The Best of Sports

Athletes converge in 417-land for the Missouri Winter Games. Here’s what spectators can see if they snag a seat.

By Harrison Keegan

Sometimes it seems like sports can be all about winning at any cost. For Jeff Collins, there’s a lot more to it.

Collins believes that competing in sports at a high level not only provides entertainment, but can also encourage positive characteristics in those competing. There’s nothing wrong with giving your all and coming up short. That was Collins’ inspiration for founding the Missouri Winter Games.

Now in its seventh year, the Missouri Winter Games is one of the premier athletic competitions in 417-land. The late winter event draws in competitors from all over the Midwest to compete in Springfield-area venues.

During the last weekend in February and the first two weekends of March, athletes as young as 6 and as old as 70 compete in all kinds of sports, including swimming, wrestling, racquetball, table tennis, bowling, running and trap shooting. And the premier event this year is gymnastics. Collins anticipates 1,300 athletes to participate in the gymnastics competition at the Springfield Expo Center. Gymnastics is hugely popular during the Olympics, but high-level gymnastics is difficult to access otherwise. The enormous field this year is exciting for gymnastics fans, but all of the events are very spectator-friendly. Prices of admission vary by location.

At the end of each competition, the top three competitors get medals. But all competitors get a lot more than that—Collins says he hopes it inspires the best qualities of sportsmanship: Honor, integrity, respect and perseverance.

There are too many events to list right here. For full event schedules and locations, visit mowintergames.org. To volunteer at the Missouri Winter Games, call Jeff Collins at 417-241-6153.