VIDEO: Watch the Alabama State Games opening ceremony

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WSFA) - WSFA 12 News broadcasted the 40th anniversary Alabama State Games opening ceremony Friday evening. The entire event can be seen above.

During the opening ceremony, Alabama athletes of all ages performed in the Parade of Athletes, with one region having more than 1,000 participants. The event also featured a performance by Troy University Rock Band POPulus and the lighting of the Olympic Flame to declare the games open.

Organizers of the games state that athletes are the heart and soul of the Alabama State Games and have been since the nonprofit games’ inception in 1982 at the request of the United State Olympic Committee.

The games are for competitors of all ages and abilities from the state of Alabama and her neighboring border states. This year, 6,000 athletes of all ages and abilities are ready to show up and show out in various venues in Birmingham and throughout Jefferson County starting on Saturday.

Sports of note:

• Miracle League (Hoover Sports Park East) always brings a smile to faces. It’s baseball played in a way that’s unique and exciting.
• Equestrian (Windwood Equestrian / Pelham) is a first-year event that has more than 100 competitors.
• Track & Field (UAB Track & Field Complex) is our largest sport of the 40th Anniversary Alabama State Games featuring a field of more than 500 competitors of all ages.
• The Jackson Aultman Atomic Ninja Challenge (Ninja Obstacle Academy / Huntsville / Sunday) is an event named after one of the pioneers of the sport within the Alabama State Games history. Jackson Aultman was a vital and vibrant member of the Ninja Challenge/Warrior community who lost his life tragically at the end of 2022. In his honor, we’ve renamed the event.
• Beach Volleyball (Pelham Rec Beach Courts) a growing sport in Alabama and a growing sport in the Alabama State Games
• Wrestling (Hoover High School) is a staple of the Alabama State Games and this year’s tournament features more than 200 wrestlers of all ages and a dedicated women’s wrestling tournament.

The games are Olympic-styled and designed for multiple memory-making moments. Registration for the games ended on April 15.

“There are thousands of young people in households throughout the state who have not had the opportunity to experience the excitement, the challenges, to learn the values that competitive sports can instill in a person. Our potential, like the athletes that compete, is limited only by our imagination,” said Ron Creel, founder of the ASF Foundation and the Alabama State Games. “The Alabama State Games, even with its tremendous growth and positive influence on amateur sports, we have only begun to realize our full potential and impact. It is becoming clear that the future of the Alabama State Games is more far-reaching than any one of us could dare to dream.”

By registering for the 40th Alabama State Games and participating in the June 9th Opening Ceremony, athletes can win one of 17 scholarships ranging from $500 to $4000. Thus far, the $335,610 in academic scholarships have been awarded to Alabama State Games participants.

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