The Long Run June 2021
Game On!
2022 Age Specific Schedule Is Now Online!
The eagerly anticipated Age-Specific Sport Schedule for the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana is now online! Please follow the link below to access the downloadable schedule that will tell you when your sport and age division will be playing. Competition details such as brackets, draws, pools, times, etc. will be posted on each sport page about two weeks before the Games open. Schedules may be subject to change.
2022 Competition Schedule Page
Online Housing Link Opens July 1
NSGA is pleased to be partnering with J Team Management to provide for your 2022 housing needs. We are happy to be working with Allan and Gretchen Judah, who were involved in 2017 and 2019. The convenient and easy-to-use online system goes live at NSGA.com on Thursday, July 1.
The benefits of making your reservations through NSGA include:
- Guaranteed Lowest Rates
- A dedicated website will be available for you to book your hotel rooms online
- Most properties do not require a deposit or pre-payment of reservation
- Flexible Hotel Cancellation policies
- Great options at great prices – no stress handling reservations on your own!
- Teams/groups can easily create a block of rooms at the same hotel
- Care in selecting location and proximity to specific sport venues
- Resort and Parking Fees are either reduced or eliminated (depending on property)
- Discounts on food and beverage at on-site restaurants (depending on property)
- Stay in a property with other senior games athletes
These are clear advantages over using hotel booking sites like Hotwire or Priceline. Often these sites offer attractive rates but hide additional resort fees in the fine print that significantly raise the total cost of the room night. We are confident you’ll appreciate working with people who understand your needs, will be patient with last minute changes, and are always there to support you!
Watch for the link to open on July 1!
Many State Games Are Coming Back
What a difference a month makes! As COVID restrictions relax around the country, events are gearing back up in 2021, including many of our qualifying State Member Games. Looking at our updated Qualifying Games at a Glance list found on the State Information Page, you will see competition going on in at least 7 states in July, 14 in August and 15 in September.
Due to venue availability and other rescheduling issues, not all events may be possible for states this year, but they are determined to offer as many events as possible. Also, you can still qualify at a 2021 State Senior Games for the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana in Greater Fort Lauderdale. If you are already qualified under our amended rules, you still need to get back into playing shape in competition. These games are here for YOU!
Did Someone Ask About BEACHES?
Greater Fort Lauderdale, also known as the “Yachting Capital of the World,” features a beautiful 24-mile stretch of golden sand among eight beaches. With beachside shopping, dining with ocean views, promenades, fishing piers, plus plenty of watersport fun, the beaches in Greater Fort Lauderdale offer both relaxation and adventure.
Starting at the northern end of Greater Fort Lauderdale, is Deerfield Beach. The International Fishing Pier and promenade offer a walkable, relaxing experience and a wide beach for watersports. Heading further south, travel back in time at the historic, 138-foot-tall Hillsboro Beach lighthouse. Climb the 175 steps to the top for sweeping ocean views.
Continuing south, Pompano Beach’s Fisher Family Pier features underwater cameras for viewing fish and other marine life. Pompano Beach is also home to 18 shipwrecks, prime for scuba diving and snorkeling. Lauderdale-By-The-Sea is a charming beach town with great snorkeling right off the beach, while Dania Beach is home to some of the prettiest and least crowded stretches of ocean in the area.
Fort Lauderdale beach is lined with palm trees hugging a brick-lined beachfront promenade and an iconic white wave wall. Head to Fort Lauderdale Beach Park for volleyball sand courts and full basketball courts. Hollywood Beach has an award-winning boardwalk with ample room for leisurely strolls, biking and segway touring. Hallandale Beach, just south of Hollywood, offers a more laid-back vibe and offers two beachfront parks.
Beaches, Beaches and More Beaches
Association News
Growing Bolder Named Official NSGA Media Partner
Our Media Partnership with Growing Bolder is growing! We’ve enjoyed having the most positive media voice for healthy aging produce excellent features and coverage of the 2019 Games in Albuquerque. That was just the start, with Growing Bolder now stepping up with a greatly expanded Official NSGA Media Partner relationship.
Read the official media release here.
For 2022, we will see more publicity through Growing Bolder’s streaming video, magazine features, podcasts and social media activity, plus expanded daily 2022 Games coverage and full-length television specials. That only scratches the surface of all of the ways Growing Bolder will be helping spotlight and grow the Senior Games Movement.
