Houston, Texas, June 30, 2011 – – The 2011 Summer National Senior Games presented by Humana came to a close today when the last disk slid down the shuffleboard court at the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 2011 Houston Local Organizing Committee and President and CEO of Houston’s Memorial Hermann Health Care System Dan Wolterman stated, “Houston was honored to be selected as the host city for the 2011 Summer National Senior Games. Since this selection in 2008, we have worked very hard to provide these incredible athletes wonderful competition venues and an exceptional experience in our great city. On behalf of the Houston Local Organizing Committee, I want to express our gratitude to the athletes and visitors for coming to our city.”

Mayor Annise Parker also commented, “Houston has been proud to host the 2011 Senior Games. The achievements of the athletes have been truly impressive, and it’s been a pleasure to have them in our city. We won’t soon forget them or the Games, and the Cauldron will always be a reminder to us of how inspiring this experience has been.” The Senior Games Cauldron was extinguished at 4:45 this afternoon. It will be moved in the near future to the Houston Amateur Sports Park at Highway 288 and Airport Boulevard.

Over the course of the Games, the senior athletes set a total of 245 new records. They broke 208 National Senior Games Association records, 25 United States records, seven Masters and five world records. All five of the new world records were set in track and field. 2,174 medals were awarded with Texas leading with 378, followed by Florida (181) and California (151).

President and CEO of the National Senior Games Association Phil Godfrey stated, “I want to thank the leadership, staff and volunteers of the Houston Local Organizing Committee for delivering against their promises. We’ve had a very good Games. Producing this event is a huge logistical challenge in every aspect. They managed that to maximize the athlete experience throughout,” said Phil Godfrey, NSGA President & CEO. “I am so proud of the NSGA staff and our Organizing Committee partners. We had a tremendous team effort that resulted in an organized, safe and fun experience for all.”

The world’s largest multi-sport event for men and women athletes over the age of 50, the Games brought more than 10,000 athletes from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and the European Senior Games to Texas. They competed in 18 sports at 14 different venues in the Houston area over the course of 15 days.

With its motto of Long Live the Challenge, the Games are dedicated to motivating men and women to lead an active, healthy lifestyle through fitness, education and sport. Included in the competitions in the 2011 Games are archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, race walking, racquetball, road racing, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field, triathlon and volleyball.

To compete in the National Games, athletes have competed in sanctioned state games during the last year. Separated into five year age increments, the top four finishers in each group qualified to compete in Houston. The Games took place at 14 different venues in the Houston area from June 16 to June 30.

Houston, Texas, June 20, 2011 – – 58-year old Kay Glynn of Hastings, Iowa set new World, U.S. Masters and Senior Games records in her age group in the pole vault today, clearing 10 feet, one and a quarter inches.

In the 4th day of competition at the 2011 Summer National Senior Games presented by Humana, 64-year old Phil Raschker of Marietta, Georgia cleared 8 feet, six and a quarter inches, beating the Senior Games record in her age group set in 2007.

Glynn has competed in the Senior Games since she was 51, and participates in state competitions every year – competing in Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Kansas, as well as her home state. Glynn has garnered a wide collection of medals in a number of track and field events.

At the 2007 National Senior Games in Louisville, she won gold medals in pole vault and high jump, silver in javelin and placed 4th in the 200 meter dash. In the 2009 National Senior Games in Palo Alto, she won five gold medals, silver in the shot put and bronze in the triple jump, as well as placing in five other sports.

More than 10,000 men and women athletes over the age of 50 are participating in this year’s National Senior Games. They come from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Canada. The Games run until June 30 at 13 different venues in the Houston and Harris County area. Track & Field events are being held at Turner Stadium in the Humble Independent School District. For more information, visit www.nsga.com.

Houston, Texas, June 16, 2011 – – As the sky glowed from the lighting of the Senior Games Cauldron, more than 10-thousand senior men and women athletes from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several foreign countries began 14 days of going for the gold in 800 separate competitions. The world’s largest multi-sport event for athletes age 50 and older is being conducted at 13 separate venues in and around Houston.

The lighting of the Senior Games Cauldron, located on Discovery Green on the East side of downtown Houston, came at the conclusion of the 11-hundred mile Reliant Energy Torch Relay Across Texas, which began on June 8 at the Johnson Space Center with Apollo 7 Astronaut Walter Cunningham as the first torch bearer. The final torch bearers 58-year old Kay Glynn and 100-year old Harry Pepper, both athletes participating in the Games, touched the torch to a fuse. The flame rose to the top of the 28–foot tall cauldron, and ignited the Senior Games Flame, which will burn throughout the Games.

