DHH, Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Kick off Louisiana's 20th Annual Governor's Games
Residents encouraged to sign up for statewide events planned through July

Thursday, March 17, 2011  |  Contact: Lisa R. Faust; (225) 342-7913 or (225) 252-3579 (cell)

BATON ROUGE - For two decades, the Louisiana Governor's Games have given residents of all ages the opportunity to showcase their athleticism and improve their health by participating in fitness competitions across the state. This weekend, the Governor's Games will kick off in Baton Rouge with Tennis Night in Baton Rouge, Unity Day Karate and a Taekwondo competition.

"With 33 percent of our population classified as obese, Louisiana has the second-highest rate of obesity in the nation. I believe we all have a responsibility to introduce our children to exercise from an early age to help them avoid life-threatening conditions associated with obesity, diabetes and chronic disease," said Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Bruce D. Greenstein. "I am excited we have a program that provides Louisiana families the opportunity to do just that." 

The Governor's Games, a program sponsored by the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, is part of the council's strategy to encourage healthy behavior among Louisianians. The multi-competition program is one of the finest series of amateur sporting events in the South and one of the best State Games of its kind in the country, attracting as many as 27,150 participants. The Governor's Games challenge Louisiana residents to compete in more than 60 Olympic-style events, including basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, boxing, bowling, soccer, tennis, track and field, girls' softball, youth baseball and much more. The events will continue through July, and the results will be tracked and posted on the Louisiana Governor's Games Web site. Macklin also will give updates on these events, along with other fitness and healthy eating tips on his Twitter account, www.twitter.com/livingwellwrudy and on his blog, www.livingwellwithrudy.com.

"The Governor's Games are a great way for Louisiana families to spend quality time together while reaping the many benefits of physical fitness. They also play a critical role in combatting one of our state's most difficult challenges - obesity, a disease that increases the risk of serious health complications like coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, high blood pressure and stroke, " said Rudy Macklin, executive director of the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. 

Experienced sports commissioners will oversee each event to provide an Olympic-style atmosphere, and top finishers will be awarded customized gold, silver and bronze medals. Every athlete also will receive a free Governor's Games T-shirt. 

This weekend's events will set the stage for the remainder of the Governor's Game season, with official Opening Ceremonies scheduled for April 16. This year, the Governor's Games are also proud to be sponsoring several national events, and even an international event with a boxing tournament in Shreveport on May 20. This tournament will feature fighters from Ireland and England competing against Louisiana's own amateur boxers. Additionally, the Governor's Games will host the Level 9 and 10 gymnastics regionals at the Alario Center in Westwego. This event will take place April 15 - 17, 2011 and will feature gymnasts from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi and Louisiana. On April 7, at LSU-Shreveport, the Governor's Games will feature an international weightlifting competition with weightlifters from 10 different countries who will be sharpening their skills for the next Olympic games.

The schedule for the weekend is listed below: 

Unity Day Weekend Karate

Friday, March 18
Ages 4 - Adult
Paula G. Manship YMCA
8100 YMCA Plaza Drive, Baton Rouge
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
http://www.unitydayzone.com

Saturday, March 19
Ages 4 - Adult
Family Christian Academy Gym
9119 World Ministry Ave., Baton Rouge
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
http://www.unitydayzone.com

Taekwondo 

Tiger Rock Martial Arts International Regional Championships
Saturday, March 19 
Ages 4 - Adult
LSU Field House
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
http://www.neelystkd.com/tournaments.html

Tennis Night in Baton Rouge
Saturday, March 19
Ages 5 - 16
LSU W.T. "Dub" Robinson Tennis Stadium
3:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Contact: Charles Ayes, (225) 439-4084 or charlamangex@yahoo.com

There are no admission fees to any of the Governor's Games events. The karate and taekwondo events require registration, but Tennis Night in Baton Rouge is open to the public and does not require prior registration. Find out how you can participate in Louisiana's official State Games and view the complete schedule of events at www.lagovernorsgames.org.  

The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals strives to protect and promote health statewide and to ensure access to medical, preventive and rehabilitative services for all state citizens. To learn more about DHH, visit http://www.dhh.louisiana.gov. For up-to-date health information, news and emergency updates, follow DHH's blog, Twitter account and Facebook page.