The 2024 Keystone Games Festival of Sports, themed “Sports for Everyone,” is a large-scale, multi-sport event held annually in Pennsylvania, attracting athletes of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels. Designed to promote physical fitness, sportsmanship, and healthy living, the festival features a broad range of sports and activities, from competitive events to recreational opportunities. Athletes from across Pennsylvania and surrounding areas are invited to participate.

Sports at Keystone Games Festival

The festival offers a diverse array of sports, including popular competitions such as basketball, swimming, track and field, and wrestling, alongside niche activities like pickleball, archery, and martial arts. It also features adaptive sports, ensuring inclusive opportunities for athletes with disabilities. This commitment to inclusivity underscores the event’s central theme of “Sports for Everyone,” encouraging participation regardless of experience or ability.

In addition to the competitions, the Keystone Games also offer family-friendly activities, including vendor expos, live entertainment, and health and wellness resources, making it a community-centered event for both participants and spectators.

Application process

The application process for the 2024 Keystone Games is open to athletes of all skill levels, with registration available online. Athletes can register for individual or team sports depending on the competition and their area of interest. Most sports offer categories based on age groups or skill levels, ensuring a fair and enjoyable experience for everyone. Specific registration deadlines and qualifications vary by sport, and participants are encouraged to check the event’s official website for detailed information regarding entry requirements, fees, and event schedules.

With its wide range of sports and inclusive participation opportunities, the Keystone Games Festival of Sports continues to be a key platform for athletes to compete, prepare for higher-level competitions, and celebrate a shared love of sports and fitness.

The Keystone State Games is modelled after the Olympic Games, and are Pennsylvania’s largest annually held multi-sport competitions. They provide the state’s amateur athletes with the opportunity to compete against athletes in a festival atmosphere that promotes all that is positive in amateur sports. The primary focus is for all athletes, their families, and all volunteers to have a memorable sporting event experience.

History of the Keystone State Games

The Keystone State Games was created as a result of a resolution by Joseph R. Pitts who was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in 1972, representing Kennett Square and surrounding areas of Chester County. This was approved by the Pennsylvania General Assembly in 1980. Keystone State Games Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, was formed in 1983 with the help of former Governor Richard Thornburgh to ensure the Games would not be solely dependent on government funding.

Mission

The mission of the Keystone State Games is to promote physical fitness, sports activity and sportsmanship as a health improvement and disease prevention strategy for all citizens of Pennsylvania as well as to create an expanded, coordinated and citizen-sponsored programme of physical fitness and amateur athletic competition.

The event is open to athletes of all ages and skill levels with multiple sports such as archery, basketball, soccer, swimming, and others, as well as non-traditional activities like cornhole and pickleball.

But Keystone State Games Festival of Sports is not just a competition; it is also a celebration of the sports culture, where communities from across the state come together to compete, inspire and unite. The festival has a mission of promoting healthy living through physical activities and developing athletic skills in amateur athletes.

Purpose of the Keystone State Games

Provide a comprehensive, coordinated and citizen-supported programme of sports and fitness competitions to promote physical fitness in which all citizens of Pennsylvania can participate for the purposes of personal growth and development, and the enhancement of physical and mental health.

Provide a mechanism and medium through which Pennsylvania’s sport bodies can encourage physical fitness and sports involvement for everyone.

Encourage government, schools, businesses, industry, foundations, and individuals to support expansion of physical fitness and sports participation as a disease prevention strategy in an effort for personal wellness.

Provide a state-wide, multi-sport program with an Olympic format, to encourage and assist in preparing Pennsylvania’s athletes to enter national and international competitions.

Sports at the Keystone State Games 2017

Archery, Basketball, Badminton, Baseball, Bocce, Bowling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Basketball Shooting, Bowling, Cornhole, Darts, Disc Golf, Field Hockey, Fencing, Football/Softball Throw, Golf, Gymnastics, Horseshoes, Ice Hockey, Judo, Karate, Lacrosse, Master Swimming, Pickleball, Power Lifting, Raquetball, Rugby, Shuffleboard, Softball, Swimming, Synchronized Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Track and Field, Fitness Challenge, Wrestling and Wrestling duals.

AWARDS

As with the Olympics, gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in each event at the Keystone State Games accompanied by some cash awards by the exclusive gambling partner of the event.

Keystone State Games eligibility

Athletes

Amateur athletes in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, New York, West Virginia, Ohio and Washington D.C. are eligible to compete in the annual Keystone State Games Festival of Sports except for the sports of Baseball, Field Hockey and Ice Hockey.

Baseball, field hockey and ice hockey

An athlete must meet ONE of the following criteria:

• A full-time Pennsylvania resident within the region for 30 days prior to first day of try-outs.
• A full-time Pennsylvania student at a recognized academic institution in the region.

Age and skill level requirements

All athletes must meet the age and skill level requirement for their sport. Every sport has their own defined age and skill levels. Athletes must register at their current level and age group as defined by each sport. Age determining dates are available for each individual sport.

Admission to the Keystone State Games 2017

Door Admission (Adult & Student) USD10.00
Two Day Pass (Adult & Student) USD15.00. Allowing entry into any and all sports that charge Daily Admission. Can be used any two days during the week of the Games.
The ALL Event Pass (Adult & Student) USD20.00. Allowing entry into any and all events that charges admission throughout the entire week of the Games including the EXPO.
Children 5 years of age and younger are admitted free to all events.

The Following Sports charge admission:

• Baseball (Medal Games)
• Basketball
• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• Dodgeball
• Fencing
• Field Hockey
• Fitness Challenge
• Football Combine / 7V7 Challenge (stadium seating admission)
• Ice Hockey
• Judo
• Karate
• Power-lifting
• Strong Man
• Swimming
• Taekwondo
• Track & Field
• Weightlifting
• Wrestling Duals, Wrestling, and Wrist Wrestling.

Medical services – WellSpan Sports Medicine

Keystone State Games medical services will be provided in the form of first aid administered on site by WellSpan Sports Medicine medical personnel at designated areas. If an athlete requires further review or treatment, the athlete will be directed to WellSpan Urgent Orthopaedics (for sports injuries) or transported to a local hospital. Final disposition of an athlete’s continued participation remains with the Keystone State Games medical liaison on site.

Souvenir athlete T-shirts and clothing

This year’s souvenir T-shirts and clothing will be available for sale prior to the finals through the Keystone State Games online store. Souvenirs may be available at a variety of different sites during the competition.

2017 Keystone State Games Board of Directors

• John W. Wetterau, President
• Mr. Joe Swartz, Vice President
• Mr. Garry S. Taroli, Treasurer
• Ms. Kathleen Santora
• Mr. R. Carter LeBrocq
• Mr. Marty Trimmer
• Ms. Clarisse Sulyok
• Mr. Steve Bohn
• Mr. Ronald G. Lench
• Mrs. Joanne Horn

Keystone State Games Headquarters

The Keystone State Games York Headquarters is located at Wyndham Garden York, 2000 Loucks Road, York, PA 17404