Association News

Breaking: 2021 National Senior Games Postponed to 2022

The 2021 National Senior Games presented by Humana has been postponed to 2022.

Due to the disruptions caused by the pandemic, and out of an abundance of caution, NSGA has made the decision to postpone the National Senior Games to May 10-23, 2022. “In consultations with our host region and with our association Members and athletes, it became clear that having several more months of economic recovery and time for the pandemic to subside made postponement the obvious decision for all,” NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker said.

Adjustments to the qualification and registration process that NSGA adopted in response to the pandemic remain in place for The Games in May of 2022. Click Here for the qualification and registration adjustments. In addition, NSGA has extended the qualifying period through December 31, 2021. Athletes who meet the sport/event qualification standards at a qualifying state senior games in 2021 will qualify for the National Senior Games in May of 2022.

Qualified athletes will be eligible to register for their sport/event during the Priority Registration Period. The number of registrants may be limited for certain sports during the Priority Registration Period. Athletes age 50+ by December 31, 2021, who are unable to qualify may register for sports/events during the Open Registration Period provided that the sport/event has not reached registration capacity.

NSGA supports our Member Organizations (qualifying State Senior Games) in their decisions regarding the conduct of sports/events in 2021. COVID continues to impact each state differently so the ability to stage events this year may vary by state or region. The state qualifying senior games are independently managed and directly communicating with athletes about the status of their events in 2021. NSGA encourages you to directly contact the senior games office(s) in any location(s) where you plan to participate in 2021. A directory of the state qualifying senior games with contact information is available at NSGA.com under the STATE GAMES tab.

Our staff is working diligently with local organizers in Greater Fort Lauderdale to finalize venues, general competition schedules and housing options. Registration for the National Games is expected to open in late summer of 2021, with exact dates for each registration period to be announced on NSGA.com and in our monthly e-newsletter The Long Run. Qualified athletes will also receive qualification emails with registration details after information is fully confirmed.

NSGA’s guiding principle is to act in the best interests of our athletes, State Senior Games, partners and staff. By postponing the Games to 2022, our hope is that COVID fears will be greatly reduced and more athletes will be comfortable with travel, training and participation.

NSGA Postponement Media Release

January Athlete of the Month

The Long Road to Glory

Richard Soller, 93, North Bend, Ohio

Richard Soller feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders after chasing a dream goal for 32 years. We’ll make you wait and read on to fully appreciate his story and eventual reward.

When Richard went out for track in high school, he suffered a torn hamstring and never ran again until he was 50. “When the running craze was coming on, my wife Jean and I were heavy smokers and had young children, so we decided to try to get healthy and do what we should be doing,” he recalls. “That’s what prompted us to get into the running business.”

Luckily for Richard, Cincinnati was already conducting local Senior Olympics in the early 80’s before the National Senior Games were formed, and he enjoyed participating in track and field and road races with others of his own age. When Nationals came along in 1987, he eagerly registered for the inaugural Games in St. Louis. Then came the irony of ironies – Richard sustained another hamstring injury shortly beforehand and had to scratch.

Again. Ugh.

That might be a bad omen for some, but it lit a fire under Richard – he has gone on to compete in every National Senior Games since then, an impressive string of 15 in all. His overall masters history includes earning gold medals in many regional and state Senior Games and in USATF Masters National Championship age division events. He’s traveled to Canada, Mexico, Barbados and Australia to compete. High points were earning a medal in the World Master Games in Australia and being the oldest finisher at age 85 in the 2012 Chicago Marathon.

However, one huge goal eluded Richard through the years – to win a National Senior Games Gold Medal. Then, finally, in Albuquerque, he beat out his friendly nemesis Joe Barger of Texas to win the M90-94 5K Road Race at the 2019 National Senior Games presented by Humana. His 47:24 time was good enough to rank 5th in his division in NSGA history. (Joe stands in the #2 and #3 slots after besting Richard in previous Games.) “That was a top thing, maybe the high point of my career,” he muses.

“I’ve always considered myself a mid-packer, but at my age now there’s not much competition,” he continues. “I’ve always had a positive attitude and I love going to The Games for the competition and to see and meet people. I’ve made many good friends over the years.” He adds that the real goal since toeing the line has been to work hard and enjoy the benefits of good health as he ages.

Another source of pride is that his daughter has followed his example and became a runner. “I motivated her. We did a lot of running together when she was young, and she actually became a personal trainer for several years.”

There have been other challenges and injuries along the way in Richard’s journey, all of which he says he’s handled with grit, determination, self-motivation and especially perseverance. His advice to others is simple: “Don’t expect to win every time. Keep at it, and in the long run, you might come up with your dream right at the end.”
Good advice, Richard, but we don’t think you are anywhere near the end of your running career. Go get another Gold Medal in Greater Fort Lauderdale!

We’d like to hear about you or an interesting athlete you admire-it just might be selected for a story! To submit yours, or to nominate another, Please Click Here.

Senior Health and Wellness

Don’t Forget Your Annual Flu Shot – It’s More Important Than Ever!

