The Long Run May 2021
Association News
Fort Lauderdale One Year Out Event Shares “What’s New for 2022”
The 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana were just one year away on May 10, and the date was celebrated with a gathering of supporters at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort by Visit Lauderdale, the official destination marketing organization for Greater Fort Lauderdale (Broward County), and NSGA.
The 15-minute Facebook Live program, hosted by Visit Lauderdale President & CEO Stacy Ritter, was set against a beach backdrop to emphasize the iconic natural wonders and attractions that Greater Fort Lauderdale has to offer.
After remarks by representatives from Humana and Visit Lauderdale, NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker revealed two developments that will positively impact The Games and the Senior Games Movement. The first announced creation of The USA Today Senior Games Training Center, a special online resource made possible by Humana. The other is the introduction of the new NSG CUP presented by KOHLER Walk-in Bath, which will provide athletes and states a new way to compete for recognition.
The day’s activities also included a sports demonstration of Beach Volleyball and Basketball at Fort Lauderdale Beach Park that was videotaped for a special segment of the popular NBC “6 In the Mix” midday show. As noted by Riker at the program, Beach Volleyball, 8v8 Soccer and Cornhole have been added as Open Sports for the 2022 Games.
WATCH: Facebook Live Program Replay
READ: NSGA One Year Out Media Release
USA Today Senior Games Training Center Announced
Humana, the Presenting Sponsor of National Senior Games since 2007, has partnered with USA Today to produce an exciting and interactive online destination that brings inspiring Senior Games content and compelling engagements into one place. The USA Today Senior Games Training Center will be promoted throughout the USA Today media platform and include stories, interactive articles, photography, a sweepstakes, even a trivia engagement.
Watch for news about the launch of this platform to come soon. We’re excited about the potential to reach millions of people and providing senior athletes with a new resource!
Game On!
New NSG CUP Creates Additional Medal Competition for Athletes and States
There will be a new way for athletes and states to compete with the introduction of The NSG CUP presented by KOHLER Walk-in Bath, which was revealed at our One Year Out event. The concept is to level the playing field by measuring the percentage of medals won based on the number of athletes from each state.
NSGA has always reported and ranked State Medal totals at National Senior Games, but smaller states with accomplished athletes never receive recognition. “The larger states typically collect the most medals,” NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker said. “With the NSG CUP, now any size state can potentially have bragging rights for packing the most punch based on their size. It will be another way to motivate our athletes even more to play for state pride.”
The NSG CUP was revealed during the Facebook Live event, and athlete interest in the idea was on full display when Brian Hankerson, elite record holding track and field athlete from Hollywood, Florida was introduced to represent athletes. After being handed the cup to admire, Hankerson refused to give it back, jokingly saying the other states would have to come take it away from him and his fellow Floridians. (Read his Athlete of the Month feature below.)
We are excited to offer yet another way for athletes to compete for state pride. Who will hoist The NSG CUP next May?
More State Games Coming
Athletes can still qualify in 2021 State Senior Games for the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana in Greater Fort Lauderdale. But even if you have already qualified under our amended qualification rules, these games are excellent opportunities to get back into play and be in your best shape by next May. It’s also a boost to the spirit to see your fellow athletes and organizers again!
There’s a quick way to check which games are scheduled by clicking on the “Qualifying Games Calendar At A Glance” box on our State Information Page at NSGA.com. Each state independently makes their best decisions based on their circumstances, will share new information for the page and communicate directly with athletes about their status for 2021.
Pittsburgh 2023 Announcement Video and Media Coverage Recap
Our announcement of Pittsburgh as our 2023 Host City could not have gone better! The “Where Will We Be in 2023?” social media campaign shared daily hints for one week and engaged many to join in the detective work, and our Facebook Live reveal at the Heinz History Center featured excited athletes and attendees cheering and waving the iconic “Terrible Towels.”
