State Games 2024 Athletes of Year Honored at State Capitol
At the Capitol, from left: State Senator Tyler McCaughn (Dist. 31), Rowdy Brisco, Jaycie Collins, Scott Gray, State Representative Billy Adam Calvert (Dist. 83) andState Senator Jeff Tate (Dist. 33).
Jackson, MS — The State Games of Mississippi 2024 Ochsner Rush Athletes of the Year were recognized by the Mississippi State legislature and met Gov. Tate Reeves during a visit to the Capitol in March.
The 2024 Games featured more than 5,200 athletes competing in more than 40 events across 18 counties, and these three athletes personified the ideals of the State Games in participation, sportsmanship, special achievements and positive attitudes.
The three athletes, who each competed in the 2024 games, were unique contributors to their individual sports, thus were named Ochsner Rush Health Athletes of the Year. Rowdy Briscoe of Choctaw (Youth Athlete), Jacelyn “Jaycie” Collins (Female Athlete) and Lewis “Scott” Gray Jr. (Male Athlete) met Gov. Reeves and will have the additional honor of carrying the torches in the 2024 Opening Ceremony to light the State Games cauldron.
“It is a great honor to be recognized by our statewide lawmakers and Gov. Reeves,” said Missye Dozier, Executive Director of the Games. “State Games holds sporting events throughout the state, creating multiple opportunities for amateur athletes and contributing to the economies of each city in which they are held.”
The athletes were celebrated by the Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate through House Concurrent Resolution No. 41.
Rowdy Briscoe — 2024 Youth Athlete of the Year
Thirteen-year-old Rowdy Briscoe of Choctaw has always loved Stickball. “I got my own stickball sticks at two-years-old,” he said. “I learned to play from my dad, uncles, friends and watching the games at the Choctaw Indian Fair. It is part of our tradition from our Tribe (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians) and we are the next generation to help keep this ‘granddaddy of all sports’ alive.” In the 8th Grade at Neshoba Central Middle School, Rowdy has been playing stickball for five years and has participated in State Games for six years. In 2024 Rowdy and his team, Beaver Dam, took home the gold medal – and Rowdy was named MVP by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Not just a stickball athlete, he has participated in State Games Youth Baseball, bringing home one bronze medal and two silver medals. Outside of State Games, Rowdy and his team have won their 4th Championship for the World Series of Stickball, Pushmataha division.
Jacelyn “Jaycie” Collins — 2024 Female Athlete of the Year
Meridianite Jaycie Collins is a gold-medal swimmer who has been a State Games participant for two years. Jaycie took home five gold medals in 2023 and 2024 in freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley. “I am a Down Syndrome athlete,” Jaycie said. “I am short, I have limited arm span, my legs are not terribly long but I love to swim and have learned to use what God created to win in swimming.” Outside of State Games, Jaycie participates in the Mississippi Special Olympics. She was a Mississippi Swim Team Delegate to the National Special Olympics in Seattle, Washington in 2018 and a Mississippi Swim Team Delegate to the National Special Olympics in Orlando, Florida in 2022. Jaycie also had the honor of being named the National Congress of State Games Adult Athlete of the Year.
Lewis “Scott” Gray Jr. — 2024 Male Athlete of the Year
Scott Gray of Meridian has been involved in the sport of volleyball for more than 44 years and has participated in the State Games of Mississippi for more than 30 years as a participant and a sport commissioner. He is proud of his record over the years, winning three gold medals and many silver and bronze medals. “This year our team took a silver, but I was more proud that I was able to compete in the heat,” he laughs. In the early days of the State Games Scott remembers his work setting up the nets for the volleyball tournaments and pushing hard to make volleyball an enduring State Games sport. Outside of State Games he has competed in multiple tournaments all while coaching soccer for 20 years, raising three kids who love to play and having three knee surgeries. He says he could not have done any of it without the support of his wife, Dawn Marie.
About State Games of Mississippi
The State Games of Mississippi, a privately sponsored, non-profit organization, has been dedicated to promoting amateur athletics and a healthy lifestyle for Mississippians of all ages and abilities since 1992. From humble beginnings with 1,200 athletes competing in 12 sports, the Games have grown to become one of 37 states hosting State Games competitions annually. These Games not only promote physical activity but also offer an Olympic-like experience. Competitors vie for gold, silver, and bronze medals, emphasizing personal achievement, physical fitness and teamwork. State Games of Mississippi athletes also have the opportunity to advance to the national level at the State Games of America and we are proudly affiliated with the U.S. Olympic Committee.
The State Games of Mississippi is able to keep entry fees affordable thanks to the generous support of its sponsors, including Founding Gold Sponsors: Meridian Coca-Cola Bottling Company and Ochsner Rush Health, as well as Gold Sponsors; BlueCross BlueShield of Mississippi, Paul & Sherry Broadhead Foundation, Meridian Community College, the City of Meridian, Pearl River Resort, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, WTOK-TV, The Meridian Star and Coastal Television.
For more details about the Games, call 601-482-0205 or visit the official website at www.stategamesofms.org.