“Finding His Rhythm” – April Athlete of the Month
Dave Kirgan, 62, Bowling Green, Kentucky
As a race walker, 62 year old Dave Kirgan of Bowling Green, Kentucky knows the importance of finding a rhythm and focusing on fine details to keep moving. He also knows all too well the consequences of falling out of rhythm.
A career Air Force man, Dave kept in shape and always aced his annual fitness test – until he was allowed to pursue a degree and sat in a classroom. “When it was time for my annual mile and a half timed run, I wasn’t ready,” he recalls. “Once you break the exercise habit, each day it’s easier to forget about it. After failing that test, I decided to start running and soon became an ardent student of running and fitness.”
Wanting to help others lose weight, Dave started an aerobics class on his base that became mandatory for anyone on the overweight roster. His rhythm returned with a renewed passion for martial arts and endurance running. But when he retired in 1994, there weren’t any more fitness tests to pass and he stopped exercising completely. “Over the next seven years, my once 30 inch waist went to where 38 pants were cutting into me. I got good at not seeing my reflection in the mirror.”
On the day he turned 50, Dave stopped at a gas station and found himself out of breath just from cleaning his windshield. The wakeup call brought back his running rhythm, but two years later a torn Achilles tendon dealt another blow. “It was never comfortable after that, but I wasn’t going to quit. I decided to try race walking which was easier on my sore tendon.” In 2006, Dave did better than expected in his first competition, and a fellow competitor urged him to go to the Kentucky Senior Games. Dave has always qualified for the National Senior Games since then, but could only attend Louisville in 2007 and again last year in Cleveland. In each case he reached his goal of finishing in the top 10 for his age group, and his sights are set on another good finish in Minnesota next year.
There is one more constant rhythm to Dave’s story – a passion for writing that goes back to his Air Force days contributing health and fitness stories to the base newspaper and doing a weekly squadron news letter. “To keep my thoughts flowing now, I write short articles on several health and fitness oriented websites and have also been contributing articles to Walk About Magazine.” In fact, we discovered Dave from the inspirational messages he occasionally posts on The National Senior Games Facebook page.
He is also working on a book called Panda Endurance. “The title comes from the fact that pandas are going extinct and there is nothing they can do about it, but people often make a conscious decision to shorten their own lives by not exercising, over eating, smoking, and ingesting chemicals from processed food and soft drinks.”
Dave Kirgan says he will never lose his rhythm again now that he’s found race walking. “It really is the fountain of youth,” he says. “I take no medications whatsoever. I’m not being treated for anything except minor sports injuries.”
- Published in Athlete of the Month
The Long Run – April 2014
Association NewsNSGA Annual Conference Discovers “Minnesota Nice”
More than 90 people dedicated to the Senior Games Movement converged on Minnesota for the NSGA Annual Conference to meet, interact and learn through meetings and workshops designed to help with common topics shared by state games organizers. This year was also an opportunity for states to meet local host organizers for the 2015 National Senior Games Presented by Humana and to get a high-touch feel for what Bloomington, Minneapolis and St. Paul will offer next July. Based on all the feedback we have heard, Minnesota “knocked it out of the park” with their hospitality and well-organized presentations which gave attendees a fresh perspective to share with their athletes during this qualifying year.
Board Of Directors Election An important element of the Annual Conference is the election of returning and new members of the NSGA Board of Directors. We are pleased to welcome new At Large board members Steve Kearney and John White. Kearney has served as NSGA National Chair for Badminton since 1999 and is a past president and USOC Board Delegate for USA Badminton. White is a former educator with extensive sports organizing experience. He currently chairs Wisconsin Senior Olympics and has competed in the National Senior Games since 2003. Returning board members include Kate Amack (CO), Jerry LeVasseur (ME), Monica Paul (At Large) and Stephen Rodriguez (FL). In addition, appreciation awards were presented to past NSGA chair Dana Brown of Oklahoma who completed her terms of service, and to Becky Sewell of Kansas who resigned to join the NSGA staff as Director of Athlete and Partner Relations.
