RMSG to Celebrate Anniversaries of Basketball, City of Woodland Park | Sports Destination Management

RMSG to Celebrate Anniversaries of Basketball, City of Woodland Park

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Jul 01, 2016

The 2016 Rocky Mountain State Games will present a special celebration on the 4th of July of the combined 125th anniversaries of the City of Woodland Park and the invention of the sport of Basketball.

In less than 30 days, Woodland Park will get an early start on the 15th edition of the Rocky Mountain State Games with the 4th of July 3 on 3 Basketball Classic adjacent to the Ute Pass Cultural Center from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. on Midland Avenue. The basketball tournament is part of the annual Old Fashion 4th of July Celebration hosted by the City of Woodland Park.  There will be live music, a kids zone, beer garden, food vendors, and lots of fun activities for everyone.

The Rocky Mountain State Games 3 on 3 hoops tournament will offer competition for adult men and women.  The top team in each division will qualify to compete in the USA Basketball 3x3 National Tournament at the U.S. Olympic Training Center Friday, August 26 - Sunday, August 28.

The RMSG, the state's largest sports festival, will take place mainly on two weekends, July 22-24 and 29-31, in Colorado Springs and will offer 39 sports for athletes of all ages and skill levels, including those with physical disabilities or visual impairment.

Registration for athletes is available here along with complete information on each sport, schedules and much more.

Last year's edition of the Rocky Mountain State Games attracted 10,133 athletes, the second highest total in the history of the Games, growing from the inaugural Games in 2002 that hosted 2,016 athletes. 

The game of basketball, as we know it today, was created by Dr. James Naismith in December 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, to condition young athletes during cold months. It consisted of peach baskets and a soccer ball. The objective of the game was to throw the ball into the fruit baskets nailed to the lower railing of a gym balcony. Every time a point was scored, the game was halted so the janitor could bring out a ladder and retrieve the ball. After a while, the bottoms of the fruit baskets were removed.

"The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to promote and preserve the game we love," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Hall of Fame in Springfield. "The game has reached far more people than Dr. Naismith could have ever imagined and we look forward to commemorating his legacy and the great game of basketball during this momentous anniversary."

Among other events, the Rocky Mountain State Games 3 on 3 hoops tournament will offer the competition as part of Woodland Park's 125th anniversary.  July 2nd will be an old fashion baseball game, with 1900's pricing.  July 4th will be the Old Fashion 4th of July celebration, and 3 on 3 basketball competition, July 5th presents the Symphony Above the Clouds, with a special salute to the anniversary.

The Colorado Springfield College alumni group will be hosting a social gathering in Woodland Park on July 4th.  Representatives from Springfield College will be receiving a special award from USA Basketball, immediately following the National Anthem (at approximately noon).  Representatives from the City of Woodland Park will also participate in the awards ceremony.

This will be the 37th consecutive year that the 3 on 3 basketball tournament has been a part of the Woodland Park Old Fashion 4th of July, but it is the first year that it is part of the Rocky Mountain State Games and a USA Basketball 3 on 3 National Qualifier.  

RMSG 3 on 3 Basketball Participation Information

Competition Date:

Monday, July 4

Information: 

RockyMountainStateGames.org

Online Registration Deadline (June 30):

Fee: $40 per team 

Day of Registration On-Site (July 4):

Fee: $40 per team**

**Registration will be limited to 16 teams.

**Once registered, in order to be eligible for the USA Basketball 3x3 National Tournament in August, 2016, participants are required to complete a FIBA 3x3 player profile prior to the tournament. 

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