The Flame Arrival Ceremony presented by AstraZeneca, included a performance by Grammy Award winner Gloria Gaynor, remarks from Mrs. Dana Brown, Chair of the National Senior Games Association Board of Directors, as well as remarks from representatives of Games sponsors – Humana, AstraZeneca and Reliant Energy. Also addressing the large crowd gathered at Discovery Green were Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, and Dan Wolterman, President and CEO of the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System and Chairman of the Houston Local Organizing Committee of the 2011 Senior Games. In his remarks, Wolterman said, “Houston is honored to host the 2011 National Senior Games. Our Local Organizing Committee has worked diligently to ensure these Games are the most successful in history, and to provide the athletes and visitors an exceptional experience in our community.”

The Senior Games Cauldron, designed by Ward and Ames Special Events, engineered by Haynes Whaley and Associates, and built by Fretz Construction Company, will be given to the City of Houston at the conclusion of the Games and will remain as a legacy of the Games in the nation’s fourth largest city.

Athletes began checking-in at the George R. Brown Convention Center on Tuesday. Home to the AstraZeneca Athlete Village, the Center is also the location of competition in seven sports.

The Games have been conducted since 1987 by the National Senior Games Association, a member of the United States Olympic Committee.

Houston, Texas, June 8, 2011 – – The Reliant Energy Torch Relay will launch at the Johnson Space Center today at 10:00 a.m. before continuing its eight day journey en route to Houston. Apollo 7 Astronaut Walter Cunningham will light the Fitness Flame and take the first orbit around the Saturn V rocket display. From the Space Center the torch will go to Corpus Christi on June 9.

Cunningham said, “This sounds great. The last time I carried the torch, it was for the first manned Apollo launch.”

Called the Reliant Energy Fitness Flame, the torch arrives at Discovery Green in Houston on June 16. In the Olympic tradition, it will be used to light the Games cauldron, marking the official opening of the 2011 Summer National Senior Games presented by Humana.

The world’s largest multi-sport event for men and women athletes over the age of 50, the Games will bring to Texas more than 10,000 athletes from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and some foreign countries. They will compete over 15 days for medals in 18 sports at 14 different venues in the Houston area.

The Reliant Energy Torch Relay Across Texas is an opportunity to recognize Texans who are competing in the Games in the communities where they live. To find out more about the torch relay and to follow its progress in pictures, please visit www.NSGA.com/torchrelay.

With its motto of Long Live the Challenge, the Games are dedicated to motivating men and women to lead an active, healthy lifestyle through fitness, education and sport. Included in the competitions in the 2011 Games are archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, race walking, racquetball, road racing, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field, triathlon and volleyball.

To compete in the National Games, athletes have competed in sanctioned state games during the last year. Separated into five year age increments, the top four finishers in each group qualified to compete in Houston. The Games will take place at 14 different venues in the Houston area from June 16 to June 30.

HOUSTON – The Reliant Energy Torch Relay began its more than 1,000-mile journey across Texas today to light the way to the 2011 Summer National Senior Games presented by Humana, the world’s largest multi-sport event for men and women over the age of 50.

Starting from the Johnson Space Center on June 8, the eight-day torch relay tour, sponsored by Reliant Energy, will travel to Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Arlington, College Station, Beaumont, Galveston and finally Houston to recognize Texans who are competing in the Games. The Games will bring to Texas more than 10,000 athletes from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and some foreign countries June 16-30.

“We are excited to kickoff the Reliant Energy Torch Relay to light the way to the 2011 Summer National Senior Games presented by Humana,” said Phil Godfrey, President and CEO of the National Senior Games Association, “The statewide run will bring our message about the value of physical activity to tens of thousands of seniors all across Texas.”

The “Fitness Flame” will be carried by hundreds of athletes, celebrities, local dignitaries and Reliant Energy representatives. The “Fitness Flame” will make stops at historical sites in the designated Texas cities where there will be ceremonies and relays for the passing of the torch.