Learn more details in a live “Chat with Marc and Marc” on Tuesday, June 22 at 12 pm EDT featuring NSGA’s CEO Marc T. Riker and Growing Bolder’s visionary Founder and CEO, Marc Middleton. It can be viewed on National Senior Games’ Facebook and YouTube channels. You’ll be glad you watched!
New Members Elected to NSGA Board of Directors
NSGA would like to welcome new Board of Directors members elected at our recent Annual Meeting. We welcome four new individuals to the Board, including Kevin Houseknecht of Florida, Director of Corporate Partnerships with Growing Bolder, and Sandra Shawver, a kinesiology professor at Midwestern University and president of North Texas Senior Games. The other newly elected board members will serve as Regional Coordinators- Annie Laskey of California for the Pacific Region, and Sharon Crissey of Kentucky will serve the Southeast Region.
We would also like to thank outgoing board members Davis Cox (MA), Diane Darnell (AK), Rosey Rosander (UT) and Vicki Pilgrim (GA) for their dedicated service to NSGA.
Welcome New NSGA Staff Members
NSGA has also grown with two new additions to NSGA! John DeNovi brings 20 years of sales and marketing experience to serve as NSGA’s Business Development Manager, working with our partners and seeking new opportunities to enhance The Games. We are also excited to have Matthew Adams apply his 10 years of expertise to help manage and optimize the impact of NSGA’s digital marketing and social media platform.
Welcome to the team!
USA Today Senior Games Training Center Launches
As revealed in our recent “One Year Out” event, Humana has partnered with USA Today to produce an online platform that offers inspiring Senior Games content and compelling engagements. Check out the link below and scroll down to see stories, interactive articles, photography and Senior Games trivia, and keep checking back for more content added on a regular basis. There’s a great interview with marathon legend Kathrine Switzer giving 10 fitness tips for active aging to lead off the features.
Senior Games Training Center presented by Humana
June Athlete of the Month
Speedy G’s Speedy Recovery
Juanita Gonzales, 82, Los Angeles, California
Juanita Gonzalez found a midlife love for running 28 years ago, awakening her competitive spirit and a goal to always win her age group. Since then, “Speedy G” has been rewarded with Gold Medals in 72 road races.
Ironically, it was a 2nd place finish at the 2015 National Senior Games that may be her proudest achievement, because it represents an unlikely comeback from a bad fall that would have sidelined many others her age.
Juanita says she was attracted to running because of chronic tardiness during her career as a Veteran’s Administration pharmacy technician, first at St. Catherine’s Hospital in East Chicago and later with the VA hospital in Northridge, California. “I was often late, so I would grab my coat and run to work. I also used to smoke early on, so I’d be coughing and wheezing when I got there.”
In 2012, her haste caught up with her. “My bus passed me by and I never wanted to be late anymore. So I ran to catch the bus and fell flat on my face so hard it gave me a concussion.” Juanita required ten stiches to her mouth and lost all ability to write, speak and walk normally, and she was told she would need years of therapy to recover. But Speedy G would have none of that talk.
“She is an inspiration to me and many of my friends, family and patients,” says her daughter Lisa Sanchez, who credits Juanita for instilling a love for sports that propelled her to be a college basketball and tennis star and honors with two hall of fame inductions. Lisa is Juanita’s coach and owns the Sanchez System wellness center offering acupuncture, herbal therapy, neuromuscular therapy, kinetic link training and functional mobility. Her expertise would play a key role in her mom’s recovery.
“After mom healed from her fall and regained the ability to walk and speak she was still left with a shaking left arm, neurological issues and an inability to write and walk,” Lisa recalls. “It took ten months to regain enough strength to begin exercising again, and just when her training was in full swing again she developed an insidious painful stomach bacteria. She also has spinal stenosis to deal with, but she made it all the way back!”
Lisa provided neuromuscular therapy and acupuncture treatments and got Juanita to practice Tai Chi to help her stretch and regain balance. This specialized treatment resulted in a return to running less than a year after the fall. Speedy G is convinced that her years of roadwork also prepared her body to bounce back so quickly after the accident, and her positive outlook carried her through the ordeal. “I love to run, so when I fell I wasn’t afraid. I immediately started thinking about when I could get running again.”
Juanita has two bits of advice for others after her fall and recovery. “Walking regularly is so important, and Tai Chi is the best thing for your balance. It really helped me.”
