NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FROM: Nebraska Sports Council—Contact Dave Mlnarik 402-471-2544

RE: Opening Ceremonies/SportFest set for June 25

Lincoln—The Opening Ceremonies for the 26th annual Cornhusker State Games, featuring a freestyle motocross demonstration, skydivers, fireworks and the revelation of the identity of the mystery torchlighter, is set for 8 p.m. Friday, June 25 at Seacrest Field, 7600 A Street, in Lincoln.

Registered participants are admitted to the Ceremonies free via the All-Star Pass, but anyone can purchase tickets at the gate or in advance by calling 402-471-2544.  Admission, which also covers SportFest, is $7 for adults 19 and over, $3 for students 6-18 and free for kids five and under.  The show is sponsored by Lincoln Benefit Life, the Downtown Optimist Club, Lincoln Orthopaedic Center and SignCo.

More than 10,000 athletes are currently registered, and competition began Saturday in 19 sports, with four more slated to begin Sunday.  Four sports were completed earlier.  With on-site entry allowed in several sports, officials expect the final count to top 11,000.

Olympic Bobsledding Champion Curtis Tomasevicz, Nebraska Gymnastics Coaching Legend Francis Allen and Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler are among those participating in the Opening Ceremonies.  Tomasevicz will lead the oath of athletes, Allen is the honorary marshal of the parade of athletes and Beutler, along with wife Judy, will make the opening declaration.

Motorcycle daredevils Hal Strauss, Ben Veyna and Jack Rowe are the featured entertainers, providing an aerial freestyle motocross exhibition with ramps 30 yards apart, and the Lincoln Sport Parachute Club will send down four skydivers, including 25-year Opening Ceremonies veterans Mike Blackshear and Larry Bartlett, who traditionally flies the American Flag during his descent.

The Nebraska National Guard will again have a heavy presence at the ceremonies with a chopper landing, honor guard, flag-carriers and cannon blast.  The Army Guard and Air Guard also sponsored the Torch Run, which officially ends at the ceremonies when the mystery torchlighter touches off the Games caldron.

The National Anthem, sung by 12 year-old Lincoln recording artist Justice Shea, will be preceded by a moment of silence in honor of Games co-founder Dr. Richard Hammer who passed away in January.

Awards will be presented to six Nebraska high schools as part of the first-ever Cornhusker State Games School Spirit Award Program sponsored by the Nebraska State College System.  The top school in each of three divisions will receive $750, runners-up will each earn $500.

One lucky Cornhusker State Games participant will drive home from the ceremonies in a brand new Mazda5 mini-van, courtesy of Anderson Auto Group.  A free one-year lease on the van is this year’s grand drawing prize.  Nine year-old Brandon Warnke will be on hand to receive the consolation drawing prize, a diamond/gold pendant from Borsheim’s valued at $1,800.

Guests of the ceremonies will also be treated to an ultimate frisbee exhibition and a mascot race.  Ultimate frisbee is a new sport in the Cornhusker State Games.  A dozen mascots, including Sporty the Torch, Runza Rex, I.C. Starz from the Lincoln Stars USHL hockey team, and the Nesquik bunny, will compete in the comedy-charged mascot race.

The finale of the show is a fireworks display, produced by Aerial FX and sponsored by Runza Restaurants.  KOLN-KGIN Television’s Ken Siemek, Serese Cole, John Fortney and Dan Hedman will serve as field hosts, with Chris Lofgreen, voice of the Lincoln Saltdogs, handling public address announcements.

Athletes and guests arriving early can enjoy dinner and entertainment at SportFest in the park adjacent to Seacrest Field on the campus of Lincoln East High School.  SportFest runs 5 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. and features the Spitfire Fiddle Band, a mini-concert by Justice Shea, the En Pointe Dance Academy and a good sportsmanship presentation by Tomasevicz on the main stage.

Five winners of $1,000 scholarships, underwritten by the Gallup Organization, will also be honored on the main stage at SportFest.  2010 winners include tennis player Alexandria Tran from Omaha, pistol-shooter Courtney Anthony from Lexington, pole vaulter Lauren Welch from Papillion, chess player/golfer Austin Wegener from York and cyclist Scout Richters from Lincoln.

SportFest also includes inflatable games, an archery demo from the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission and interactive displays and giveaways from more than a dozen vendors.  Guests who visit all vendor booths will be eligible for a drawing for free Arby’s for a year.

The SportFest meal includes Arby’s sandwiches, Frito Lay chips, drinks from Pepsi-Cola and Planet Earth water as well as ice cream treats from Roberts Dairy.

Admission to SportFest, which is sponsored by Arby’s, The Sowers Club of Lincoln, Great Western Bank and the State Troopers Association of Nebraska, is free for CSG participants via the All-Star Pass and included in Opening Ceremonies admission for non-participants.

More information about SportFest, the Opening Ceremonies and the Cornhusker State Games can be found at CornhuskerStateGames.com or by calling 402-471-2544.

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