An article in last month’s newsletter by our partner Humana asked us to continue to observe social distancing but not to practice medical distancing, denying ourselves needed vaccinations, screenings and chronic disease management. Because of COVID-19 it is more important than ever for us to maintain healthcare engagement, including rolling up our sleeves for vaccines like flu shots. This allows us to make a positive contribution to the common good by lessening the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wearing a mask, and washing hands often, and getting a flu vaccine are simple actions that everyone can take, especially those at higher risk of developing serious flu complications.

Moreover, it is important that we collectively contribute to reducing the spread of respiratory illnesses, thereby helping with reserving medical resources needed to care for people with COVID-19. The flu shot is free for Medicare participants. Many health plans also cover shots. I paid nothing out of pocket for the flu shot I received at Walgreen’s last week.

With winter flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 spreading, there is still time to receive a flu shot. Each year as long as flu viruses are circulating, vaccination should continue throughout flu season. The flu season typically runs from October through April and flu activity usually peaks in January or February in the United States. According to Dr. Erin Kennedy, a researcher with CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, it is never too late to be vaccinated and the vaccine can still protect you against the flu, as long as flu viruses are circulating. Surveillance findings in recent U.S. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) show a low level of flu for the U.S. Let’s keep this number low!

Flu vaccinations have many benefits. They have been shown to reduce flu illnesses and to reduce the risk of more serious flu outcomes that can result in hospitalization or even death in older people. Flu vaccination reduce severity of illness in people who are vaccinated but still get sick.

CDC has worked with vaccine manufacturers to have extra flu vaccine available and a record number of flu vaccine doses have been distributed in the U.S. Use the VaccineFinderexternal icon to find out where to be vaccinated near you.

We commend those of you who have an annual routine of starting the New Year with planned doctor visits, preventive health screening and vaccinations. I encourage each one of you to go in and roll up your sleeve!

Andrew Walker, MPH
NSGA Health and Wellness Director

Happy Birthday, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Born January 15, 1929

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Association News

Year End Message from CEO Marc T. Riker

On behalf of myself and the NSGA staff, we extend sincere holiday greetings to everyone involved in the Senior Games Movement, first and foremost to our amazing athletes and the support from their spouses, partners, family members and friends. Your example that promotes healthy, active aging makes a huge impact in your communities and on multiple generations.

2020 was a year like no other in anyone’s living memory, beginning with prosperity and promise that was replaced by a worldwide pandemic and widespread disruption of nearly every aspect of daily life. As we all know, this included the necessity to postpone or cancel State Senior Games and change the national qualifying process.

It has also presented new challenges to planning and staging the National Senior Games presented by Humana due to the negative economic and social impact on society and the host region. Please know that we are diligently working through these challenges, and that it will be a little while longer before we can report specifics about The Games. We know many of you like to secure your travel plans as early as possible, but given the curve ball that is COVID, we want to be certain about posting information until it is confirmed.

We deeply appreciate the important work done by our Member Games. There are thousands of dedicated people involved with organizing and running 53 multisport events across the map each year. Please let these key people in your state know how much you appreciate their efforts to stage games.

Finally, if you are one of the many athletes who annually make a voluntary contribution to support NSGA, we want you to know how important that is to keep our organization moving forward. To make a tax-deductible donation to NSGA, please click here.

Wishing you and your family health and prosperity in the year ahead.

Happy Holidays and Long Live the Challenge!

December Athlete of the Month

The Adventures of Shirley Radecki

Winning two swimming medals in The National Senior Games is a remarkable achievement, but no one was more surprised to win them than Shirley Radecki, who struck gold and silver in her first appearance last year at the age of 90.

In a way it was very special, but it’s also just one more of many special moments she has enjoyed thanks to her daughter, Shaundele Leatherberry, who suggested they have “yearly adventures” involving physical activity and rustic settings to give them a challenge to look forward to. Some have also involved Shirley’s two sons and family members. After 22 years, the two can relate world travel tales of backpacking, riding motorcycles, scuba diving, and ocean swimming as typical activities. In recent years Shirley skydived at 80 and 85, climbed 14,000 feet up Mount Kilimanjaro at 89, and last year celebrated her 90th birthday by bungee jumping in a New Zealand gorge. Watch it here.

“I knew only 65% of people actually bungee jump once they are up there, but Mom didn’t look down and just walked out and jumped off,” Shaundele says. “The pressure was on me, because I knew she would jump.”

Shaundele, 68, says Shirley has always liked to stay active and modeled healthy practices for her children, saying “I remember how she did her Jack Lalanne exercises with the Glamour Stretcher and exercise ball every morning for years.” Shirley did not have the chance to play formal youth sports but learned to swim and kept it as a recreational activity. She also picked up golf as an adult and plays regularly. But in recent years she had difficulty finding active age peers, so her daughter had an idea to keep her mother engaged.

“Most others her age now just sit around playing cards and complaining about their prescriptions. There wasn’t anyone to do active stuff with around here,” Shaundele explains. “I got concerned and started encouraging her to do Senior Games. I wanted her to be around more active seniors and really have something to work toward.”

