Getting to the 28th Simplot Games took some doing for many. A snowstorm with blowing snow, low visibility and icy conditions left roads very dangerous. But the teams kept coming. The New York teams were particularly determined to get to the Simplot Games on time. They came by airplane from Newark, New Jersey. Then they traveled by bus from Salt Lake City for 14 hours. Along the way the bus broke down for a time until a couple of multi-talented coaches fixed the problem long enough to get to Pocatello. Other teams coming from surrounding areas took longer than usual to get to Pocatello. Fortunately all made it safely and on time.

The Simplot Games has seen national records and athletes that have gone on to be Olympians. This year is no exception with all time ranking performances by Bianca Knight, Wilson Long Beach CA girls, Karjuan Williams, and Spencer McCorkel.

Pocatello, home of the Simplot Games.
Pocatello is 150 miles north of Salt Lake City, Utah, 4,448 feet above sea level, nestled in the western foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Less than 15 inches of precipitation falls in a year which gives a desert look to the terrain. The name Pocatello comes from an Indian chief of the Shoshone tribe who granted the railroad a right-of-way through the Fort Hall Indian Reservation.

Through the years, Pocatello has transitioned from a stop on the 1860's gold rush to an agricultural community to the regional center for shopping, education, medical care, and cultural and social activities that it is today.

Mr. Simplot greets the athletes.
J.R. Simplot, patriarch of the Simplot company, founded the meet in 1979.
J.R. Simplot, 97, built the Simplot business from scratch. Today Simplot is an agribusiness company that says it's one of the world's largest frozen-potato processors, turning out 3 billion pounds of French fries and other potato products. It also does agricultural fertilizers and a host of other farm products. J.R. Simplot became a sponsor of the games out of a love for track and field.