State championships

A number of high school volleyball players, coaches and family members are arriving in Cape Girardeau today in preparation for this weekend's Missouri High School Athletic Association Volleyball Championships being held at the Show Me Center.

Starting at 9 a.m. Friday, teams will begin pool play semifinal matches to determine Saturday's bracket. The 24 matches to be played on Friday will take place on two competition courts. Saturday's championship and third-place matches will be played on one court.

This year is the first of four years that Cape Girardeau will host to the MSHSAA Volleyball Championships. At other locations, the tournament has drawn crowds of over 6,000.

Cape Girardeau Mayor Harry Rediger cited in his October column that appeared in the Southeast Missourian an estimate from the Convention and Visitors Bureau that said amateur sporting events generate about $110 per person per day.

In August, Cape Girardeau hosted the Missouri Special Olympics State Outdoor Championships. Next spring the state golf championships for several classes are scheduled to take place at Dalhousie Golf Club. Additionally, numerous youth league activities take place locally that bring many visitors to town throughout the year.

When you consider the positive economic impact sporting events have on our community, it's encouraging to see that many around the state are finding out what a great place Cape Girardeau is to host an event.

Welcome to all those visiting this weekend. We hope in addition to having a good tournament that you enjoy your time in Cape Girardeau.