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

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

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

2023 National Senior Games Offers Registration Open Entry Parameter

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

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

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

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

Gary Patton Refines and Finds Success December 2022 Athlete of the Month

Gary Patton, 77 Rock Rapids, Iowa Gary Patton never dreamed he would one day be an elite athlete. “I was 4 foot 11 in high school and underdeveloped. I was not athlete material at all.” Now 5’4” at the age of 76, Gary has become a tall figure in mid distance running, finding himself on

100 Reasons to Keep Swimming – November 2022 Athlete of the Month

Charlotte Sanddal, 100, Helena, Montana When she first jumped into a pool to learn to swim at the age of 72, Charlotte Sanddal was only thinking about finding a way to stay healthy and active. Then when she began competing in the Montana Senior Olympics in 1994, she earned her first medal and was hooked