Having read about Senior Games in a magazine, Juanita challenged herself to qualify and win at National Senior Games. In addition to her special 2015 Silver Medal, she also earned a Bronze in the 2019 W80-84 5K Road Race in Albuquerque and has her heart set on winning Gold when she competes at the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana next May.
We won’t bet against Speedy G!
What’s YOUR story? To submit yours, or to nominate a fellow athlete, Please Click Here.
Senior Health and Wellness
Move Well With Functional Fitness
Moving efficiently is essential for senior athletes of competitive sports, for individuals executing the many functional demands of our multiple life roles, and in our ability to carry out routine activities of daily living (ADLs). The physical capacity to perform ADLs in a safe and independent manner without undue fatigue is one way to define functional fitness.
In general, limited capacity for performing ADLs is low among Senior Game athletes. This is affirmed in the ongoing findings from the Senior Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE) which continues demonstrating National Senior Games athletes are maintaining positive markers of fitness regarding balance, grip strength, flexibility, self-reported falls and recommended minutes of daily physical activity.
However, close observation of a number of athletes reveal that NSG athletes continue competing with varying degrees of movement limitations. Integrating functional fitness into training routines will enhance our ability to move well for ADLs and/or competitive sports.
Training the functional fitness continuum includes several important concepts and key principals. One key principle for seniors is that strength training of all types enhances functional improvement and sports performance. Functional training involves multi-joint movements while training our body in a multidimensional manner. Greater gains come from movements that take place in three dimensional space with free form equipment. It also includes targeted activities that enhance our stability and mobility.
For further reference, check out the article Improve Your Stability and Mobility with These Functional Exercises by Jacqueline Crookford with the American Council on Exercise which demonstrates several key exercises addressing foot stability, ankle mobility, knee stability, hip mobility, spine mobility, and shoulder stability. In addition, find more functional fitness videos, such as the Loaded/Farmers-carry, in the
Health and Wellness section at NSGA.com. The NSG Balance video is especially effective in training reactionary balance.
This article was prepared by Andrew Walker, MPH, NSGA Health and Well-being Director
How (and When) To Use Epsom Salt for Muscle Recovery
You’ve likely heard stories about the therapeutic properties of Epsom salt. This popular home remedy has been hailed for centuries as a natural treatment for a number of ailments—from inflammation to insomnia to fibromyalgia and more. It’s also an inexpensive, easy to use and safe treatment that you can find in grocery stores and pharmacies.
Epsom salt is a naturally occurring chemical compound of magnesium and sulfate. The salt dissolves in water and releases magnesium and sulfate ions, which are then absorbed through your skin to deliver the feel-good benefits.
The magnesium in Epsom salts helps to reduce pain and speed muscle recovery, promote better sleep and relieve stress. Many trainers and professional athletes recommend an Epsom salt bath after exercise to relieve muscle soreness and inflammation faster.
Here are 3 tips for a soothing Epsom salt bath:
- Check for quality and purity – Before you buy a bag of Epsom salt, check the ingredients list. The contents should be 100% magnesium sulfate for best results.
- Add Epsom salt to the bath with the water running – Add 1 to 2 cups of Epsom salt to a warm bath while the water is running so it will dissolve faster and circulate in the bathwater.
- Soak for at least 12 minutes – To fully absorb the magnesium through your skin and reap the muscle-relieving benefits of an Epsom salt bath, soak for 12 to 15 minutes.
BONUS: Combine salt with whirlpool jets
Use Epsom salt in a bath that features whirlpool jets or air jets to make the most of your soak. The combination of salts and jets will soothe your sore muscles and leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. To learn more about the best ways to use Epsom salt, visit the Gracious Living blog.
Thanks to our Partner KOHLER® Walk-In Bath for sharing this article.
NSGA Health & Wellness Partners
NSGA Sport Partners
NSGA Official Apparel
- Published in Newsletter
GROWING BOLDER NAMED OFFICIAL MEDIA PARTNER FOR NATIONAL SENIOR GAMES ASSOCIATION
CLEARWATER (June 15, 2021) – Growing Bolder, the world’s No. 1 lifestyle brand for the 50+ demographic, and the National Senior Games Association (NSGA), the governing body of the largest multi-sport championship event in the world for older adults, are teaming up to shine the spotlight on the rapidly growing world of masters sports.