New Mexico Dominates NSGA Media Awards
Each year, conference attendees review entries submitted by states and vote for their favorite best practices in a variety of marketing and promotions categories. New Mexico Senior Olympic’s Cecilia Acosta (right, with Dana Brown) is smiling so brightly because three of the awards are going back to The Land of Enchantment. The 2014 NSGA Media Awards were:
NSGA Foundation Welcomes Carl Hust and Dr. Pamela Peeke as New Trustees
One key objective for NSGA for the past year has been to realign and re-energize the foundation arm to expand our health and wellness mission and to raise funding to promote health and wellness and support The Games. In recent months NSGA Board Members Dana Brown, Kate Amack, Michael Hess and Carmela Martinez were appointed as trustees to refresh goals and map out next steps.
During the Annual Conference, the Foundation Board met and shared significant progress and plans to meet those goals. Tangible evidence of this progress was the election of Carl Hust and Dr. Pamela Peeke as new trustees, and both were in attendance to share their views and commitment to actively carry out foundation work. Hust is a veteran of the movement as a past NSGA board chair and a current board member for the South Carolina Senior Games organization. Dr. Peeke is a nationally-recognized physician and fitness expert who has written three New York Times best-selling books and serves as Chief Medical Correspondent for WebMD. Peeke visited the 2013 Games and recognized how the Senior Games Movement can be a leading voice in advocating senior fitness. She reported she plans to qualify and compete in triathlon in Minnesota next year and to blog about her journey. “Bringing in the vast historical perspective of Carl Hust and the immense knowledge, energy and national contacts of Dr. Peeke bodes well for the prospects to see major contributions sooner than later by our foundation,” said NSGA Board Chair Stephen Rodriguez. |
Game On!
NSGA Members Enjoy 2015 Venue Tour During the NSGA Annual Conference, the 2015 local organizing committee arranged for a tour of sport and program venues for the 2015 Games, and the response from members was overwhelmingly positive. Attendees first visited the Minneapolis Convention Center where several sports, athlete check-in and the Athlete Village and Expo will be located. From there we were brought to most of the sport venues around Bloomington, Minneapolis and St. Paul. At each location key venue management personnel proudly presented their facilities and answered questions from members. Organizers threw in some fun elements as the mascots from both St. Thomas University and the University of Minnesota high-fived attendees as they came off the buses. “There is no better way to share information about the 2015 venues and their locations, as well as to gain housing and transportation information than to get out and set eyes on them and have our hosts provide more details,” NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker said. “I have heard many positive comments both for the venues themselves and for how well the Minnesota team organized and conducted the tour. They really put their best foot forward this entire week.” Watch for more details to be shared in the 2015 Games section of our website in coming months. USA Judo Celebrates 2015 Demo Sport Addition “We’re ecstatic! This is a natural!” Corinne Shigemoto, COO for USA Judo, summed up the elation being shared by devotees of the sport with the news that judo has been voted into the 2015 National Senior Games Presented by Humana as a demonstration sport in a recent national campaign hosted by Post Shredded Wheat and NSGA. USA Judo is the organization that fosters the sport nationally and builds the U.S. Olympic Judo Team under the USOC. “We’ve been an Olympic sport since 1964, and we have many adults who pursue judo well into their senior years,” Shigemoto continued in the official release posted on their website and organization newsletter. “We look forward to working with USA Judo to stage an exciting showcase for the sport involving seniors,” NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker said. USA Judo Announcement Upcoming State Qualifying Games May features state games in AL, CT, DC, IN, MS, SC, VA and VT so it’s time to get registered to qualify for the 2015 National Senior Games Presented by Humana.
Right around the corner are June games in CA, CO, IA, ME,MA, MO, MT. Visit our State Registration page to search for specific information and registration links for the state(s) you are interested in.
