Sports

Iowans pack the stands of their favorite college teams, too. With four Division I schools and many smaller colleges in the state, there are many to root for, including teams in the prestigious Big 10 and Big 12 conferences. Every spring, top athletes such as Michael Johnson and Gwen Torrence run in the Drake Relays, held at Drake University in Des Moines. In 1999, 22 Olympians competed in the relays.

High school sports fill stands across the state. Fans watch their teams faithfully -- no one misses a home game, and when teams play away, caravans of supporters always follow. Look for the streets to be empty back home whenever a school advances to a championship game.

Want to get into the action yourself? Play basketball, softball or volleyball in any number of sport leagues. Golf-lovers will find tee times easy to come by. With more than 380 golf courses, Iowa has more golf courses per capita than any other state. In 1999, the U.S. Senior Open was played at the Des Moines Golf and Country Club and the John Deere

Classic will be held at the new Tournament Players championship course in the Quad Cities.