Growing Bolder CEO Marc Middleton and NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker made the joint announcement today that Growing Bolder is now the NSGA’s official and exclusive media partner through 2022.
The NSGA is a national grassroots movement that provides competition for women and men age 50 and older, offering qualifying events that culminate with the National Senior Games held every two years. The 2021 Games, postponed due to the pandemic, are being held May 10-23, 2022, in Greater Fort Lauderdale. Florida. Growing Bolder and the NSGA will celebrate their new partnership with a live “Chat with Marc and Marc” virtual kickoff on social media, June 22, 2021, at 12 p.m. EDT. It can be viewed on National Senior Games’ Facebook and YouTube channels and on Growing Bolder’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitch channels.
“NSGA’s mission is to educate and promote healthy, active aging to all older adults; and we always seek more media exposure to inspire all generations through our message and share the opportunity to participate in Senior Games far and wide,” Riker said. “Growing Bolder has the same synergy that it’s never too late to make the rest of your life the best of your life with their coverage. With this partnership, we will reach many more people through their rapidly expanding platforms.”
Middleton said the two organizations are perfectly aligned in their desire to encourage and support healthy lifestyles and build community through unique socialization opportunities. He noted that Growing Bolder has for years featured NSGA athletes and their inspiring stories on the media giant’s national TV and radio programs, podcast and lifestyle magazine, as well as on its social media channels, which have more than a million followers.
“We don’t look at the National Senior Games Association as simply an organization that stages incredible competitions,” he said. “The NSGA has built a diverse, 50-plus community of active women and men who are interested in their health and well-being and thrive on social interaction around shared passions.”
As part of their agreement, Growing Bolder will produce special NSGA features year-round and has the exclusive rights to live stream coverage of the National Senior Games in Fort Lauderdale, produce national shows in advance of and after the Games, broadcast daily updates from the Games, create a Growing Bolder Experience area in the Athletes Village, and stage a special live event at a location in Broward County.
More than 10,000 athletes from age 50 to over 100 from across the country are expected to descend on Fort Lauderdale for the two weeks of competition. In addition, an estimated 30,000 visitors are expected to attend resulting in an economic impact of over $35 million dollars to the South Florida area.
“They come from every state in America in all shapes, sizes, abilities and disabilities,” Middleton said. “Olympians, high school and college stars, and ordinary men and women all coming together to celebrate a lifestyle that keeps them happy and healthy. These are the role models that America needs now more than ever, and we couldn’t be more excited to share their stories.”
Growing Bolder provided extensive coverage of the 2019 National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that included a profile of 103-year-old Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins, who took the gold medal in her age group in both the 50- and 100 meter-dash, becoming the oldest woman to ever compete in a sanctioned track meet. Now 105, Hawkins is hoping to defend her championship in Fort Lauderdale. More at www.growingbolder.com/nsga.
About Growing Bolder. Growing Bolder is a multimedia content producer and distributor of inspirational and educational material aimed at the 50+ market. Growing Bolder’s TV programs reach more than 95% of American households, and the company’s radio shows air on NPR affiliates across the country. Growing Bolder also has a popular podcast and a lifestyle magazine with more than 150,000 subscribers. The Orlando-based company was founded by Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and CEO Marc Middleton in 2009 and has grown to be a national leader in creating positive narratives about aging while defying stereotypes about older people. More at www.growingbolder.com.
CONTACT: Doris Bloodsworth, APR
407-797-9393
db**********@***********er.com
About the National Senior Games Association.
The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) is a member of the U.S. Olympic Paralympic Committee Affiliate Organization Committee. NSGA is a nonprofit Florida corporation that promotes health and wellness for adults 50 and over through education, fitness and sports. NSGA governs the biennial National Senior Games, the largest, qualified multi-sport championship event in the world. The Association is comprised of 53 independent Member Games that conduct qualifying competition events and the 2022 National Senior Games, which will be held May 10-23, 2022, in Greater Fort Lauderdale. The organization is led by CEO Marc T. Riker who joined the team in 2011. More at www.nsga.com.
CONTACT: Del Moon, NSGA Communications
678.549.4444
- Published in News and Events, Press Releases
Move Well with Functional Fitness
Moving efficiently is essential for senior athletes of competitive sports, for individuals executing the many functional demands our multiple life roles, and in our ability to carry out routine activities of daily living (ADLs). The physical capacity to perform ADLs in a safe and independent manner without undue fatigue is one way to define functional fitness.
