July 15, 2010

Iowa Games in full swing July 16-18

by Anne Krapfl

The Iowa Games

Events, schedules and more information about the annual summer games is available online.

July 16-18 is the primary competition weekend in the 24th annual summer Iowa Games, and many of those events will be held on campus or in and around Ames. Last year, two-thirds of the games' 15,500 summer athletes competed during this weekend. Organizers expect that with the growth of many sports, participation numbers will increase this year.

Over the course of the summer and at locations across the state, the summer Iowa Games will offer Olympic-style competitions in 41 individual and 13 team sports. The games are hosted by the nonprofit Iowa Sports Federation, Ames, an organization that helps develop amateur sports in Iowa and promotes physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle through athletic events and health education.

Getting started

The opening ceremony begins at 8 p.m. July 16 in Jack Trice Stadium. Bernie Saggau, former longtime executive director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association, will give the keynote talk. 2010 American Idol contestant Katelyn Epperly, a 2008 graduate of West Des Moines Valley High School, will sing the national anthem.

The opening ceremony will be preceded by "Finals Fest," free entertainment and games, beginning at 5 p.m. in lot B6 north of the stadium.

July 16-18 competitions

Campus venues this weekend include:

  • Beyer Hall: fencing July 17; youth swimming July 17-18
  • Cross-country course: cross-country races July 17
  • Forker Building: badminton July 17; 5-on-5 basketball July 17-18; judo July 17
  • ISU disc golf course: disc golf July 17-18
  • Forker tennis courts: adult tennis July 17-18; youth tennis July 15-16
  • Lied Center: basketball (shooting) July 17; 3-on-3 basketball July 17; racquetball July 16-18; table tennis July 17; taekwondo July 18; weightlifting July 18
  • Maple Willow Larch intramural fields: archery July 17-18
  • SE Athletic Complex: youth soccer July 16-18
  • Towers fields: youth soccer July 16-18
  • Veenker golf course: individual golf July 15 and 17; 4-person best shot July 18

Campus facilities served as the locale for two Iowa Games events July 10-11, the first weekend of the games: cycling in the Iowa State Center lots and handball in Beyer Hall. And during the final weekend of the games, there will be dodgeball and ultimate (Frisbee football) at the Southeast Athletics Complex (July 24); figure skating at the Ames/ISU ice arena (July 24); flag football on the Maple Willow Larch fields (July 24-25); and adult soccer at the Towers fields (July 23-25).

Parking

ISU parking manager Mark Miller said no modifications are planned for central campus lots on Friday, July 16. The Lied Center will be a competition site but not until 5 p.m. Youth soccer games at the Towers and Southeast Athletics Complex locations during the day will impact parking in the free lots at the Iowa State Center, along South 16 Street ad east of the Towers residence halls, as well as the streets adjacent to those sites.