Shirley has no problem jumping out of planes, but still resisted the sports idea at first. “I’m not very competitive, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself.” But her daughter urged her to try, so mom got to work, finding a coach and practicing swimming and water aerobics weekly, and then successfully qualifying in the 2018 Oregon Senior Games.

The National Senior Games adventure impressed Shirley from the moment she saw the “WELCOME ATHLETES” sign at the Albuquerque airport full of enthusiastic people carrying their equipment and bags in. Finally feeling like an athlete, Shirley outdid herself in her second-ever swim meet and was rewarded with a Gold Medal in the 90-94 women’s 50-yard backstroke and a Silver Medal in the 100-yard backstroke, trading first place finishes with longtime swimmer Sara Sievert of Texas. “We were just a few seconds apart,” Radecki said. “She was pretty good competition. I hope to have more time to visit with her next time.”

Shirley also competed in the 100-yard breaststroke but was disqualified because she did not touch both hands on the wall or use proper leg form. The experience reinforced the need for regular practice for the future. Shaundele, who loves to play softball and swim, is now intrigued about joining Senior Games herself and not just be mom’s traveling companion next time.

The twice-widowed onetime flight attendant loves her adventures. The pandemic canceled this year’s Antarctica trip, but Costa Rica is next on their list. Shirley also plans to skydive again when she is 95. However, the simple things are still most important to her. “You know, it’s important to eat healthy, stay active and do what you do best. But having a good relationship with my family has been really special.”

We’d like to hear about you or an interesting athlete you admire-it just might be selected for a story! To submit yours, or to nominate another, Please Click Here.

A Word From Our Partners

Make Preventive Care Part of Your Senior Games Training

From annual wellness checkups to flu shots to routine care for chronic conditions – now is the time to take care of your health, making sure you are in tiptop shape to compete in the National Senior Games.

Many people are nervous about visiting the doctor, anxious that they will expose themselves and their loved ones to COVID-19. Unfortunately, this means many people are avoiding the routine, preventive care necessary to manage their health, particularly if they have a chronic condition like diabetes.

There are many ways to get the care you need safely, detecting possible health issues and avoiding undetected disease progression. Healthcare professionals are carefully following state guidelines to ensure patient safety. If you have questions, call your doctor and ask about their safety protocols. Similarly, ask your doctor or your health insurer about options for in-home care and telehealth if you are not comfortable leaving your home.

Dr. William Shrank, Humana’s Chief Medical Officer, recently appeared on CBS’ “The Doctors,” discussing the importance of preventive care, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Humana is committed to encouraging safety and well-being, while at the same time discouraging “medical distancing.” To see segment from the show, please click here.

Please remember, social distancing should not mean medical distancing. Taking care of your health today sets you up for success when you return to Senior Games competition.

Senior Health and Wellness

Study Shows Excellent Screening Results for Senior Games Athletes

New Senior Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE) research with National Senior Games Association (NSGA) athletes show exceptional cardiovascular screening results. In the recent study, Keep Them in the Game: Screening Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes in Aging Athletes, lead author, Dr. Becca Jordre found that NSGA athletes demonstrate “substantially and significantly lower rates” of cardiovascular disease and diabetes when compared to the general population of the same age. A summary of Dr. Jordre’s article can be found here.

The following question and answer exchange with Dr. Jordre and National Senior Game Association Director of Health and Wellness, Andrew Walker MPH, explores findings from the most recent SAFE study.

Andrew: Can you give us a brief overview of your new study results?
Dr. Jordre: This study focused specifically on cardiovascular health and risk factors in over 2,000 NSGA athletes. We asked questions about cardiovascular disease and diabetes and we looked at anthropometric measures such as body mass index, waist circumference and waist to hip ratio. We again found that NSGA athletes are some of the heathiest aging adults around.

Andrew: Senior athletes are a little competitive. Can you quantify how well they did in this study?
Dr. Jordre: Well, they should be proud! We found the prevalence of cardiovascular disease for male senior athletes was 34-38% lower than in the general population and for females it was 41-57% lower. What was even more amazing to me was the prevalence of diabetes. NSGA athletes demonstrated rates that were 73-77% lower than the general population.

Andrew: In light of these exceptional findings from the SAFE, what are your recommendations to NSGA athletes?
Dr. Jordre: While NSGA athletes did demonstrate superior health, they are not immune to cardiovascular health risks. Our measurements of waist-to hip-ratio found that 40% of NSGA athletes are at risk for cardiovascular disease or diabetes. I would encourage athletes to continue with conscientious health habits such as healthy eating, regular exercise and regular health screenings to monitor their progress. Last year we created a cardiovascular health guide specifically for senior athletes. You can find it here.

Andrew: A recent report on physical activity in Americans shows that few older adults get the suggested amount of physical activity. What about NSGA athletes?
Dr. Jordre: You’re right, only about one quarter of older adults get the 150 minutes of aerobic exercise recommended each week. We found that NSGA athletes average more than 300 minutes of aerobic exercise each week and about an hour of strength training. I think this helps to explain their excellent health outcomes. NSGA athletes should really be proud of these results! They demonstrate what is possible with active aging.

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