CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — For the fourth year since the start of the Summer Games of Texas, Corpus Christi will host the event from July 29 to Aug. 1.
The event is hosted by the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation, and will have athletes competing in 13 different sports over the four days of competition.
“Our crown jewel of TAAF is the Games of Texas, summer games, where we have 8,000-10,000 athletes who go to one location to compete," said Mark Lord, the executive director of TAAF. "We’re a big-time event, they estimate it’s an $8-11 million economic impact over four days."
The H-E-B Tennis Center will host all of the tennis events for the games, with 45 divisions of athletes set to compete.
“It’s going to be a lot of people, we’re expecting about 300 people,” said Gerald Tjon A Joe, the director of tennis at the H-E-B Tennis Center.
For local athletes, they are excited to compete locally, in front of friends and family.
“It’s going to be special, and it’s going to bring the most out of myself and all the people that are from Corpus,” said local tennis player Francis Rizon.
“It’s always real nice to play on a home court. Traveling is fun, but playing on your home court when you’re familiar with it, and the area, it’s something special,” said another local tennis player, Brenna Gordon.
“I’m very excited. [My family] is very excited too, and I can’t wait,” said local boxer Caleb Perkins.
Perkins is with Franco’s Gym, a local boxing gym preparing its boxers to face some of the top competition from across the state.
“It’s exciting, this is going to be fun. I’ve never experienced anything like that," local boxer Hector Perez said. "Seeing the kind of skills they’ve got, seeing what I’ve got, sounds like some fun."
The games were originally scheduled for 2020, but the pandemic forced TAAF to cancel the event.
With a second chance, TAAF, the City of Corpus Christi, and athletes are ready to compete.
“The number one thing, we want to show a good time to the athletes, and all the visitors who come to Corpus,” Lord said.