Alabama State Games To Be Held In Madison
MADISON- The Alabama State Games will be held this weekend and Madison will host four of the schedule 20-plus different sports. The 36th annual statewide athletic competition will utilize Palmer Park for both baseball and rugby while Dublin Memorial Park will host both swimming and diving events.
As part of the nationwide network of state games with the National Congress of State Games (NCSG), the Alabama State Games were awarded to Huntsville for the host site in 2018 and 2019 with an option for 2020. The event showcases over 20 sports with roughly 6,000 athletes of all ages and skill levels competing.
The NCSG is a membership organization comprised of over 35 Summer State Games and 10 Winter State Games organizations, as well as, a member of the United States Olympic Committee’s Multi-Sport Organizational Council.
The event kicks off Friday with several competitions and the state-wide televised opening ceremony, which will be held at the Von Braun Center in Huntsville beginning at 7:00 p.m. The festivities are open to the public.
The action begins in Madison on Friday at 8:45 a.m. with the diving competition. On Saturday, baseball will take to the fields at Palmer Park with first pitch at 8:30 a.m. with a second day of action occurring on Sunday. Palmer Park will also host the sport of rugby starting at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. The swimming will begin at noon on Saturday at Dublin Memorial Park.
The state games programs began in the early 1980s as part of a grassroots effort to increase athlete awareness and involvement in Olympic style sports, and to foster participation in the Olympic Games. Multiple athletic facilities across Huntsville/Madison County will be used for the event with an estimated economic impact to be $1.5 million.