Our hosts successfully garnered tremendous media coverage that made the region know that National Senior Games would be back in The City of Champions in 2023. You can find links to the major media stories and watch the entire announcement program video on our 2023 National Senior Games information page.
May Athlete of the Month
Leaps of Faith – Brian Hankerson, 62, Hollywood, Florida
It’s easy to assume that athletes just have a gift and that it’s not something you could go out and do, especially in midlife. Brian Hankerson no longer believes that and offers his story as proof. While he always knew he could jump and run, he never knew how good he might be until he put it to the test and won his first ever competitive race at age 45.
It was a harbinger of great things to follow, and Brian, now 62, is just getting started in his senior athletic career.
The Miami native still runs track sprints and relays at some meets, but he has become more focused on jumping since discovering his talent. In National Senior Games Top Ten Performance records, the name Brian Hankerson sweeps the #1 spot all-time in Long Jump for Men’s 50-54, 55-59 and 60-64 age groups. Add #1 in High Jump for 60-64 and top spot for Triple Jump’s 55-59 group. In 2015, he set the American indoor and outdoor masters track records for Men’s 55-59 Long Jump, breaking records that stood for 35 years.
“I’ve always been an athletic guy but was a shorty in high school – when I graduated I was only 5’2” and weighed 98 pounds,” he recalls. “So I spent time in band and did some wrestling, but I didn’t think about doing college sports.” The next year Brian grew ten inches and gained 50 pounds, but he was already on his way to an accounting career and a marriage that would produce four children and 12 grandkids. He lived sports through them and occasionally coached youth at a local park, making sure to run with the kids to be an example.
When he was 43, Brian was at a youth track meet and saw there were also masters athletes giving their all. He thought it would be fun to compete with those guys, and after he set high jump and long jump records in his first real competition, he knew there was more potential. As he progressed in masters track, other experienced athletes offered him advice and encouragement about training, rest and nutrition. One suggested his speed and the spring in his high jump could make the long jump his breakout sport.
Within three years, Brian had heeded the advice and was aggressively honing his skills as an elite athlete. “Like anything, if you want to be good at it you have to work at it,” he observes. “Do it right, honor the sport. So you have a unique gift. Well, how good can you be? I always strive to be the best at everything I do.”
The 2018 Florida Senior Games Athlete of the Year gains both strength and humility from his faith. He has used his PhD in accounting to serve for more than 20 years as chief operating and financial officer at The Faith Center, a 10,000-member church in Sunrise, Florida. He also has become an associate pastor and teams with his wife to offer marriage counseling. His patience, wisdom and caring attitude has carried into his sporting life, and he is happy that the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana will be hosted close to home.
“I believe everyone is here for a purpose, and for me it’s got to be more than just winning medals or glorifying myself,” he says. “People now come to me at the track to share their life concerns. And in the long jump competitions, the other men won’t let the event start until I pray with them. It’s gotten to the point that even some of the track officials want to join in.”
“I just found this to be my role at the meets, to be prepared to listen, to share and pray with someone in the midst of competition,” he continues. “Life goes on because we all have families and issues, successes and failures to deal with. I want to do my best to maximize my gift, both as an athlete and as a friend to others.”
“There’s so much you can do that you may sell yourself short on,” he concludes. “If you have confidence, take that leap of faith and put in the work, you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.”
What’s YOUR story? To submit yours, or to nominate a fellow athlete, Please Click Here.
Senior Health and Wellness
Connection, Community and Senior Games Resilience
In tough times, communities find strength in people—and people find strength in their communities. “Communities of Strength” is the theme for Older Americans Month (OAM) during the month of May. Older adults play a significant role in fostering the connection and engagement that build strong, resilient communities.
Senior Games athletes are the key source of strength of the Senior Game’s movement. The successes and difficulties experienced in preparing, training and competing in local, state and National Senior Games have forged some of your resilience.
