Executive Summary of Grand Canyon State Games
The Grand Canyon State Games was founded in 1993 to
provide an Olympic-style competition for Arizonans of all ages and
abilities. Now in its eleventh year, the Grand Canyon State Games
has grown into a year-round, statewide operation promoting health,
fitness, education, recreational opportunities and community pride
through the spirit of competition.
The Grand Canyon State Games is one of 44 members of the National Congress of State Games. Though one of the youngest nationally, the Grand Canyon State Games already has grown into one of the second largest state games organization in America.
The national State Games movement began in 1978 when New York staged the first Empire State Games. Since then, 43 other states have added competitions, all sanctioned by the National Congress of State Games, a component of the United States Olympic Committee.
The inaugural Grand Canyon State Games were held in June 1993, when 3,600 athletes competed in 16 events in Phoenix. The Grand Canyon State Games official flame was lit by Olympic Gold medalist Billy Mills, using a torch that traveled throughout Arizona. Opening Ceremonies, were held at America West Arena, and featured Olympic gymnast champion Mary Lou Retton leading the parade of athletes.
In 1994, the Grand Canyon State Games expanded to Flagstaff and Tucson and added three new sports. Participation grew to more than 7,000 athletes, and 10,000 spectators witnessed the Opening Ceremonies at America West Arena. 1995 saw more than 8,500 athletes take part in 21 sports. Participation in the Grand Canyon State Games grew to more than 12,000 in 1996 when the 1996 Games welcomed the addition of Phoenix Suns forward Danny Manning as executive commissioner. In addition to the 21 Olympic sports, a statewide essay contest was added to the menu of activities.
The fifth edition of the Games attracted over 15,000 participants in 1997. The Phoenix Coyotes joined the team of supporters by sponsoring the inaugural five-sport Winter Games in Flagstaff. Tucson welcomed its own summer games competition that year, while participation in the statewide essay contest for grades K-12, sponsored by Ottawa University, increased substantially. Manning returned as executive commissioner and the Games added a charity golf tournament.
Circle K/76 signed on in 1998 as the presenting sponsor of the Grand Canyon State Games, when 17,801 competitors took part. Flagstaff and the Arizona Snowbowl hosted the second annual winter games competition, with more than 900 athletes taking part in skiing, hockey and snowboarding. Participation grew to more than 2,800 in the essay contest, while nearly 2,000 athletes took part in the Tucson competition. The Phoenix competition featured 8,800 athletes competing in 29 sports at 66 venues, including Bank One Ball Park and Sun Devil Stadium.
In 1999, the Grand Canyon State Games reached a new high for participation, when 25,000 Arizonans took part in the year-round schedule of activities. The Phoenix Suns/Arizona Diamondbacks/Arizona Rattlers/Phoenix Mercury joined News Channel 3, The Arizona Republic and Shamrock Farms as Gold Medal sponsors. Despite a lack of snow, participation in the third edition of the winter games competition reached record numbers. Nearly 2,500 athletes took part in Tucson’s 12-event line up, while 10,000 athletes competed in 32 sports in Phoenix. The United States Olympic Committee recognized the Grand Canyon State Games with an award of excellence and Danny Manning returned for his fourth year as executive commissioner. The Games continued their unparalleled growth and commitment to offering “Competition for Everyone” by announcing that an art contest to benefit Arizona’s 6,000 abused children would be added to the 1999-2000 calendar.
The new millennium brought many new elements to the Grand Canyon State Games. New sponsors, new sports, new co-executive commissioners, and a new venue for Opening Ceremonies. Pure Sport, Inc. and The Thunderbirds joined The Phoenix Suns/Arizona Diamondbacks/Arizona Rattlers/Phoenix Mercury, News Channel 3, The Arizona Republic and Shamrock Farms as Gold Medal sponsors. The Phoenix Suns Tom Gugliotta and Arizona Diamondbacks Luis Gonzalez became new co-executive commissioners replacing Danny Manning after he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks. Another below-average year for snow in Flagstaff did nothing to dampen the spirits of the nearly 4,400 athletes who participated in the winter competition which expanded to 17 sports. Both the essay and art contests grew in participation and the Tucson and Phoenix competitions both expanded in sports and athlete participation. The Games saw a 17% increase in overall participation. A new venue, Bank One Ballpark was the sight for Opening Ceremonies.
In 2001 the Grand Canyon State Games vaulted into the second largest program in the country with participation seeing an increase of 39% resulting in over 38,000 entries. Highlights included the Art Contest numbers growing to 3,421, Essay Contest jumping to 6,649, and the Winter Games exploding to 6,890- largest in the United States. The expanded Summer Games format of 37 sports created excitement and high level competition, which propelled Arizona’s grass roots sports into what promises to be another eventful year for 2002.
In 2002 the Grand Canyon State Game again continued their trend setting ways with the inception of the Inaugural Native American Games never before offered in our country. The event drew 31 Basketball Teams, 26 Softball Teams, 13 Volleyball Teams, plus 66 Track athletes, in all 1,010 athletes participated in this vision turned reality. The pool of athletes ranged from ages 5 to 72 representing 16 tribes and 42 cities. Also, in 2002 the Grand Canyon State Games formed a relationship with Victory with Honor. This program implements effective sportsmanship and increases character building through the “Six Pillars of Character” which are Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, and Citizenship.
We built it and they came! In 2003 the Games introduced the Lori Piestewa National Native American Games, the first ever competition of its kind in the country. 1,551 athletes from 5 states, 52 cities and 26 tribes participated in this four sport festival. Executive Commissioners Randy Johnson and Tom Gugliotta again oversaw more than 30,000 athletes take part in Grand Canyon State Games Events in 2003. Highlights included Corporate Sponsorships expanding to over 100, volunteers grew to more than 2,000 and the forming of a partnership with The Inhale Life…stay tabacco free program.
After a victorious year in 2004, the Grand Canyon State Games hammers its way into 2005. The Art contest doubled in size with 1,725 participants. We built it and they are still coming! The newly introduced Lori Piestewa National Native American Games drew athletes from ten states in just its third year. States included Arizona, California, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, New York, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Utah and Wisconsin. We are proud to announce that Fulton Homes has joined our prestigious family of sponsors, becoming our new title sponsor. The Winners Circle weekend, our sponsor appreciation banquet, sold out at the Doubletree Guest Suites. The Games Essay Contest was the largest in its ten-year history, drawing 3,817 participants. Lighten Up Arizona and Go The Distance, the lifestyle component of the Grand Canyon State Games, attracted over 3,200 members who collectively lost over 1,600 pounds and accumulated over 900,000 miles. We are pleased to have Phoenix Suns Shawn Marion and Diana Taurasi from the Phoenix Mercury on board as they have agreed to replace Randy Johnson as our Executive Commissioners.
2006/07 year was arguably our best year ever. The Art Contest attracted 1,788 entries while the Essay Contest broke the 3,000 barrier with 3,014 entries. Our Winners Circle Weekend event sold out! We featured a Merry Mercedes Raffle in partnership with Keller Williams. The Winter Games expanded to 6,148 participants. The Games partnered with Governor Napolitano’s Arizona / Mexico Commission to stage the International Hispanic Games which was nominated by the readers of SportsTravel magazine as a candidate for the Best Multi Sport Event category. Capping off the year the Lori Piestewa National Native American Games broke its participation record with 1,913 athletes.