By Michael Letendre
The 2021 ShopRite Nutmeg State Games will soon be off and running and this Saturday, three local favorites will be in competition.
And these three are familiar names when it comes to local figure skating in the Mum City.
Carol, Jenny, and Jilleen Surgue will all hit the ice on Saturday, competing over different events.
Carol is the veteran of the bunch, competing at the highest level between the siblings.
She will be attending the University of Hartford in September.
Carol played softball in Bristol over the years with Bristol Girls Little League Softball, as has Jenny.
Speaking of Jenny, she will be competing Saturday at one classification under Carol at the games.
Jenny’s signature skating move is a cantilever, invented by Werner Groebli.
She played golf this past spring for Central and will be entering her junior year this coming fall.
And Jilleen Sugrue will competing in the Ladies Singles Basic 6 class at the games.
The impressive fifth grader from St. Joe’s is also a Little Leaguer in her spare time, playing for the Pink Panthers in the Minors this past season.
The Figure Skating portion of competition will take place from the Newington Arena at 300 Alumni Road.
Placement for the competitors was determined by the 6.0 system.
Awards will be presented for first, second, and third place finishers in each group and the 2021 ShopRite Nutmeg State Games Figure Skating Championship is a qualifying competition for the 2022 National State Games of America Championships (SGA).
In fact, all Medal Winners qualify for the 2022 State Games of America.
And all three of Bristol’s outstanding skaters expect to have a big Saturday in Newington.
Skating is just one of the many individual sports that will be taking place at the games in 2021.
Other individual sports include Archery, BMX, Cycling, Fencing, Golf, Gymnastics, Judo, Pickleball, Shooting, Youth Swimming, Track & Field, Wrestling and – of course – Figure Skating.
Team events at the Nutmeg State Games this year will be Baseball, Basketball, Fast Pitch Softball, Field Hockey, Football, Ice Hockey, Boys & Girls Lacrosse, Roller Hockey, Soccer, and Weight Lifting.
“The Nutmeg State Games is the largest amateur multi-sport sporting event in Connecticut,” according to their website. “Now celebrating its 31st Anniversary of uniting Connecticut’s residents in the common bond of amateur sport and Olympic spirit. This year, 7,500+ athletes ages 6 to 18 will compete in twenty-two different sport offerings. The “Games” represent an outstanding opportunity for local and national businesses to help support ‘Good Kids Making Good Choices!’ We welcome your participation as a sponsor and partner to help perpetuate this most unique statewide event.”
This year’s competition will take place from all over Connecticut including the towns of New Britain, Meriden, Newington, Rocky Hill, Wallingford, Berlin, Middletown, New Haven, and Danbury.
And the Nutmeg State Games has a simple mission:
*To recognize and reward Connecticut residents, of all ages, who have chosen to participate in healthy, wholesome activities that reflect positively on them, their families and respective communities.
*To promote and reinforce the Olympic spirit of Competition that values sportsmanship, effort and achievement.
*To motivate personal development in physical fitness and health through attainable goals.
*To provide a forum that initiates and encourages camaraderie between different ages, socioeconomic and cultural groups through athletic competition and fair play.
