Being There
Lindsay Tise, 103
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
It’s an achievement to live to a ripe old age. The real hope is to also have good health, a clear mind and an active lifestyle to go with it. It’s one thing to get there, but quite another thing to BE there.
Lindsay Tise is “there.” At 103, he is still playing golf, working out and participating in church activities. He doesn’t dwell on the past, and in recent years he has overcome the loss of his wife of 71 years and the pain of losing one of his sons to cancer. He says his parents gave him his positive attitude which keeps him looking forward.
His love of golf started early. Lindsay began caddying at a local country club as a kid and was befriended by an assistant pro who often took him to play the back nine in the evenings. He played other sports in elementary school but by his teens he was working at his father’s soft drink bottling facility and fixing up people’s bicycles from a shed in his back yard. Then came World War II and a career in electronics that sidelined his opportunity to play golf until 1966. He’s been prowling the paths ever since.
While he has never scored a hole in one, Lindsay has often been able to score below his age since his 90’s, something that not many get claim. He’s never been motivated by tournaments or even shooting low scores, though. He just loves “being there” out in nature, seeing old friends and getting some fun exercise. He looks forward to going to his third National Senior Games with his son Tim, who describes himself as Lindsay’s “road manager.” He likes The Games because there are more guys close to his age there.
Lindsay Tise has lived almost his entire life in Winston-Salem. His needs are simple and routine, some might say boring. But the quality of life is high and stress is low, and Lindsay likes “being there.” Read the following edited conversation to hear his Personal Best story.
Lindsay, great to see you coming back to National Senior Games! Is your son going to caddy again?
Oh, yes. I wouldn’t come if Tim didn’t handle all the details.
In Albuquerque in 2019 you had competition from another100-year old and you beat him pretty good.
I still play pretty well for an old man. I played him in the national games before that and did better that time too.
I still play golf one day a week when the weather’s good. I work out three days a week too. The oldest person I play with around here is 82 and he is a young guy. National Senior Games gives me people to play with that are closer to my age.
Were you athletic when you were young?
When I was a kid, we all gathered at my house and played sports in my front yard. There was a walkway splitting the yard halfway, the walkway was the goal line. When I was in elementary school, I played sports and was a good baseball player.
When did golf become your sport?
I started when I was a kid caddying on a golf course. I lived close to the Forsyth Country Club in Winston-Salem and I started playing when I was caddying. I got to be good friends with the assistant pro there, and after everybody left in the evening we would go play the back side. I did that all through my youth. That’s how I really learned to play.
But when I was older, I was always working and didn’t have time for sports for a long time. But I was always active doing stuff. I was usually up and around and never really sitting down. I was healthy all the time.
So the golf bags went into the attic during your career. What kind of work did you do?
I was an electronic technician. When television first started out I went to Philadelphia and got certified as a technician. I was one of the first people to work on TVs.
Wow. How did you become interested in that?
I’ve always liked tinkering with things. When I was a kid, there were no bicycle shops around so I had a little shed in my back yard and I worked on bicycles for the community. That was when I was in my teens.
Also, my dad was a soft drink bottler and headed a bottling plant. I stayed there a lot when I was a kid and drank my share of pop. [Chuckles]
That must have fascinated you to watch the machinery and how the operation worked.
Oh yeah, I got hooked on it. I did maintenance work on them when I was in my teens. I kept the machines going.
World War II came in your early adulthood. Did you serve in the military?
No. During World War II I worked in Newport News helping load Liberty Ships. I got a job with a guy in the beginning of the war and he put me to work right away as a foreman. I had men working on five ships at a time, and I would have to go between the ships and up and down the ladders and into the holds to check the loading. That was my contribution to the war effort. Every time I got a draft notice, I handed it to my boss and he would call the draft board and tell them I was doing something more essential than carrying a gun.
It took thousands of workers to keep supply lines going. So you went into electronics after the war?
Yes, I went to Forsyth Community Technical College in Winston-Salem and then I spent two years in Philadelphia studying to get my certification. I don’t know why I went that way. It was just something new I guess. I made radios and televisions work.
What do you think of TV and technology now?
Well, it seems like you don’t work on them anymore. You just throw them away! [Laugh] They have come a long way.
Many of our athletes had to hang up sports until midlife. Did you pick golf back up after you raised your kids?
I guess that is about right. I was the president of an electronic association in North Carolina and we had a meeting for all of the technicians in 1966. We had a golf match and that got it going again.