In general, limited capacity for performing ADLs is low among Senior Game athletes. This is affirmed in the ongoing findings from the Senior Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE) which continues demonstrating National Senior Games athletes are maintaining positive markers of fitness regarding balance, grip strength, flexibility, self-reported falls and recommended minutes of daily physical activity.
However, close observation of a number of athletes reveal that NSG athletes continue competing with varying degrees of movement limitations. Integrating functional fitness into training routines will enhance our ability to move well for ADLs and/or competitive sports.
Training the functional fitness continuum includes several important concepts and key principals. One key principle for seniors is that strength training of all types enhances functional improvement and sports performance. Functional training involves multi-joint movements while training our body in a multidimensional manner. Greater gains come from movements that take place in three dimensional space with free form equipment. It also includes targeted activities that enhance our stability and mobility.
For further reference, check out the video Improve Your Stability and Mobility with These Functional Exercises by Jacqueline Crookford with the American Council on Exercise which demonstrates several key exercises addressing foot stability, ankle mobility, knee stability, hip mobility, spine mobility, and shoulder stability. In addition, find more functional fitness videos, such as the Loaded/Farmers-carry, in the Health and Wellness section at NSGA.com. The NSG Balance video is especially effective in training reactionary balance.
- Published in Get In Shape With Ageility
Speedy G’s Speedy Recovery June 2021 Athlete of the Month
Juanita Gonzalez, 82, Los Angeles, California
Juanita Gonzalez found a midlife love for running 28 years ago, awakening her competitive spirt and a goal to always win her age group. Since then, “Speedy G” has been rewarded with Gold Medals in 72 road races.
Ironically, it was a 2nd place finish at the 2015 National Senior Games that may be her proudest achievement, because it represents an unlikely comeback from a bad fall that would have sidelined many others her age.
Juanita says she was attracted to running because of chronic tardiness during her career as a Veteran’s Administration pharmacy technician, first at St. Catherine’s Hospital in East Chicago and later with the VA hospital in Northridge, California. “I was often late, so I would grab my coat and run to work. I also used to smoke early on, so I’d be coughing and wheezing when I got there.”
In 2012, her haste caught up with her. “My bus passed me by and I never wanted to be late anymore. So I ran to catch the bus and fell flat on my face so hard it gave me a concussion.” Juanita required ten stiches to her mouth and lost all ability to write, speak and walk normally, and she was told she would need years of therapy to recover. But Speedy G would have none of that talk.
“She is an inspiration to me and many of my friends, family and patients,” says her daughter Lisa Sanchez, who credits Juanita for instilling a love for sports that propelled her to be a college basketball and tennis star and honors with two hall of fame inductions. Lisa is Juanita’s coach and owns the Sanchez System wellness center offering acupuncture, herbal therapy, neuromuscular therapy, kinetic link training and functional mobility. Her expertise would play a key role in her mom’s recovery.
“After mom healed from her fall and regained the ability to walk and speak she was still left with a shaking left arm, neurological issues and an inability to write and walk,” Lisa recalls. “It took ten months to regain enough strength to begin exercising again, and just when her training was in full swing again she developed an insidious painful stomach bacteria. She also has spinal stenosis to deal with, but she made it all the way back!”
Lisa Sanchez coaches Mom
Lisa provided neuromuscular therapy and acupuncture treatments and got Juanita to practice Tai Chi to help her stretch and regain balance. This specialized treatment resulted in a return to running less than a year after the fall. Speedy G is convinced that her years of roadwork also prepared her body to bounce back so quickly after the accident, and her positive outlook carried her through the ordeal. “I love to run, so when I fell I wasn’t afraid. I immediately started thinking about when I could get running again.”
Juanita has two bits of advice for others after her fall and recovery. “Walking regularly is so important, and Tai Chi is the best thing for your balance. It really helped me.”
Having read about Senior Games in a magazine, Juanita challenged herself to qualify and win at National Senior Games. In addition to her special 2015 Silver Medal, she also earned a Bronze in the 2019 W80-84 5K Road Race in Albuquerque and has her heart set on winning Gold when she competes at the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana next May.
We won’t bet against Speedy G!
- Published in Athlete of the Month