Recently, several examples of community and connection building occurred among our member States. Examples include the Oklahoma Senior Games collecting over forty inspirational stories written by Senior Game athletes; the California Senior Games creating meaningful conversations and building community through their virtual talk series where participants could engage with USA Olympians sharing stories of the Olympic Games and sport training tips; the New Mexico Senior Olympics cultivated community by hosting their own fitness challenge.
Notably, New Mexico also joined with the National Senior Games and Running Medicine in a daylong Creating Community Through Movement event that included a tai chi demonstration by NSGA staff member Andrew Walker. The event included the panel discussion Women’s Running Across the Generations with NSGA runner Kathrine Switzer of 261 Fearless.
In addition, NSGA created community and engagement with three virtual step challenges over the past year, giving many the motivation and support to continue moving during COVID-19.
This article was prepared by Andrew Walker, MPH, NSGA Health and Wellness Director
Far From Alone Initiative Targets Social Isolation
Strength is built and shown not only by bold acts, but also small gestures in day-to-day life, such as having a conversation with a friend. Health and well-being research shows that social connection can greatly improve your overall health. This has been especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic which exposed loneliness as a rising issue that many people face.
NSGA is joining others as partners of the Far From Alone initiative made possible by the Humana Foundation. Senior Games athletes have a great opportunity to help build better connectedness by spreading the word about the resources available to help you or your loved ones feel more socially connected. Sharing your Senior Games story can be a rich source of a meaningful conversation and inspiration for others.
Far From Alone Resource Center
NSGA Congratulates “Steps to WELL-Being” Challenge Winners!
The StepsToWELL-Being National Senior Games Challenge, our third virtual fitness challenge, has recently completed and we want to share top performances. This was the first to offer both individual and team challenges.
The NSGA Individual Challenge ended with a total of 46,223,689 steps. The top eight individuals were: Y. Lee, 2,633,489; T. Niemeyer, 1,669,086; E. Borden, 1,166,236; G. Mixon, 1,125,198; P. Cunio, 1,077,782; C. Zucker, 1,069,626; E. Curran, 1,051,419; and J. LeVasseur, 1,032,243 steps respectively. Moreover, twenty seven percent of these participants improved upon their average weekly beginning steps.
The Team Challenge contributed 63,127 steps towards an overall total of 16,863,399 steps or 8,432 miles! The top three finishers were Hawaii (Gerofit Hawaii), North Carolina and Massachusetts. The North Carolina Senior Games team demonstrated outstanding effort by recruiting 55 team members.
We again thank Own Your Own Health and Louisiana Governor’s Council of Physical Fitness and Sports for providing the virtual platform for this fun challenge!
NSGA Health & Wellness Partners
NSGA Sport Partners
NSGA Official Apparel
- Published in Newsletter
Five Ways Exercise Can Reduce Loneliness and Improve Health in Older Adults
If loneliness were a virus, we’d call it a pandemic. According to the AARP, more than half of adults 50 and over have reported experiencing social isolation due to COVID-19.1 And that’s a problem: As the AARP also points out, decades of research have taught us that prolonged social isolation and loneliness are more damaging to your health than obesity and as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
What can you do? How about a both/and: moving your muscles for your body while making social connections for your mind and spirit. In other words, try exercise but with a twist. Do it in the company of others.
Besides being good for your health, exercising with a buddy or group can be a big part of the cure for loneliness. So call a friend, ask them to join your “team,” and make your exercise routine your social routine, too. Here are five tips to get started:
- Walk and talk with your friend. Get all the neighborhood dirt while cleaning out your arteries. Walking and talking is actually a great barometer to track your fitness— doctors call it the “the talk test.” If you find yourself getting winded, slow down your pace and gradually increase it day by day.
- Join a group exercise class. Studies have shown that group exercise class can reduce the symptoms of depression by 30% or more in exercising older adults.2 (If you hate exercise but enjoy being with friends, this might be the cure for you.)
