games for the past 14 years and looks forward to hosting the Games through 2005," said Ted Tedesco, mayor of Ames The Iowa Games features competition in 40 sports and emphasizes fun and good sportsmanship. This year's competition begins today and continues through Sunday. Youth team coaches will be given coaching manuals that provide information on coaching youth-centered techniques, character building and the health dangers of smoking and drugs. For the third year, scholarships will be awarded to high school juniors who display outstanding character and citizenship during the Iowa Games. The recognition is in honor of Brian Pearson, a former Palmer, Iowa and Iowa State basketball star who died of cancer in 1997. Dates for the Iowa Games for the next two years are: July 20-22, 2001 and July 12-14, 2002. -30- |
||||
| Iowa State homepage University Relations, online@iastate.edu |
||||