Author: Garrett Calvert

Missouri State High School Activities Association 

1 N. Keene Street, Columbia, MO 65201-6645 ◆ P.O. Box 1328, Columbia, MO 65205-1328 Phone (573) 875-4880 ◆ Fax (573) 875-1450 ◆ www.mshsaa.org ◆ email@mshsaa.org 

Dr. Kerwin Urhahn, Executive Director Stacy Schroeder, Associate Executive Director Davine Davis, Assistant Executive Director Kevin Garner, Assistant Executive Director Craig Long, Chief Financial Officer Don Maurer, Assistant Executive Director Lou Mazzocco, Assistant Executive Director Kenny Seifert, Assistant Executive Director Greg Stahl, Assistant Executive Director Jason West, Communications Director 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jason West Date: September 4, 2019 Phone: (573) 875-4880 

MSHSAA Baseball Championship to U.S. BallPark 

COLUMBIA, Mo. – U.S. Ballpark in Ozark, Mo. will host the 2020 Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Baseball Championships. The park was awarded the championships for the 2021-25 seasons earlier this year. 

For the past seven seasons, the River City Rascals have hosted the championships at CarShield Field in O’Fallon. The Rascals recently completed their final season and were not able to complete the final year of their hosting agreement. 

“We are very grateful to the Rascals for their assistance in putting on our championships,” said Dr. Kerwin Urhahn, MSHSAA Executive Director. “At the same time, we are excited to showcase our championships in a venue like U.S. Ballpark. We are confident that Mark and his staff will help continue to make the MSHSAA Championships a top-notch event.” 

The MSHSAA Championships return to southwest Missouri, as Springfield’s Meador Park hosted several championships including from 1968-71, 1973, 1975 and 2007-12. This year’s championships will be June 1-6, 2020. 

“Bringing the MSHSAA State Baseball Championships back to our region will no doubt be well received,” said Mark Stratton, U.S. Baseball Park general manager. “We are very pleased and appreciative of the support of the U.S. Baseball Park management team and their commitment to bring this prestigious event to southwest Missouri.” 

U.S. Baseball Park, a 501(c) 3 entity, is a 4,000 plus-seat stadium in Ozark. U.S. Baseball Park features a turf playing surface and also features a state-of-the-art video board. U.S. Baseball Park is also home to Drury University Baseball, Show-Me Collegiate League, Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament, and Heart of America Conference Tournament. U.S. Baseball Park hosts over 200 events annually. 

– MSHSAA – 

“The MSHSAA promotes the value of participation, sportsmanship, team play and personal excellence to develop citizens who make positive contributions to their community and support the democratic principles of our state and nation.” 

Date: October 7, 2016

Contacts:

• John Markey, Lake Country Soccer Executive Director/Tournament Director, 417-862-3211, johnm@lakecountrysoccer.org

Soccer Bringing More than 3,000 People to Springfield Oct. 15-16

Springfield, Missouri – About 3,400 people are expected to be in Springfield for the 2016 Sport Shake Lake Country Soccer Fall Classic Oct. 15-16.

That’s 158 teams from a six-state area and their family members who will be filling up many of the city’s hotels, restaurants, attractions and retailers. They’re coming from Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, said tournament administrator Bobbi Box.

“This is the first time we have had a team travel as far as from Omaha!” Box said.

The tournament also is the first Lake Country Soccer event sponsored by Sport Shake, chocolate and vanilla milkshakes filled with nutritional benefits that enhance an athlete’s recovery following practice or competition.  

John Markey, Lake Country Soccer executive director, said the sponsorship is a good partnership for both organizations.

“At Lake Country, we are excited about this partnership and feel it is a natural fit due to Sport Shake’s support of soccer and the value Sport Shake brings to the athletes as a great tasting recovery drink,” Markey said.

The competitions will take place from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 15 and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 16 at Lake Country Soccer, 2334 E. Pythian St. Admission is free for spectators.

Lake Country Soccer was founded in 1983 and is a 55+ acre facility with 20 outdoor fields (seven of which are lighted) and an indoor facility (two fields) serving close to 2,800 registered youth players and nearly 120,000 facility visits annually by players, coaches and fans.

Lake Country Soccer is a dynamic sport specific driven organization serving all of Southwest Missouri and hosts programs, activities, events, leagues and tournaments from ages 3 through adult.

The Lake Country Soccer family consists of supporters who have been involved with the organization since its inception. Lake Country Soccer is a positive influence on the local economy and an established friend in the community.

Lake Country Soccer hosts leagues and tournaments for youth and adults, indoors and outdoors virtually year round.

For more information, call 417-862-3211 or visit http://lakecountrysoccer.org/tournaments-1/fall-classic.

This is one of many amateur sports events brought to Springfield with assistance from the Springfield Sports Commission and the Convention & Visitors Bureau, nonprofit organizations dedicated to boosting the local economy through growth in travel and tourism. Learn more at new.springfieldmosports.org/ or www.SpringfieldMO.org or by calling 417-881-5300.

Date: March 6, 2018

Contact: Susan Wade, 417-881-5300, ext. 101; 800-678-8767, ext.101; 417-830-0645 (cell); swade@springfieldmo.org 

Youth Events Draw Thousands to City

Springfield, Missouri – Heads up, Springfield! Thousands of visitors are coming to the city in March and April and two of the largest events are this week.

The Missouri State High School Activities Association Boys and Girls Basketball Championships runs March 7-17 and the National Christian HomeSchool Basketball Championships is March 10-17.

MSHSAA games are expected to be attended by about 40,000 people and 6,500 room nights are booked at hotels. The HomeSchool games will be attended by about 10,000 and more than 7,000 room nights are booked.

The basketball tournaments will be followed in April by other large events including:

April 7-10 – Missouri Future Business Leaders of America – Phi Beta Lambda Leadership Conference with 5,500 attendees and 2,574 room nights.
April 11-13 – Assemblies of God Children’s Ministry Conference with 2,000 attendees and 1,730 room nights.
April 20-22 – Lake Country Soccer Ozarks Coca-Cola Dr Pepper Cup with 5,000 attendees and 2,400 room nights.
April 27-29 – Missouri Youth Soccer Association Spring Presidents Cup with 2,700 attendees and 2,000 room nights.
“That’s obviously good news for the city’s hotels and also for restaurants, attractions and retailers as well as for tax revenue,” said Tracy Kimberlin, president/CEO of the CVB. “The CVB and Sports Commission work hard to bring group events to the city because they help improve the local economy. Our work is paying off this spring.”

Kimberlin also credits the community with helping book the events in Springfield, including businesses and individuals providing financial backing, facilities, volunteers, etc.

These events and many others are booked year round by the CVB and Sports Commission, nonprofit organizations working together to boost the local economy through growth in travel and tourism.

Learn more at www.SpringfieldMo.org or new.springfieldmosports.org/ or call 417-881-5300. To view a list of other groups coming to Springfield in March and April, go to http://issuesandinfo.com/2018/02/cvb-gearing-up-for-group-business-season/.