- Join a sport club or league. Tennis or golf, volleyball or pickleball—choose something new or a past pastime. Rediscover your competitive spirit or just enjoy the camaraderie of a team. Leagues have schedules you commit to, making it more likely you’ll stick with it, especially if you don’t like to let others down.
- Work out with a personal trainer. A personal trainer will motivate you while also providing the bonus of companionship. Ageility offers fitness training from certified instructors who focus on where you’re at right now as well as your personal goals. Find out if there’s an Ageility clinic near you.
- Revisit an old exercise “flame.” Haven’t played tennis or golf (or something else) in 20 years but want to start up again? Pick up that racquet or nine-iron and remember what you loved about the sport, and don’t worry if you’re rusty. Ask a friend you used to play with or a newer acquaintance to join you once a week for a set date.
- Try a partner workout. Simple exercises can become a lot more fun with a friend. Watch our Ageility trainers demonstrate a simple workout that requires a partner – you simply can’t do it alone.
You get the picture. This pandemic time is a time to lean on others to get you moving again. The great thing is, soon you won’t be leaning but standing up straight. Exercise can be much easier when you’re not the only one doing it. Plus, if you invite a friend to join you, chances are they’re in the same boat and will be grateful you asked.
Tip: Especially if you’ve been sedentary, consult your doctor or a physical therapist before starting an exercise regimen.
These tips are brought to you by Ageility fitness trainers. Ageility is a national leader in providing innovative rehab and fitness solutions for older adults who are reimagining aging.
Find more tips and stories at the Ageility blog.
Sources:
- Pandemic has created loneliness epidemic, new report shows. https://www.aarp.org/home-family/friends-family/info-2020/isolation-survey-coronavirus.html. Accessed April 30, 2021.
- British Journal of Psychiatry, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11983637/. Accessed April 30, 2021.
- Published in Get In Shape With Ageility
2022 National Senior Games Celebrates “One Year Out” In Greater Fort Lauderdale
Major media platform, new way for states to compete announced
GREATER FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (May 10, 2021) – Organizers, athletes and supporters gathered at the Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort to hear “What’s New for 2022?” with the upcoming 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana, marking one year from opening day for the massive multisport event that will take place at venues throughout Greater Fort Lauderdale. They were not disappointed.
Two major NSGA announcements were made during a livestreamed program hosted by Visit Lauderdale, the official destination marketing organization for Greater Fort Lauderdale (Broward County) and the National Senior Games Association (NSGA.) One development will bring major exposure to the Senior Games Movement, and the other is a novel new way for athletes to compete for their states.
Humana announces partnership with USA Today
Humana, the Presenting Sponsor of National Senior Games since 2007, announced they have partnered with USA Today to produce a special online destination that brings inspiring Senior Games content and compelling engagements into one place. The USA Today Senior Games Training Center will be promoted to millions of people, and will include stories, interactive articles, photography, a sweepstakes, even a trivia engagement. The content developed by Humana and NSGA will evolve over time to stay fresh and reward repeat visits.
“The 2022 National Senior Games will mark Humana’s 15-year legacy of commitment to the world’s best senior athletes,” said Humana’s South Florida Medicare President Betty Assapimonwait. “These amazing athletes and their dedication to physical and mental well-being, continue to inspire seniors and people of all ages and we’re excited to share their compelling stories on a new platform, The USA Today Senior Games Training Center.”
“NSG CUP” creates new way for athletes, states to compete
The second big announcement revealed there will be a new way for athletes and states to compete with the new NSG CUP presented by KOHLER Walk-in Bath. The concept is to level the playing field by measuring the percentage of medals won based on the number of athletes from each state.
“We always track and report the state medal counts at our Games, and it’s great to see which earned the most medals,” NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker said. “But the biggest states typically get the largest number of medals. With the NSG CUP, now any size state can potentially have bragging rights for packing the most punch. It will be another way to motivate our athletes even more to play for state pride.”