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HUMANA Heroes: Athlete of the Month Finding His Rhythm As a race walker, 62 year old Dave Kirgan of Bowling Green, Kentucky knows the importance of finding a rhythm and focusing on fine details to keep moving. He also knows all too well the consequences of falling out of rhythm. A career Air Force man, Dave kept in shape and always aced his annual fitness test – until he was allowed to pursue a degree and sat in a classroom. “When it was time for my annual mile and a half timed run, I wasn’t ready,” he recalls. “Once you break the exercise habit, each day it’s easier to forget about it. After failing that test, I decided to start running and soon became an ardent student of running and fitness.” Wanting to help others lose weight, Dave started an aerobics class on his base that became mandatory for anyone on the overweight roster. His rhythm returned with a renewed passion for martial arts and endurance running. But when he retired in 1994, there weren’t any more fitness tests to pass and he stopped exercising completely. “Over the next seven years, my once 30 inch waist went to where 38 pants were cutting into me. I got good at not seeing my reflection in the mirror.” On the day he turned 50, Dave stopped at a gas station and found himself out of breath just from cleaning his windshield. The wakeup call brought back his running rhythm, but two years later a torn Achilles tendon dealt another blow. “It was never comfortable after that, but I wasn’t going to quit. I decided to try race walking which was easier on my sore tendon.” In 2006, Dave did better than expected in his first competition, and a fellow competitor urged him to go to the Kentucky Senior Games. Dave has always qualified for the National Senior Games since then, but could only attend Louisville in 2007 and again last year in Cleveland. In each case he reached his goal of finishing in the top 10 for his age group, and his sights are set on another good finish in Minnesota next year. There is one more constant rhythm to Dave’s story – a passion for writing that goes back to his Air Force days contributing health and fitness stories to the base newspaper and doing a weekly squadron news letter. “To keep my thoughts flowing now, I write short articles on several health and fitness oriented websites and have also been contributing articles to Walk About Magazine.” In fact, we discovered Dave from the inspirational messages he occasionally posts on The National Senior Games Facebook page. He is also working on a book called Panda Endurance. “The title comes from the fact that pandas are going extinct and there is nothing they can do about it, but people often make a conscious decision to shorten their own lives by not exercising, over eating, smoking, and ingesting chemicals from processed food and soft drinks.” Dave Kirgan says he will never lose his rhythm again now that he’s found race walking. “It really is the fountain of youth,” he says. “I take no medications whatsoever. I’m not being treated for anything except minor sports injuries.”
We’re always looking for great athlete stories. Submit yours and read more athlete stories on our Athlete of the Month page at NSGA.com! |
Senior Health and WellnessPersonal Best Tour: An Extra-Ordinary Kickoff
Enrich yourself by taking time to read the new tour blog and Ruby’s inspiring athlete profile at NSGA.com. |
The 2014 Personal Best Tour made its initial launch with a reception at our annual conference where 80 year old tennis player Ruby Rott was introduced as our Personal Best Award athlete for Minnesota. An official presentation event for Ruby will be held during the Minnesota Senior Games in August, but this was an opportunity to give a sneak preview to our members. Rott, who initially felt she was not worthy of the recognition, commanded the rapt attention of the audience with her story and heartfelt thoughts about her experiences and the health benefits gained from her athletic pursuits that did not begin until she was 55. “I hope people will perceive me not just as a senior athlete but as a good caring person,” she concluded.
