Simplot Games kicks off 40 years
Thursday kicked off the 40th anniversary of the Simplot Games in Pocatello. This year’s theme is “40 never looked so fast.”
As part of the 40th anniversary, the ribbon cutting to start the games had a little something extra. Idaho State University and Simplot Games unveiled a new high jump pit and dedicated it to Dick Fosbury. Fosbury is long-time chairman of the Simplot Games and is also an Olympic gold medalist. He is famous for inventing the revolutionary Fosbury Flop style of high jump – jumping over the bar backward with your back arched.
Both the city of Pocatello and the city of Chubbuck have declared Saturday, Feb. 17 as Dick Fosbury day.
This year’s games have more than 2,200 athletes competing from around the world. Idaho has its share of athletes in the mix with 442. There are once again competitors from Australia and Canada. There is a pole vaulter from Norway and also, for the first time ever, there are athletes from New Zealand.
Olympians alongside Fosbury this year are Andre Phillips, a 400-meter hurdles gold medalist and National Track and Field Hall of Fame member; Stacy Dragila, women’s pole vault gold medalist and National Track and Field Hall of Fame member; Butch Reynolds, 4×400 gold medalist and 400-meter silver medalist and National Track and Field Hall of Fame member; and Tyson Gunter, Paralympian and World Championship high jump silver medalist.
Dragila has some roots in Pocatello, which she says makes it all the more exciting to be participating this year.
Dragila attended ISU from 1992-1995, and ISU is where she was first introduced to pole vaulting.
“I remember being on the podium and just having flashbacks of that short time of me training and not only training, but there was a lot of people in our sport who didn’t believe that women could do that event,” Dragila said. “So there were doubters that doubted women could do it and I”m thankful there were because if there weren’t maybe there wouldn’t have been that spur for me to really keep going prove them wrong.”
She said events like the Simplot Games are great for athletes because it pits them against the best and so they have to bring their A-game, as well as it’s a way to help them build a confidence that can allow them to want to dream bigger and pursue bigger goals because they think, if they can compete there, what else can they do?
“I just encourage them, hey train hard and go after what’s in your heart and you’re going to excel at things and that’s kind of my motto is just to dream big – you never know what your niche is going to be unless you really expose yourself and try things,” Dragila said.
To see a full schedule of events and times, go here.
