By TOMMY REZAC
St. Joseph Post
The Missouri Show-Me State Games stopped in St. Joseph on Friday as part of their annual 'Shelter Insurance Torch Run.'
The Torch Run makes its way through multiple Missouri cities each spring. St. Joseph is one of five cities the State Games are stopping in to promote the Olympic-style sports festival held in Columbia this summer.
The 39th annual State Games are scheduled for June 8-11, July 21-23 and July 28-30.
"Really, we want to bring awareness and bring the message of fitness, family and fun," said Chris Ricks, director of marketing for Shelter Insurance.
"Really get out and invite everyone to come to Columbia and be a part of it this summer. We love hosting everybody, and looking forward to having everybody come."
State Games officials, along with representatives from the St. Joseph Sports Commission, the St. Joseph Mustangs, Parks and Recreation and Shelter Insurance gathered at the Pony Express statue across the street from the St. Joseph CVB building Friday.
"When you go to Columbia and compete in the state games, it really is an Olympic-style festival," said Brett Esely, director of the St. Joseph Sports Commission.
"Those folks are experienced, they know what they're doing. It's exciting to work and go to the games and I encourage anybody, it's something great to work towards and mark your calendar and take part."
Missourians can register for the games at smsg.org. Participants have more than 40 sports to pick from, from pickleball to powerlifting. From football to fencing.
"To be able to have that opportunity to create memories with your parents, teammates, coaches, that's what makes it so special," said St. Joseph Mustangs owner Ky Turner - a former State Games competitor himself.
Missouri has seen anywhere from 35,000-40,000 participants at the state games in the past.
Esely pointed out that St. Joseph Sports Hall of Fame Inductee, St. Joseph native and former State Games executive director, Gary Filbert, had a huge influence on the origin of this annual event as a founding father.
"I think I knew (Filbert's) history with the Show-Me Games," Esely said, "but I'll be honest, I don't know if I knew that he was the founder of the Show-Me Games. One of the founding fathers. Anytime you're the founding father of anything, that's special."
Filbert, a Benton graduate, was Missouri Western's first men's basketball coach and helped form the Missouri Basketball Coaches' Association. He was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
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