Despite rain,
some cancellations and a mad scramble to rearrange the schedule, Marshal
Manlove feels the Diamond State Games are still running smoothly.
The Olympic-style event kicks off today with four events - flag
football, track and field, bowling and volleyball. Four other sports -
field hockey, paintball, disc golf, and wrestling - will start Sunday.
About 1,200 athletes from Delaware and surrounding states will compete.
In the middle of it all is Manlove, the executive director of the
Diamond State Games, who has weathered some last-minute changes.
"Everything is running smoothly, and we actually prepared for a
lighter turnout to begin with," Manlove said. "We want to make
sure what we're doing is being run right."
There have been hiccups along the way. The field hockey and paintball
events were supposed to take place today, but were moved to Sunday because
of weather conditions. Basketball, softball and soccer were cancelled
within the last week because of poor turnout. Basketball and soccer were
among the new events scheduled this year.
Manlove had sent information to the New Castle County adult soccer
leagues, and all the high schools in Delaware and surrounding states.
"We're not sure what happened with those sports," he said.
"I think people are a little slow to react when they see things for
the first time. But some people have already expressed interest in doing
this for next year. It was the same for field hockey and volleyball the
first year, and now we have a lot of participation in those sports,
especially field hockey."
The expected turnout of 1,200 athletes is smaller than the almost 2,000
athletes that participated in the first Diamond State Games in 2001.
Still, Manlove managed to attract those athletes despite not having enough
money for newspaper or radio advertisements and having to recruit athletes
through direct mail.
"The numbers are down, and who knows why?" he said. "But
it still isn't too bad. We'll have more participation from out of state
than in state.
"We also know we're competing with other things and that some
Delaware athletes like to go out of state for the summer. But all the
athletes who are staying in state are here."
And that means they, and Manlove, are pressing on.
Reach Jennifer Javier at 324-2805 or jjavier@delawareonline.com.