Other than National Senior Games, have you been to a lot of tournaments?
When I was caddying, I went to all the tournaments. When I got back into golf, it was more for recreation. I do it for the love of the game. Just getting out and seeing the nature and scenery is a good part of it. All of the golf courses are very scenic.
Who do you golf with now?
There are usually three guys that all get together on Thursdays to play. We started playing when we all were going to the same church.
What are your scores like these days?
We play 18 holes and I usually shoot in the high 90s. I always beat my age. I was able to beat my age when I was in my 90s too. It wasn’t really a big deal because I just enjoy playing.
I think I play pretty good. I can drive as far and play as good as the guys I play with, and they are younger than me. The best part of my game are my drives. I always hit them straight down the middle. I hardly lose any balls. Never had a hole in one though.
Well, your health is your best score, Lindsay. You are not only over 100, but you are also in great shape and have a clear mind. Any ideas why you’ve done so well for this long?
Everybody is surprised when I tell them my age. I do pretty good. I don’t have any problems walking or doing anything else. I just live.
I will tell you I attribute it all to my wife. She fed me properly and on time. Frances and I were married for 71 years! She was a good woman, the love of my life. We married young and stayed together a long time.
At the time I met Frances I was running a machine in my papa’s shop. Along the front of the building was glass windows and the machinery was lined up along that side. I noticed a young lady on the other side of the street walking to the store for her mother. She noticed me, too. All of a sudden she came on my side of the street and looked in on my working. That’s the way we met.
We had two boys, Lindsay Jr. and Tim. Frances passed in 2013, and we lost Lindsay Jr. from a tumor in his brain in 2015. He was the district court judge for five counties in Georgia and was a wonderful guy.
What kind of attitude do you think you need to have good health and a long life, Lindsay?
Think positive. Church is important to me and I have been in the same one since 1942. I am the longest and oldest standing member of Fairview Moravian Church. A couple of months ago, the preacher mentioned in the beginning of his sermon that I was now 103 years old. It got me a bit of applause.
I got my positive thinking from my parents. They were always kind and supportive of me and other people. They were super people.
Have you watched your nutrition all of your life?
I have always eaten well. Frances made sure of it when she was here. About a week ago a lady that goes to the same exercise program where I go suggested I call Meals on Wheels. I called them and they started me on it. They have very nutritional meals that they bring me once a day. I still have to cook a little bit. I always cook a good breakfast. Eggs, bacon and biscuits. I always have something left over for supper.
When you wake up, what do you want to do with your day?
I always have something planned. Three days a week I go out and exercise at Wake Forest University. I do the HELPS program that’s about lifestyle change. What is special is getting to be with the other people. I got to know a lot of them, and the trainers are students. We use almost all kinds of exercise equipment and machines. What helps me most of all is what they call stretch circles or weight circles.
On Thursdays, I go out and golf. And Saturdays I usually mess around the house and do what is necessary like mowing the yard. I live in a pretty big house, three big bedrooms and upstairs. My dad gave the one on the corner to my brother, and I have the house next door that I built. Big yard. [Chuckles]
So you have never had any big medical emergencies?
No I don’t think so. I did get into a car crash when I was 95 but I didn’t go to the emergency room or anything like that. A
young lady pulled right in front of me and thankfully neither one of us was hurt but it tore up my car. It was a 1966 International Scout that I bought not long after it was made. That car is like a member of the family to me.
I fixed it myself after the crash. I got the Scout back to my yard and found the parts. I got it back running. I still drive it.
Well, DNA and luck may have something to do with it, but you have also done the right things to keep going. You don’t seem to dwell on the past. Do you think that’s a waste of time?
I do think it is a waste of time.
It is also a waste to watch all that television. I don’t even look at the regular tv anymore. I try to keep up with the news but that is about it. There is a program that comes on television that just has good music and I just keep that on most of the time.
Any other advice you can offer?
Eat well and exercise. That’s what does it.
Do you ever wonder how you got here?
Yeah, I do because I don’t ever really see anyone else my age. I wonder why I am still here but happy I am.
- Published in 2022 PB, Personal Best Featured Athletes
The Long Run March 2022 Newsletter
Game On!
2023 Games Dates and Logo Revealed – Time To Qualify
We are happy to announce dates for the 2023 National Senior Games presented by Humana! The Games will take place July 7-18, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The city previously hosted The Games in 2005.