NSGA Online Merchandise Store
Tax Refund? Celebrate With Cool Stuff From the NSGA Store Whether Uncle Sam sent you back some of your money or not, you’ll feel like a million bucks sporting gear from The NSGA Store. When you compete at your qualifying games let everyone know you are a National Senior Games athlete with high quality tee shirts, hats, windbreakers, hoodies or long sleeve tee shirts in your choice of colors and graphics. Visit The NSGA Store at NSGA.com to get yours. |
- Published in Newsletter
Minneapolis, Minnesota
The 2014 Personal Best Tour kicked off with a reception at The NSGA Annual Conference where 80 year old tennis player Ruby Rott (pronounced “wrote”) of St. Paul was introduced to attendees who manage state Senior Games around the nation. An official presentation event for public and media will be held during the Minnesota Senior Games in August, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to give a sneak preview to our association members and local organizers for the upcoming 2015 National Senior Games Presented by Humana.
Shown above is (left to right) 2015 Local Organizing Committee Co-Chair Susan Loyd, Ruby Rott, NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker and Humana’s Minneapolis representative Jan Mudd. Also in attendance was Pat Dahlman, Ruby’s National Senior Games doubles partner since 2001.
Riker set the stage with an overview of NSGA’s Personal Best health and wellness outreach that presents senior athletes as best examples of healthy active aging. He then shared Ruby’s story of taking up tennis at the age of 55 with absolutely no previous sport background, having grown up in a farm community in North Dakota where sports were virtually nonexistent in her tiny school. “Like many, Ruby then got busy with work, marriage and family,” Riker said. “She was a sports fan but lived through her daughter’s athletics until she graduated from college. After that, Ruby got bored with working out to fitness tapes and decided to take that first step by visiting a local tennis center. It changed her life.”
Ruby, who initially felt she was not worthy of the recognition, commanded the rapt attention of the audience with stories and heartfelt thoughts about her experiences and the health benefits gained from tennis and Senior Games. She also read excerpts from Silent Impact, a newly released book of inspirational stories written by local TV KSTP Sports Director Joe Scmitt that amplified her thoughts about being an influence on others.
The soft spoken athlete brought the room to complete silence with a story that we were completely unaware about. Ruby spoke of having lost track of Marion Murphy, her first National Senior Games doubles partner. Sadly, she read about Marion’s passing earlier this year and reached out to her daughter, who is also an active tennis player with another local club. Then, in an odd coincidence, Ruby showed up for a tennis match a few days before our presentation and discovered that her randomly selected opponent was none other than Marion’s daughter! “When I saw Mary Ellen out there all I could see was Marion,” she said, holding back tears. Recovering, she then announced “At least I can tell you I won the match!”
Our thanks to Susan Loyd, herself an elite senior athlete, who shared her thoughts about motivation and fitness, and to Jan Mudd, a cyclist who, like other past Humana guest presenters, maintains a vigorous fitness routine.
Ruby closed with a statement that was met with a standing ovation. “I hope people will perceive me not just as a senior athlete but as a good caring person.” The statement was self- evident. If you haven’t read her profile on the Personal Best page, give yourself a gift by doing so and then passing it on to someone who can use a little inspiration to get moving.
- Published in Personal Best Tour Blogs
Extra-Ordinary
Ruby Rott, 80, Saint Paul, Minnesota
When we first invited Ruby Rott to be a Personal Best athlete, she didn’t feel she was worthy of the recognition, instead suggesting another Minnesota tennis player in his 90’s who won two medals at last year’s National Senior Games. After all, she had only finally managed to capture a Silver Medal in Cleveland last year after ten attempts. And who would be interested in a story about an ordinary person and average athlete? We are, and you will be too.
While we have certainly featured elite athletes, and any competitor’s goal is to win, the fact is that a majority of people in the Senior Games Movement are average athletes who derive fitness, fun and fellowship as rich rewards for participating.
Retirement offers people a second chance at life, and Ruby Rott seized it, taking up tennis at the age of 55 with absolutely no sports experience. Growing up in rural South Dakota, she didn’t even know what tennis was until she was a teen. Then came college, job, marriage and the task of raising three children. Ruby, an avid sports fan, lived vicariously through her daughter as she excelled in track, basketball and volleyball through her college years.
