The diversity of people and cultures is part of what makes the United States of America such a wonderful nation. America’s vast geographical landscape results in many different cultural symbols and identifiers for each of the 50 united states. While many are familiar with official state markers such as flags, slogans, birds and even flowers, it may come as a surprise to hear that several U.S. states also claim an official sport.
The inspiration for this article actually stems from my personal life. Over the past couple of months, I have been doing a fair bit of research on a few different cities and states as I prepare to move in the upcoming new year. After reading in-depth about the rich history of one state’s very unique “official sport,” my curiosity was peaked.
Thus, I set out to put together a list of the official state sports for any and all U.S. states that claim one. Readers might be surprised to learn that less than half of the 50 states actually have a designated state sport. Even more surprising is the fact that a handful of those that do claim an official state sport actually list more than one! Hopefully, you enjoy reading this fun little piece as much as I enjoyed putting it together. If you’re like me, you will certainly learn a thing or two as well!
List of Official State Sports
Note: List is organized in chronological order from old to new based on when each state recognized its first official state sport.
Maryland — Free State
Sports: Jousting; Lacrosse
Years of Recognition: 1962; 2004
Official Designations: State Sport; State Team Sport
Talk about a fitting sport to be the first one recognized as an official state sport. Jousting of course traces its roots to medieval times and has been a part of sporting life in Maryland since the colony was first founded before the Revolutionary War. Today, the Maryland Jousting Tournament Association still holds regularly scheduled competitions throughout the year. The state also hosts the annual National Jousting Championship in Brunswick.
Maryland would later recognize lacrosse as the state’s official team sport in 2004. College Park and Baltimore have combined to host the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship 17 times.
Alaska — The Last Frontier
Sport: Mushing
Year of Recognition: 1972
Official Designation: State Sport
Despite being one of the last to be recognized as a U.S. state, Alaska wasted little time in recognizing mushing as its official state sport. Throughout history, dog mushing was more than just a recreational activity. For many Alaskans, it served as a vital method of transportation before the state developed a highway system. Today, Alaska hosts the annual Open North American Championships every spring. Dog mushing is also a popular activity among visitors to the state.
Michigan — Wolverine State
Sport: Wakeboarding
Year of Recognition: 1972
Official Designation: State Sport
Michigan certainly has one of the more unique state sports in wakeboarding. Considering the location of Michigan in the Great Lakes region, it certainly fits the bill. The Michigan Waterski Association even puts on sanctioned competitive events in what is known as the National Wakeboard League (NWL). If you have never tried your hand at wakeboarding, let me be the first to tell you much harder than it looks!
Hawaii — Aloha State
Sports: Outrigger Canoe Paddling; Surfing
Years of Recognition: 1986; 1998
Official Designations: State Team Sport; State Individual Sport
The 50th state also wasted no time in adopting not one but two official state sports. Outrigger canoe paddling is differentiated from other forms of canoeing by lateral floats (called outriggers) which are fastened to the hull of the boat.
12 years after Hawaii made outdoor canoe paddling its official team sport, surfing was fittingly adopted as the state’s official individual sport.
Texas — Lone Star State
Sport: Rodeo
Year of Recognition: 1997
Official Designation: State Sport
The decision for Texas to recognize rodeo as its official state sport certainly fits the persona of the Lone Star State. It also made Texas the first state to claim rodeo as its own (as we’ll see later, others eventually followed suit). What some may not know is that rodeo competitions actually are comprised of a variety of skills ranging from riding to roping.
New Hampshire — Granite State
Sport: Skiing
Year of Recognition: 1998
Official Designation: State Sport
New Hampshire was the final state to declare an official sport before the turn of the century. Skiing is appropriate considering that New Hampshire has 19 ski resorts in total. Most are located within a 30-minute drive of each other making it a great state for skiers who like to explore multiple terrains.
South Dakota — Mount Rushmore State
Sport: Rodeo
Year of Recognition: 2003
Official Designation: State Sport
Six years after Texas adopted rodeo as its state sport, South Dakota followed suit. A sport that was founded based on the working skills of 19th-century American cowboys certainly holds a big spot in this midwestern state’s history. The South Dakota Rodeo Association (SDRA) was founded in 1955 and hosts several competitions annually.
Wyoming — Equality State
Sport: Rodeo
Year of Recognition: 2003
Official Designation: State Sport
Oddly enough, Wyoming adopted rodeo as its official state sport the very same year as South Dakota. The Jackson Hole Rodeo is easily the state’s most popular rodeo event, tracing its history back over 100 years. Of course, the rodeo was an essential part of working life for Wyoming cowboys who were among the state’s first settlers.
Massachusetts — Bay State
Sports: Basketball; Volleyball
Years of Recognition: 2006; 2014
Official Designations: Sport of the Commonwealth; Recreational and Team Sport of the Commonwealth
With the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame located in Springfield, the sport was an obvious choice to represent Massachusetts. Of course, the Boston Celtics are a major part of the state’s rich basketball history as well.
While basketball is recognized as the official state sport of Massachusetts, volleyball was added as a recreational/team sport in 2014. The Northeastern women’s collegiate volleyball program has emerged as one of the best in the country.
Minnesota — North Star State
Sport: Ice Hockey
Year of Recognition: 2009
Official Designation: State Sport
Minnesota’s geographical location and proximity to Canada, the birthplace of ice hockey, makes this a fitting selection for its official state sport. The success of various collegiate hockey programs in recent years is undeniable. Knowing that hockey is Minnesota’s state sport, the relocation of the NHL franchise formerly known as the Minnesota North Stars to Dallas becomes all the more curious.
North Carolina — Tar Heel State
Sport: Stock Car Racing
Year of Recognition: 2011
Official Designation: State Sport
Although NASCAR traces its roots to Daytona Beach, Florida, the city of Charlotte has become the sport’s hub over time. The prestigious Coca-Cola 600 is run every Memorial Day Weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. North Carolina is also home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame and the headquarters for the vast majority of race teams.
Colorado — Centennial State
Sport: Pack Burro Racing
Year of Recognition: 2012
Official Designation: Summer Heritage Sport
The sport of pack burro racing was actually founded in Colorado and is deeply rooted in the state’s mining heritage. The sport consists of a runner and burro traveling a prescribed course together. Unlike horse racing, riding on the pack burros is prohibited. The runners instead lead the burros by rope, running alongside them. The burros carry a sack containing 33 pounds of mining equipment along the route.
Delaware — First State
Sport: Bicycling
Year of Recognition: 2014
Official Designation: State Sport
When it comes to the best U.S. states for biking, it’s hard to top Delaware. The First State boasts a statewide system of biking trails much like any other state has extensive highway routes today. From the various state parks to miles of ocean coastline trails, Delaware cycling enthusiasts can take in some spectacular scenery.
California — Golden State
Sport: Surfing
Year of Recognition: 2018
Official Designation: State Sport
Up and down the massive state of California, beaches are packed with surfers. While most people automatically associate surfing with the SoCal regions of San Diego and Los Angeles, the sport is also very popular at Northern California beaches. The only additional requirement is a thicker wetsuit to stay warm in the colder waters.
New York — Empire State
Sport: Baseball
Year of Recognition: 2021
Official Designation: State Sport
No Major League Baseball franchise has quite the history and lineage as the New York Yankees. Add in the fact that Cooperstown is home to the Baseball Hall of Fame and it was a fitting choice to serve as New York’s state sport. In rather adorable fashion, the bill to recognize baseball as the state sport was proposed to New York legislators by the 4th-grade class of Cooperstown Elementary School.