“As a proud supporter of excellence in sport and athletics, Kohler Co. is thrilled to be a part of the National Senior Games,” said Brian Childs, Kohler Co. Business Director – Service Businesses. “It is an honor to present an award that elevates the Games’ competition and celebrates every state and every athlete.”
Riker also noted that 22 sports will be contested between May 10-23, 2022 at venues all around Fort Lauderdale and Broward County. Three are newly added sports – Beach Volleyball, Soccer and Corn Hole. “The good news is that these will all be open sports, meaning you don’t have to qualify to compete,” he explained. “We hope many local people will take advantage of the opportunity to participate in National Senior Games for the first time.”
Greater Fort Lauderdale touted as premier destination
The live streamed program, hosted by Visit Lauderdale President & CEO Stacy Ritter, was set against a beach backdrop to share all of the iconic natural wonders and attractions that Greater Fort Lauderdale has to offer.
“We look forward to welcoming National Senior Games athletes and spectators to enjoy our 24 miles of golden beaches, plenty of outdoor recreational experiences, culture-rich attractions, and extraordinary culinary scene,” said Ritter. “We’re excited to bring everyone together under the sun.”
With eight beaches, the Everglades, shopping, museums, casinos, walkable mural districts and more than 4,000 dining options, there is much to explore in Greater Fort Lauderdale. The diverse, cosmopolitan destination includes 31 cities, each with unique attractions. The “Yachting Capital of the World” also offers various ways to enjoy the water, whether it’s with a tour on the Water Taxi, watersports or a dock and dine experience. With 76 artificial reefs, Greater Fort Lauderdale is home to the largest collection of warm-water wrecks in the Western world. It is also the only place in the continental USA where you can snorkel and dive on a living coral reef straight off the beach.
National Senior Games competition is for athletes 50 and older and organized in five-year age divisions with medals awarded for each level. Due to the pandemic, the original 2021 dates were rescheduled to May 10-23, 2022 in Greater Fort Lauderdale. The biennial event normally requires athletes to qualify at one of 53 state games in the year before each Games. However, in response to the pandemic NSGA has adjusted the qualification process to provide qualified status for any participants who were not able to compete in a 2020 qualifying game.
Riker noted that in 2019, The National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico set an all-time participation record with nearly 14,000 athletes competing in 20 sports over a two-week schedule, with an estimated $35 million local economic impact. “Those Games made us the largest qualified multisport championship competition in history, so Greater Fort Lauderdale may be surprised at the magnitude of the event and its impact on the community,” he told the gathering.
“We are seeing conditions improve, and our athletes around the country are beginning to get back into their fitness and competition training routines,” Riker said. “We feel positive about seeing good numbers of athletes wanting to compete and reconnect with their peers. It will feel like a reunion for the ages!”
The event is supported locally by Broward County, City of Fort Lauderdale and Visit Lauderdale. In addition to Presenting Sponsor Humana, 2022 National Partners include Ageility, KOHLER Walk-in Bath, Zibrio, and Growing Bolder.
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About NSGA:
The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) is a nonprofit Multisport Council member of the United States Olympic Paralympic Committee that promotes health and wellness for adults 50 and over through education, fitness and sport. Since 1987, NSGA has governed the biennial National Senior Games, the largest multi-sport championship event in the world for seniors. The Association is comprised of 53 independent Member Games that conduct qualifying competition events. For more information, please visit NSGA.com.
About Visit Lauderdale:
Visit Lauderdale is the official destination marketing organization for Greater Fort Lauderdale and serves as the tourism department for Broward County, Florida. Visit Lauderdale promotes the area’s 31 municipalities to a global audience of leisure and business travelers, and books conventions into the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center and area hotels and resorts. For more information visit: sunny.org and follow @VisitLauderdale on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
About Humana:
Humana Inc. is committed to helping our millions of medical and specialty members achieve their best health. Our successful history in care delivery and health plan administration is helping us create a new kind of integrated care with the power to improve health and well-being and lower costs. Our efforts are leading to a better quality of life for people with Medicare, families, individuals, military service personnel, and communities at large.