• Houston (Johnson Space Center), June 8, 10 a.m.
The Reliant Energy Torch Relay will launch at the NASA Johnson Space Center. Apollo 7 Astronaut Walter Cunningham will light the “Fitness Flame” and take the first “orbit” around the Saturn V rocket display. National Senior Games Association President and CEO Phil Godfrey, Richard Allen, Space Center Houston Executive Director and Bill Krueger, Texas and National High School Basketball Hall of Famer and past Senior Games athlete will speak during the ceremony.

• Corpus Christi (USS Lexington), June 9, 9:30 a.m.
The torch will arrive on the flight deck of the USS Lexington. Five Corpus Christi residents who qualified for the National Senior Games will participate in the relay. Corpus Christi Mayor Joe Adame and retired USS Lexington Captain and Senior Games athlete F. W. “Rocco” Montesano will speak during the ceremony.

• San Antonio (San Fernando Cathedral), June 10, 9:30 a.m.
Approximately 50 torch bearers will carry the flame, including former Texas Longhorn and Cowboys wide receiver Wane McGarrity and San Antonio area Senior Games athletes. A representative from San Antonio’s Mayor’s Fitness Council, as well as McGarrity, will speak during the ceremony. After the ceremony the torch will be carried to the Riverwalk and Alamo Plaza.

• Austin (Auditorium Shore Park and RunTex Riverside), June 11, 10 a.m.
In the spirit of “The Fittest City in America,” 45 senior athletes, including 15 “Austinites,” will carry the torch to and from the Stevie Ray Vaughn statue at Auditorium Shore Park and conclude at RunTex Riverside. Paul Carrozza, running icon and Governor’s Fitness Council Chair and Lou Earle, Chair of Austin’s Mayor’s Fitness Council and publisher of “Austin Fit” magazine will speak during the ceremony.

• Arlington (Cowboys Stadium), June 12, 2:30 p.m.
More than 50 local athletes attending the Games, including five Texas Senior Games Hall of Fame members, will pass the torch at the AT&T (West) Plaza at Cowboy’s Stadium. Texas and National Senior Games Association Board members will speak during the ceremony, including Monica Paul, Ed Roberts and Shirley Whitlock.

• College Station (Texas A&M University’s Reed Arena), June 13, 1 p.m.
Senior Games basketball athletes will participate in the torch relay at Reed Arena alongside Texas A&M Women’s basketball team Head Coach Gary Blair and members of the 2011 Final Four champion Texas A&M Women’s basketball team.

• Beaumont (Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum at Lamar University), June 14, 9:45 a.m.
More than 30 senior torch bearers, including five local athletes, will circle the oil rig and early 1900’s boomtown replica structures at the Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum at Lamar University. Lamar University representatives and Mark Osborne, Executive Director of the Museum, will speak during the ceremony.

• Galveston (Moody Gardens), June 15, 9:15 a.m.
National Senior Games athlete Vicki Blythe of Galveston will carry the torch at Moody Gardens along with 35 others. Bill Krueger, Texas and National High School Basketball Hall of Famer, and past Senior Games athlete will speak during the ceremony, as well as Robert Callies, Moody Gardens General Manager, Barbara Sanderson, Galveston Parks and Recreation Director and Mario Rabago, Galveston Park Board of Trustees Executive Director.

• Houston (City Hall and Discovery Green), June 16, 9 a.m.
The torch will arrive at Houston’s City Hall. Local Senior Games athletes will pass around the torch and Fred Newhouse, Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist (1964) will speak during the ceremony. The torch will arrive at Minute Maid Park at 12:30 p.m. where one male and one female Senior Games athlete from Houston will bring the torch from right field to home plate. The Torch Relay will end at Discovery Green (8 p.m.), and like the Olympic tradition, the torch will be used to light the Games’ cauldron, marking the official opening of the 2011 Summer National Senior Games presented by Humana.

To find out more about the torch relay and to follow its progress in pictures, please visit www.NSGA.com/torchrelay.

About the 2011 National Summer Senior Games
With its motto of Long Live the Challenge, the Games are dedicated to motivating men and women to lead an active, healthy lifestyle through fitness, education and sport. Senior athletes will compete over 15 days for medals in 18 sports at 14 different venues in the Houston area June 16-30. Included in the competitions in the 2011 Games are archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, race walking, racquetball, road racing, shuffleboard, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field, triathlon and volleyball. To compete in the National Games, athletes have competed in sanctioned state games during the last year. Separated into five year age increments, the top four finishers in each group qualified to compete in Houston.