The NYCC team performed admirably, accumulating seven team trophies, 29 individual medals and 33 team medals. NYCC won gold medals in the 5K/26M team runs, women's soccer, and swimming. Silver medals were awarded to NYCC's mountain biking team and bronze medals to its softball, women's basketball and men's soccer teams.
This was NYCC's third year of participation. Last year, the games were hosted by Parker College in Dallas. That event drew over 1,000 chiropractic college students from 13 chiropractic colleges, and NYCC garnered 48 medals.
The inaugural Chiro Games, hosted by Logan Chiropractic College in Saint Louis in 1992, featured only five events. The games now include: men's and women's soccer; softball; 5K team race; marathon; mountain biking; volleyball; swimming; ice hockey; tennis; flag football; golf; and men's and women's basketball.
Tony Petroccia, NYCC's recreation director, organized this year's event. While in Davenport during the 1998 Games, Tony mentioned to administrators of Palmer and Parker that New York's sprawling facilities would easily accommodate the Chiro Games. The administrators took him at his word and gave NYCC the nod. Planning for the games was a big job. Tony set about reserving over 450 hotel rooms along routes from Geneva to Auburn. He contracted with the New York State Public High Schools' officiating boards for officials, arranged athlete shuttle service to and from game sites, coordinating first aid and chiropractic care, lining up entertainment, regulating concessions, posting program ads, and security.
Friday morning was crisp and sunny and the playing fields were in excellent shape. Beginning in late August the facilities department had begun seeding, lining and rolling the fields. New team benches and bleachers were purchased along with an outfield fence and a variety of athletic equipment. Unfortunately, the weather took a turn for the worse late Friday night, and the rain continued uninterrupted all day Saturday. Thunder and lightning forced temporary suspensions for the marathon relay, soccer and flag football.
The games concluded with an awards ceremony on Saturday evening. Contestants and spectators filled the recreation center and enjoyed a delicious Italian buffet. NYCC President Frank Nicchi,DC welcomed the students from the 13 participating chiropractic colleges and praised Petroccia for his fine efforts. Dr. Nicchi explained how Chiro Games sets the stage for more than simply sports contests, indicating that the athletes' presence served as "an expression of collaboration, a restatement of chiropractic's higher purpose, and an exemplification of its dynamic spirit."
Though Mother Nature was not entirely cooperative, Dr. Petroccia would happily re-host the Chiro Games. "I cannot tell you how many people stopped to tell me how impressed they were with our facilities," beamed Dr. Pettrocia. "It was fun to show visitors all that we have here at NYCC, but what was even more exciting was what we learned about ourselves - drawing together to stage this wonderful event."
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