Competition, fun highlight the 2023 National Senior Games Softball Championship in Columbus
Tournament had many Ohio connections When senior Softball came to Columbus, Ohio for the 2023 National Senior Games Softball Championship presented by Humana, it became apparent there were a lot of direct and coincidental connections to the Buckeye State. More than 1,500 athletes age 50 and older from around the country competed for age division
- Published in News and Events, Press Releases
Running Blind…with Faith, Motivation and Tenacity
Keryl Rustin, 74 Kearneysville, West Virginia You won’t find a more determined person than Keryl (pronounced “Curl”) Rustin. She adapted to being born visually impaired, finished school, raised three children and had a satisfying working career at a VA hospital in West Virginia. Then, at the age of 52 a rare neurological condition gradually took
- Published in Athlete of the Month
A Three Generation Legacy
Dwight Smith, 94 Terry Smith, 74 Christi Smith Daigle, 51 Baton Rouge, Louisiana The theme for the 2023 National Senior Games presented by Humana is “Bridging Champions Through the Ages,” placing a spotlight on the intergenerational impact of Senior Games on families and society. The idea came from seeing so many children of senior athletes
- Published in 2023 PB
This Doctor Delivers Babies – And Records
Dr. Leopoldo Gracia Vilches, 64, Navojoa, Sonora Mexico Power Walk has been around for a long time as a fitness exercise but is new as a medal sport, having been introduced nationally at the 2019 National Senior Games presented by Humana. In the second gathering in Fort Lauderdale in 2022, it was therefore hard to know
- Published in Athlete of the Month
The Driving Force of Positivity March 2023 Athlete of the Month
Paula Franetti, 67 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania To see Paula Franetti mixing it up in women’s basketball competition at the National Senior Games last year, we marveled that the Pittsburgh native had worked her way back to a fully active life after a horrific car crash. In September 2016 Paula was driving to her Pittsburgh office when
- Published in Athlete of the Month
2023 National Senior Games Offers Registration Open Entry Parameter
- Published in Press Releases
Reversed Roles
Jody Smith, 61, Atlanta, Georgia Jody Smith should have been named Jody Sports. It’s been her passion for as long as she can remember, and basketball was her favorite pastime. She was a standout player in high school and college and has been inducted into her college hall of fame. Jody and her husband Mark
- Published in 2023 PB
Around the World in Wavy Ways Athlete of the Month February 2023
Chuck DiMeglio, 62 McLean, Virginia Chuck DiMeglio admits he’s a detail-oriented guy who is driven by challenges. Like keeping records of his lifetime swims and achieving the goal of “swimming around the world” in 2022 at age 62. If you’re counting, that’s 1.75 million pool lengths to get around the globe. And Chuck loves to
- Published in Athlete of the Month
Making Space for Sports
Larry DeLucas, 72 Birmingham, Alabama There are many singular achievements that can be made in sports, but only Larry DeLucas can say he once slam dunked a basketball weightless more than 250 miles above Earth. That’s one of the interesting facts discovered when we followed up on the rumor that there was an astronaut playing
- Published in 2023 PB, Personal Best Featured Athletes
Pickleball + Airstream = A Lovely Way to Play January 2023 Athlete of the Month
Gene Berg, 70 Margaret Berg, 61 Litchfield, New Hampshire Many senior athletes travel to multiple events each year to enjoy the competition and camaraderie. Noticing a shiny Airstream travel trailer with New Hampshire plates glinting in the sun at the 2022 Georgia Golden Olympics reminded us that some go the RV route and travel in
- Published in Athlete of the Month
