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BILLINGS - The Big Sky State Games 2010 Athletes of the Year are Iona Stookey of Huntley and Steve Mysse of Billings. Youth Athlete of the Year, new this year, is Zach Holmes of Billings. The Big Sky State Games Team of the Year is "Sure Shank Reception" who participated in the Co-Ed Volleyball competition. The awards are designed to recognize individuals and a team who best personify the ideals of the State Games movement: participation, sportsmanship, effort, and positive attitude.
Iona Stookey of Huntley has been involved in the State Games as a player, coach, and a past Commissioner since the inception of the Games in 1986. She has over the years won 8 Gold, 10 Silver, and 2 Bronze while competing in volleyball women's sixes, women's grass doubles volleyball, coed sixes volleyball, and badminton state. Stookey also dedicated five years to the Games as the Volleyball commissioner.

Stookey's best memory of the Games was carrying the volleyball banner in the Opening Ceremonies Parade of Athletes with her teammates at the 1986 inaugural Big Sky State Games. Her team had Gold medals around their necks from winning the women's open volleyball competition earlier in the day. Stookey played volleyball at Eastern Montana College for four years. She was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006, and participated in the State Games throughout college winning Gold medals in the Women's Division. Stookey has not stopped competing. As the oldest women's grass doubles player in 2009 and 2010, she earned Silver medals each year. What makes the recent medals even more special is that her teammate was her daughter Lindsey, who played for her in high school.

Stookey passes on her passion for Volleyball and the State Games through coaching. For the last 20 years she has coached junior high and high school at Huntley Project High School and every year brings an 7th and 8th grade, 9th and 10th grade and 11th and 12th grade team to the Games. This year two of her teams were Gold medalists and one team earned the Silver. Throughout the years her teams have won 6 Gold, 2 Silver, and 4 Bronze. This is not a surprise since last Fall Huntley Project won its fifth State B Volleyball Championship in the last seven years. What makes this more amazing is the team lost its school in 2008 due to a fire and has had to play all their home games at surrounding schools gyms for the last two years. Stookey not only lost the gym for practicing and playing but she lost the majority of her personal Big Sky State Games medals that were in her office when the school burned down. Even without a gym, Stookey reached a milestone last year with 500 career wins and was selected as the Montana Coaches Association Class B Volleyball Coach of the Year for the 5th time.Stookey looks forward to the State Games every year and she loves the atmosphere the State Games brings to the community. She enjoys participating and having her athletes participate.

Steve Mysee of Billings first got hooked on the spirit of the Games 15 years ago when he and his friends played soccer. He moved on to mountain biking, road biking, triathlon and this year for the first time added the 5K. Since 2003, Mysee has accumulated 5 Gold, 7 Silver and one Bronze medal. From Mysee's athletic achievements, one would never guess that his life has been plagued by polio. He was one of the last groups of people in the United States infected with the polio virus. He wore corrective shoes in an effort to remedy the effect that polio had on his feet. When Mysee was 15, he had foot surgery, but the repairs were only marginally successful. That did not stop him. He raced motorcycles in high school and later moved to soccer, cycling, triathlon and running.

Mysee doesn't just compete. He knows that it only takes a little encouragement to get beginners hooked on sports. He has been known to bike with the "newbies" to teach them how to more efficiently and confidently handle the bike. He kayaks in Lake Elmo to help swimmers train for the State Games triathlon, volunteers to set up for events and even puts on the Cow Pie Classic mountain bike race each year.
In the 2010 Big Sky State Games, Mysee ran the 5K Friday evening, cycled the 40 mile Road Race Saturday morning earning an age group Gold and won a second Gold in the Cycling Time Trial Sat. Evening. Sunday he earned a Silver medal in the Triathlon.
Zach Holmes is the Youth Athlete of the Year. Holmes has participated in the Big Sky State Games Archery for five years earning 9 Gold Medals. This year the competition was more challenging since he was still on the mend with a cracked pelvis and concussion from a car accident on June 10th. Before Holmes was able to stand, he prepared for the Games by shooting his bow sitting in a lawn chair. Archery requires concentration and accuracy, but for Holmes it now required endurance. Moving from target to target on crutches was a challenge but he didn't let his unfortunate state stop him from competing.

The Big Sky State Games Archery competition held at the Billings Rod and Gun Club is a challenge even for able bodied participants. Between targets Holmes' father, Mark, carried his bow in order to let Zach maneuver his crutches. Despite his temporary disability he managed to keep up with the group.

While shooting Holmes was calm and relaxed. No trace of injury is apparent while he pulls back the bow and concentrates on the target. Mark Holmes says his son wins because he has drive, is laid back, cool under pressure, and easy going. He is relaxed but serious at the same time. Holmes began competing when he was 12 and caught the archery bug from his father. Holmes demonstrates heart and dedication to the sport that he loves.

Sure Shank Reception started out as two separate teams and in 2005 joined forces to create one competitive team for the Big Sky State Games. The team consists of Jim Schmid, Keith Keller, Deb Keller, Kelsey McCall, Tod Torbert, Mindy Bouchard, Shawn Ashcraft, and Chantelle Steiner all of Billings. Sure Shank Reception has earned four Big Sky State Games Silver Medals and brings over 150 years of volleyball experience to the Games. The team captain, Jim Schmid states, "The nucleus of the team at one time or another have all coached for Senior High Volleyball." Schmid, as well as Keith and Deb Keller still volunteer as assistant coaches at Billings Senior High School and have volunteered for the State Games for over ten years along with Shawn Ashcraft.

Sure Shank Reception has been competing together for about six years. Many of the team members play in the YMCA league which ends in March. The State Games allows them to continue the fun and extend their season. Husband and wife team Keith and Deb Keller and Jim Schmid have participated in the State Games every year except a few. Teammate Todd Torbert has participated in many State Games also. Two years ago they picked up their newest team member, Chantell Steiner. She has played volleyball for over 20 years; and during her college years played at Ricks College and Idaho State. Two other key team members, Kelsey McCall and Mindi Bouchard, played competitively for Rocky Mountain College.

This team's competitive attitude has given them the edge to win a Silver medal every year since 2007. Their dedication, hard work, and love for the sport has brought Sure Shank Reception to the top of competition. Sure Shank Reception personifies the Games in their athletic and community contributions.

Stookey and Mysse will be nominated for the National Congress of State Games (NCSG) Athlete of the Year Award and Zach Holmes will be nominated for the Youth Athlete of the Year. The national winners will be selected from a field of over 500,000 athletes of all ages and abilities who participate in one of the forty recognized State Games programs in the United States. No team award is offered at the national level. The national individual winners will be announced at the NCSG Symposium Friday, September 24 in San Diego, CA.

The Big Sky State Games is a multi-sport Olympic-style festival for Montana residents (and bordering States without State Games) of all ages and abilities. The 25th Anniversary event included 37 sports. Finals were held July 16, 17 and 18 in Billings. The 2011 Big Sky State Games Finals will be held July 15, 16 and 17 in Billings. Major sponsors of the Big Sky State Games are First Interstate Bank, Kampgrounds of America and Bresnan Communications. Wendy's sponsors Opening Ceremonies.