Ruby knew she should exercise, but got tired of the drudge and thought it might be more fun to find a sport and enjoy the adrenaline rush of competition that she witnessed in her daughter. She visited a nearby tennis center and a whole new world opened for her. Almost immediately she met other players who had been to state and national Senior Games and she wanted in. She failed to qualify for national competition in her first attempt, but since then has made the cut and been in every one since 1993. Her perseverance finally landed her on the national medal podium last year, despite playing with two recent knee replacements. Players now tell her she is their role model.
With the 2015 National Senior Games Presented by Humana coming to Minnesota, Ruby is also a recruiter as others see the opportunity to qualify and play for host state pride in the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors. Ruby’s story is extra-ordinary because she offers a path that any aging adult can also follow to enjoy a much higher quality of life and achieve his or her own Personal Best. All one has to do is take that first step.
How did this love affair with tennis get going?
I got tired of exercising to Joanie Greggains fitness tapes to keep me physically fit and decided to do something else. I thought about different sports that people in their 50’s could play. There was a tennis center nearby and I felt it could give me the physical fitness and the fun of playing a competitive sport with the local club. They encouraged me to give it a try and I’ve been addicted to it since then. (Laughs) One of the pros gave me some private lessons and the rest was history. I got hooked!
On the tennis court now everybody tells me that I’m their role model (Chuckles). If I continue to play that encourages them to keep playing.
We have heard you are a total tennis nut, yet you didn’t start until you were 55. What took you so long?
I lived vicariously through my daughter in her sports. With Title IX she had opportunities that I did not have, so I followed her and lived through her until she graduated from college.
I didn’t even know what tennis was when I was in school. I grew up on a farm in a small town called Corona in northeast South Dakota. It was a multipurpose farm with like 12 cows, some pigs and chickens, and we grew corn, wheat and some flax. At that time we only had one extremely small school that had first grade through high school. I was in a class of seven seniors. And there were like three faculty and one was the superintendant. Can you imagine?
So everyone got to know each other pretty well.
You better believe it. (Laughs) All they had was boys basketball and no girls sports. The only opportunity I would have had was to be a cheerleader. After graduating, I went to Sioux Falls College about a hundred miles away for one year, transferred to a Bible college in Chicago for four years, and then got married and started to work clerical and administrative jobs. I worked for the Veterans Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and then held a civil service job for the Air Force in California while my husband finished his masters degree. I like to say I got a PHT…that means Putting Hubby Through. (Laughs)
We moved to St. Paul in 1962. Everything we owned fit on top of our car. While my three children were growing up I transferred all of my credits to Metro State University and finally got my BA in chemical dependency family counseling. Secretarial work provided more funds than counseling so I opted for more money. I took an early retirement in 1997 but after a year discovered that if I wanted to continue in tennis I had to get back to work. I chose an occupation as a direct support professional in a group home for the developmentally disadvantaged for over ten years. I worked a night shift in order to keep on playing tennis during the daytime.
Now that’s commitment.
Well, it was the kind of job where you didn’t have to stay awake all night. It was ideal for me but I finally retired a little over a year ago.
When did you learn about the National Senior Games?
I found out about it pretty much right away because some of the people I played with had been in Senior Games. So that got me interested. Almost immediately after I started tennis I participated in qualifying competition for 1991. I didn’t make it, but I came close. My first games were in Baton Rouge in 1993, and I have not missed a one since then. I always qualify for both singles and doubles except 1999 when I did not make it in singles. I did actually try competing in 5K in 1997 in Tucson and came out close to the bottom. I also tried out some track.
Now you have a Silver Medal to show for it.
That was the first one. I’ve gotten a lot of ribbons in the past. I’m happy to be in the 80 to 84 range I guess because I was the very youngest in my age group. One lady jokingly told me she was consoled because she was beaten by a younger lady. (Laughs) The tennis player that beat me in Cleveland is rated two levels above my level and she beat me handily. I found out there are 81 year old tennis ladies who still have 4.0 NTRP ratings. She really walloped me but it was fun.
