The Whitefish Summer Games are back, and in full force, thanks to the efforts of longtime Whitefish resident Colin Sellwood.

The original brainchild of a small group of Whitefish businessmen — Gary Elliott, Gordon Ochenreider, Jim Trout, John Bos and Harry Brown to name just a few — cooked up the idea of using sports activities to extend the summer tourism season for another week. That was back in 1981 and it was to be held the first weekend after Labor Day.

The venture, as brilliant as it was, was short-lived, however.

“The first year it snowed so hard and the wind was blowing,” Sellwood said.

“The second year it rained continuously.”

Sellwood said the softball fields were so wet that teams took their action inside to the bars where they shook dice — 1 was a base hit, 2 a pop fly, 3 strike out, etc. — to see which team won or lost.

“They also made up some wild stories as they went along,” Sellwood said.

Those back-to-back bad-weather years took a toll on the games and drained most of the energy out of a very creative venture, leaving just soccer and one or two of the original 20 or so sports, or activities in some cases like mouse racing at The Palace Bar and beer chugging, around for Year 3.

“The other sports just faded,” Sellwood said.

Except for soccer.

 Under Sellwood’s guidance, the Whitefish Summer Games Soccer Tournament flourished.

Sellwood said “someone tried to resuscitate” the Summer Games in 2001, “but it didn’t take.”  

Perhaps it would have, had Sellwood been in charge that year. 

Instead, the Summer Games are a go for 2013 thanks to his can-do attitude and persuasive public relations skills.

 Sellwood said this year’s edition of the Summer Games will have 24 sports. The lineup, some silly, some wacky, consists of: soccer, softball, 3-on-3 basketball, beach volleyball, tennis, squash, ice hockey, lacrosse, pool, poker, paddleboard, table tennis, skateboarding, horseshoes, shuffleboard, cowboy mounted shooters, bocce ball, cribbage, darts, beer pong, bean bag tossing, rock/paper/scissors, golf and rugby.

Soccer alone will bring in 30 teams and more than 600 players.

“Certainly, it was time,” Sellwood said of resurrecting the event.

“I was really surprised at the great reception the concept has gotten. The people who have stepped up said they want to be involved. That way, it’s been wonderful.”

The games will take place Sept. 7-8 at various venues and establishments around Whitefish.

“The crucial thing, most important thing, is that it’s all about fun, not to take it too seriously,” Sellwood said.

“Having fun has always been the concept, to enjoy yourself.”

And he wants to make sure that attitude continues for years to come, much like the Summer Games.

For more information, visit www.whitefishsummergames.com.