By Philip Emmel | City of Schmedeman, Mitchell County

The annual Badger Boys State athletic competitions kicked off Sunday during the first recreation time.

Sign-up sheets for events like basketball, soccer and even bag toss filled up quickly within hours of being posted, and athletic directors like Drew Holloway of Mitchell County have been hard at work organizing matches between counties.

These matchups will get very competitive over the course of the week, with a large trophy and bragging rights on the line.

Basketball scrimmages between counties are beginning during recreation time today and hype around the various events has spread like wildfire. Each athlete can chose only one sport to participate in, so every citizen will get a chance to play in some event.

Weather may play a big factor in the upcoming outdoor events, as temperatures in the 60’s and low 70’s, as well as possible rain every day could affect sports like tennis, volleyball and frisbee.

Rumors have also been swirling in the City of Schmedeman about possible unofficial games of touch football against neighboring cities, and it’s probable that these will get very competitive as well.

Overall, sports will be an exciting addition to the other events of Badger Boys State for many citizens in this upcoming week.