Administration of policies and regulations is the responsibility of the Big Sky State Games. Competition rules have been established by the National Governing Bodies and/or Commissioners of each sport. Consult individual sport formats for specific rules and special adaptations.
Montana and residents of bordering states that do not have State Games are allowed to participate (Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming). Residency: A participant must work in, or be a resident of the state of Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, or Wyoming for at least 30 days prior to the dates of the competition they wish to enter. College students and military personnel living in the state for at least 30 days may participate. Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming residents attending college or serving in the military in another state are also eligible to compete.
Athletes may compete in any number of sports. Conflicts in scheduling are the responsibility of the participant. The number of events a participant may enter varies by sport.
Age divisions vary from sport to sport. Age division eligibility is determined, in most cases, by age on the first day of competition. Proof of age or grade may be requested by a sport commissioner. Consult individual sport formats for specifics.
Athletes and coaches are responsible for knowing, understanding and following the rules, policies, and code of conduct for their sport. Games organizers reserve the right to disqualify any participant from competition in the Big Sky State Games, for the following reasons:
All participants are required to agree to our Big Sky Games waiver. Participants under the age of 18 must have their parent or guardian agree to this waiver. The online registration process helps facilitate this process, however, you can manually print and sign the waiver using the following link.
No refunds unless the sport/event you signed up is cancelled and cannot be rescheduled. Your sport registration fee will be refunded. The registration processing fee unfortunately cannot be refunded as those costs are incurred immediately upon registration through credit card companies and our third-party registration vendor.
Sports using outdoor sites are weather dependent. Competitions will be conducted unless the Big Sky State Games staff determine the weather conditions do not permit. There are no rain dates; no refunds will be given. Softball players refer to Softball sport information.
All athletes registered before the T-shirt deadline will receive a custom designed T-shirt. Medals will be awarded to the top three age group finishers in most events; exceptions are based on individual sport rules.
Billings Clinic will coordinate first aid coverage during the Big Sky State Games Finals weekend. Billings Firefighters, Lockwood Firefighters, Rocky Mountain College Physician Assistants Program, and Laurel Volunteer Ambulance will assist. First-aid kits will be available at most event sites. In the event of serious injury, the Billings Clinic Emergency and Trauma Center is open 24 hours a day. The Emergency and Trauma Center is located at 2800 Tenth Ave. North. Call 911 for an ambulance. Due to the heat in Billings in July, dehydration and heat-related illnesses are common. It is important for each athlete to bring an ample supply of fluids to maintain adequate hydration during their event, to stay out of the sun when not competing, and to decrease effort or not compete if heat is extreme. Young and older athletes in particular should restrict effort in the heat.
It is expressly understood that the Big Sky State Games does not insure against, and accepts no responsibility for, personal injury, property loss or damage to the participant as a result of his or her participation. Each participant is responsible for his or her own medical insurance and must sign the release of liability waiver on the back of the entry form. Athlete Entry Assistance Program This program is designed to assist with entry fees for athletes who may not have the opportunity to compete because of the lack of financial resources. This program is possible through individual, corporate and civic club donations.
