Senior Games: Five Events and Five Reasons Why You Should Compete!
Residents of active retirement communities are very active naturally. Competition flows as we try our hand at team sports. From bocce to pickleball to softball, we all have countless opportunities to show off our athleticism!
Going beyond the community level, there are many venues for Senior Games and Master Games. Seniors can compete in our favorite sports within our age brackets. Depending on the events, the minimum age starts at 35 or 50. There are even brackets for 90-year-olds! If you’re an older athlete, you’ll want to read this Here are some competitions you might want to try out.
State Senior Games
You don’t need to qualify for the State Senior Games beforehand, but you do need to register for your individual state. Held annually, every other year are the qualifiers for the National Senior Games. Click the link above to find information about your state’s Senior Games. In Georgia, we have the Georgia Golden Olympics. The last event was held September 19-23rd.
National Senior Games
First, you need to qualify for a state’s Senior Games the year before. Des Moines will host the next National Senior Games in 2025. I’ll be in attendance, and I bet my buddy Michael will also be there!
USATF – US Track and Field Masters Divison
USATF’s Masters programs offer a variety of competitive and fitness opportunities in track & field, long-distance running, and race walking. Competitions generally take place in 5-year age divisions. Age divisions begin at age 30 for track & field and race walking and age 40 for long-distance running. They have local, regional, and national competitions. I attended the USATF Masters Indoor Championship in Albuquerque in March 2016 and enjoyed competing and watching other events.
USA Masters Game
Greensboro, North Carolina hosted the inaugural USA Masters Games in July 2016. I was actually fortunate enough to attend! By the conclusion of the 2016 USA Masters Games, the event had more than 2,545 registered participants who competed in more than 400 events or games in 24 sports at 17 venues across the Greater Greensboro area.
Huntsman World Senior Games
Held in St. Georgia, Utah, the Huntsman World Senior Games is an international sports event for men and women ages 55 and better. A member of the National Senior Games Association, this annual event also acts as a qualifier for the 2017 Summer National Senior Games in Birmingham, Alabama, for the following sports: Archery – Target, Badminton, Basketball 3-on-3, Bowling, Cycling, Golf, Horseshoes, Pickleball, Race Walking, Racquetball, Road Races, Softball, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track & Field, Triathlon and Volleyball.
Why You Should Consider the Senior Games!
As you can see, there are many Senior Games going on just about all the time. I’m sure we’ll be able to enjoy even more events in the future! Here are some reasons why I recommend trying out at least one.
- Training to compete in the Senior Games will help you get in better shape.
- It gives you something to look forward to and instills you with a sense of purpose.
- You’ll be able to travel to different states.
- It’ll give you a sense of accomplishment.
- You can meet new friends and interesting people!
The bottom line is that getting to compete in one of the Senior Games or Masters Games is rewarding all the way around. Trust me when I say you’ll be glad you did. Why not try it and see?
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Originally published October 24, 2023
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