To accomplish that, we support physicians and other health care professionals as they work to deliver the right care in the right place for their patients, our members. Our range of clinical capabilities, resources and tools – such as in-home care, behavioral health, pharmacy services, data analytics and wellness solutions – combine to produce a simplified experience that makes health care easier to navigate and more effective.
More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company’s web site at www.humana.com, including copies of:
- Annual reports to stockholders
- Securities and Exchange Commission filings
- Most recent investor conference presentations
- Quarterly earnings news releases and conference calls
- Calendar of events
- Corporate Governance information
NSGA Media Contact:
Del Moon
678.549.4444
- Published in Press Releases
“Leaps of Faith” May 2021 Athlete of the Month
Brian Hankerson, 62, Hollywood, Florida
It’s easy to assume that athletes just have a gift and that it’s not something you could go out and do, especially in midlife. Brian Hankerson no longer believes that and offers his story as proof. While he always knew he could jump and run, he never knew how good he might be until he put it to the test and won his first ever competitive race at age 45.
It was a harbinger of great things to follow, and Brian, now 62, is just getting started in his senior athletic career.
The Miami native still runs track sprints and relays at some meets, but he has become more focused on jumping since discovering his talent. In National Senior Games Top Ten Performance records, the name Brian Hankerson sweeps the #1 spot all-time in Long Jump for Men’s 50-54, 55-59 and 60-64 age groups. Add #1 in High Jump for 60-64 and top spot for Triple Jump’s 55-59 group. In 2015, he set the American indoor and outdoor masters track records for Men’s 55-59 Long Jump, breaking records that stood for 35 years.
“I’ve always been an athletic guy but was a shorty in high school – when I graduated I was only 5’2” and weighed 98 pounds,” he recalls. “So I spent time in band and did some wrestling, but I didn’t think about doing college sports.” The next year Brian grew ten inches and gained 50 pounds, but he was already on his way to an accounting career and a marriage that would produce four children and 12 grandkids. He lived sports through them and occasionally coached youth at a local park, making sure to run with the kids to be an example.
When he was 43, Brian was at a youth track meet and saw there were also masters athletes giving their all. He thought it would be fun to compete with those guys, and after he set high jump and long jump records in his first real competition, he knew there was more potential. As he progressed in masters track, other experienced athletes offered him advice and encouragement about training, rest and nutrition. One suggested his speed and the spring in his high jump could make the long jump his breakout sport.
Within three years, Brian had heeded the advice and was aggressively honing his skills as an elite athlete. “Like anything, if you want to be good at it you have to work at it,” he observes. “Do it right, honor the sport. So you have a unique gift. Well, how good can you be? I always strive to be the best at everything I do.”
The 2018 Florida Senior Games Athlete of the Year gains both strength and humility from his faith. He has used his PhD in accounting to serve for more than 20 years as chief operating and financial officer at The Faith Center, a 10,000-member church in Sunrise, Florida. He also has become an associate pastor and teams with his wife to offer marriage counseling. His patience, wisdom and caring attitude has carried into his sporting life, and he is happy that the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana will be hosted close to home.
“I believe everyone is here for a purpose, and for me it’s got to be more than just winning medals or glorifying myself,” he says. “People now come to me at the track to share their life concerns. And in the long jump competitions, the other men won’t let the event start until I pray with them. It’s gotten to the point that even some of the track officials want to join in.”
“I just found this to be my role at the meets, to be prepared to listen, to share and pray with someone in the midst of competition,” he continues. “Life goes on because we all have families and issues, successes and failures to deal with. I want to do my best to maximize my gift, both as an athlete and as a friend to others.”
“There’s so much you can do that you may sell yourself short on,” he concludes. “If you have confidence, take that leap of faith and put in the work, you’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish.”
- Published in Athlete of the Month