What do you like most about your participation?
It’s the experience of competing against women of my own age in other locales. When I was in Cleveland it was great to meet gals from New York, Connecticut and Virginia you know, to get to know them. Being a part of it gives me energy and motivation to keep going.
In 2001, I established a partner in doubles with Pat Dahlman, who lives near me in White Bear Lake. It was pros from a club that recommended we pair up for the National Senior Games. Cleveland was our 7th time together as partners. We aren’t on the same teams here, but we email each other frequently and we have the same political, social and spiritual values that have made us close friends. I would say she has become my closest friend. And that’s a real plus. I never would have gotten to know her like this if it hadn’t been for tennis.
The good news is that you don’t have to travel far to play in the Nationals next year.
That’s right. Pat and I have already signed up to play in the Minnesota qualifying games in August. We took advantage of the $5 discount to register early. Hopefully our bodies will hold up and allow us to compete in 2015.
It will mean a lot less financial output and it will be much more convenient. I’m very familiar with the Baseline Tennis Center at the University of Minnesota so it will feel like I’m playing on my home court. There are outdoor and indoor courts there. I’ve been told that the air conditioned ones will be for the older people, so I’m pretty sure I will qualify for that. (Chuckles)
There’s a lot more interest among all of my tennis friends to enter the Minnesota Senior Games. Deborah Ely-Lawrence, one of my doubles league partners at the Inner City Tennis Club, is young enough to be my daughter. She’s 58 and plans to compete in her own age group because of my recommendation. She says I have a wicked serve.
What physical challenges have you overcome as a senior athlete?
I go for back therapy two times a week. It’s not enjoyable but it keeps me on the court. I’m very grateful for my Energy Body Therapist, Trish Pool, who has volunteered her services in alleviating numerous aches and pains for many years. I also have to watch my heart rate. I wear a monitor. My primary physician tells me I should not exceed 160 which I sometimes do in singles play. But that seems to be improving. In Cleveland I didn’t think about heart rates. (Chuckles)
My first real physical challenge was in 2005. At that time there wasn’t any Minnesota senior games organization and it prompted me to try to get together all of the Minnesota athletes at the Pittsburgh National Senior Games. A track competitor (JoAnn Hell) and I were planning a dinner social, and a couple of weeks before that I had some sharp pains and ended up in the hospital for a surgical procedure to deal with a kidney infection. I had to make a lot of phone calls from the hospital, making final arrangements with the hotel and so on. It was a lot of work, and it was not recommended that I go to Pittsburgh, but I made it. And I played. (Chuckles) I think we even got a 5th place ribbon in doubles if I remember correctly.
My next biggest challenge was that my knees really started bothering me. I tried everything I could with treatments and so forth to correct the arthritis and degeneration that was going on. I knew that I had to do something and made the decision to have two knee replacements in 2012. My Stryker Triathlon knee implants are doing very well for me. I don’t even think about them when I’m playing.
The latest hurdle was with my right arm after I came home from Cleveland. Thanks to a cortisone shot in my shoulder in September I’ve been able to continue playing. I’ve also been coping with familial tremors and just got new orthotics for plantar fasciitis. Now I’m a little slower, but I’m still on the court today. Tennis is a sport for all ages.
What would you say to folks who were like you and haven’t made the move to get active?
It makes life worth living when I’m playing my sport. I guess that the main thing is that it brings a meaning to life that you otherwise don’t have if you are a couch potato.
Do you surprise yourself with what you can still do?
Sometimes. Last week at practice I really surprised myself at the kind of shots that I was able to hit and win points. In my last match I beat a woman in her ’50s! That was an encouragement, thinking that I can still do it. And I’ll keep doing it as long as this body will let me.
- Published in 2014 PB, Personal Best Featured Athletes