“Pickleball Over Parkinson’s” September 2020 Athlete of the Month

Andy Leighton, 73, Arlington, Virginia Andy Leighton has learned over the years that you don’t give anything away to your opponents – you make them earn everything. For the past decade, that outlook has been put to test, as he now has a second opponent to face every day: Parkinson’s Disease. “After the diagnosis, I

“Joy on the Track” August 2020 Athlete of the Month

Joy Upshaw, 60, Walnut Creek, California It’s great to win a gold medal, and special when you achieve a record for the best performance in your age and event. But it’s extraordinary when your record surpasses a legend and personal inspiration, as Joy Upshaw experienced in 2019. Even though she was at the top of

Joe Moyer’s “Hardest Triathlon” Overcomes Life Challenges July 2020 Athlete of the Month

Joe Moyer, 72, Columbus, Ohio When Joe Moyer looked forward to his fourth straight trip to the National Senior Games, all he was thinking about was getting in shape to make a good time in the Triathlon event in Albuquerque. One year later, he would marvel that he even made it to New Mexico at

“I’m Not the Type to Sit Around” June 2020 Athlete of the Month

Carol Hicks, 75, Blountville, Tennessee Carol Hicks has had, by her own estimation, a blessed life. Now 75, the East Tennessee native has raised a family with her husband of 57 years and enjoyed her work career, including more than a decade with Junior Achievement before retiring a couple years ago. She has also been

A Phish Out of Water May 2020 Athlete of the Month

Philipp Djang, 65, Las Cruces, New Mexico The pandemic has disrupted all sports, but perhaps none as much as swimming. Cross training is a part of preparing for competition, but when there’s no pool, swimmers are literally fish out of water. We called Philipp Djang, one of the most decorated swimmers in National Senior Games

Meatless Meets: A Vegan’s Perspective April 2020 Athlete of the Month

Ellen Jaffe Jones, 67, Sarasota, Florida While only a fraction of senior athletes follow a vegan diet, there is a trend with more turning to this option. Traditional opinions by coaches and athletes say that you can’t perform as well athletically on a purely plant-based diet, but runner Ellen Jaffe Jones is out to disprove

The Fall and Rise of Hollyce Kirkland

Hollyce Kirkland, 100, Sevierville, Tennessee The match was set. The anticipated “Battle of the Centenarians” had created a buzz in Albuquerque at the 2019 National Senior Games presented by Humana. Media lined up to cover the 50-meter race between 103-year-old Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins and upstart Hollyce Kirkland, who had just reached triple digits. When the

This Team Doctor is On the Team March 2020 Athlete of the Month

Dr. Boyd Haynes, 61, Newport News, Virginia Virginia’s Bone Setters 55+ Men’s Volleyball team has a not-so-secret weapon that their name gives away- they have an orthopedic surgeon on the team. Dr. Boyd Haynes has been playing with the same group of guys around Newport News since the mid-1990s. At the time he had started

“I never want to grow up!”

Simeon Gipson, 74, Tahlequah, Oklahoma A highlight of “Indian Day” activities held during the 2019 National Senior Games presented by Humana in Albuquerque was a live national broadcast of public radio’s Native America Calling. During the hour-long program, Oklahoma cyclist Simeon Gipson, who is half Cherokee and half Choctaw, captured the audience with his story and

Comeback Kate

Kate Fisken, 77, Bethesda, Maryland People who know Kate Fisken say she has a heart as big as the ocean. Perhaps that’s why she swims, but it’s really a statement reflecting on the retired Maryland accountant’s lifelong commitment to serve others, which dates back to when President Kennedy called on citizens to do “what you