The 2023 Logo highlights the city’s fame for having many bridges. NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker says to expect a warm welcome. “The Pittsburgh host committee is proud that the National Senior Games are coming back to them again, and their local messaging will reflect how pursuing active lifestyles can be a bridge to longer and healthier lives,” he said. “Our athletes show proof of that.”
Athletes must qualify in 2022 to be able to compete in Pittsburgh. There are 52 Member State Games that host qualifying games this year. NSGA updates the State Information Page when states send us the details, so check back if your state has not yet been updated. Make your plans soon!
Venue Spotlight: Road Races Offer Different Environments
For our 2022 Road Race events, we could describe what awaits our runners with the call “10 if by land, 5 if by sea!”
The 5K Road Race will be held Thursday, May 12th at Charnow Park in Hollywood. This race will include a nice stretch of the beachfront walk to offer views of sand and sea. (As the photo shows, the NSG CUP presented by KOHLER Walk-in Bath previewed the race course and gave it a thumbs up. Win a medal in the race to help your state earn the Cup!)
The 10K Road Race will take place Saturday, May 14th at Vista View Park located in Davie. This venue provides typical southern Florida scenery and greenery in a nature park setting to provide a different experience than the 5K.
Go Wild In Broward County
Greater Fort Lauderdale is a wildlife enthusiast’s dream.
Climb aboard an airboat for a thrilling ride in the Florida Everglades with Sawgrass Recreation Park in Weston. As the boat glides across the glassy water, look out for alligators, turtles, fish and birds. Your experienced airboat captain will share fascinating facts about this impressive ecosystem as you take in the sights. Then head on over to the Reptile Exhibit, featuring dozens of species, both native and exotic to Florida, along with turtles, iguanas, and rescued exotic snakes. Learn about Cannibal, a 1000-pound alligator, and all the rescued and adopted animals that call Sawgrass Recreation Park home. For the more adventurous, take a ‘Gator Nights’ tour.
Enjoy some other outdoor activities that are perfect for animal lovers and budding environmentalists. Flamingo Gardens in Davie features a 60-acre botanical garden and Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary. Embark on an enriching experience as you discover diverse native plants and trees, a Birds of Prey Center, a free-flight aviary, and the chance to view alligators, black bears, eagles, otters, panthers, bobcats, peacocks, and of course, flamingos. Learn about the habitats that make it possible to host such a wide variety of different species and how the Flamingo Gardens Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary gives residence to permanently injured and non-releasable birds and animals.
Surround yourself with rainbow-hued butterflies at Butterfly World in Coconut Creek, the largest indoor butterfly aviary in North America. In addition to butterflies, this tropical oasis teems with hummingbirds, lorikeets and other exotic birds. Walk among them in six free-flight aviaries. Complete your self-guided tour at the rose garden and bug zoo.
Association News
“Before Title IX” Program Resonates – Link to View
Kudos are rolling in for the Before Title IX: Tales from Senior Athletes program co-produced by NSGA and Growing Bolder. Kathrine Switzer recounted how she became the first female to officially complete the Boston Marathon and about her contribution to equality in sports. Our other panelists shared insightful and sometimes emotional memories, and all expressed gratitude to have another chance to play with Senior Games.
It’s a powerful 45 minutes with the pioneers! You can watch the recorded program at the link below. (Note you can move the scroll bar past the countdown.) NSGA will be sending a survey out soon to all 65+ females registered for the 2022 National Senior Games seeking more stories to share later this year. Please tell us yours if you receive the invitation!
Senior Athlete Tales Replay Link
New Fountain of Youth Newsletter Just for NSGA Athletes
We recently introduced the Fountain of Youth Podcast, a new weekly Growing Bolder program that features interviews with masters athletes and people who organize or support them. Now, our official media partner is introducing The Fountain of Youth Newsletter with informative articles and features on a broad range of topics that promote successful aging.
This complimentary newsletter was created specifically to serve our followers and will be sent to NSGA’s email distribution list. Watch for it to come on the first day of each month starting in April. Enjoy!
We’re pleased to announce that Iovera has joined the growing family of NSGA sponsors!
A word from Pacira BioSciences, Inc., a proud National Senior Games partner.
iovera°: A Cool Way for Athletes to Manage Knee Pain
For those of you living with knee pain, you may be putting off surgery due to the downtime you’ll need for recovery and rehabilitation – especially as you’re training for this year’s competitions. Did you know there are non-surgical options that can provide immediate pain relief and return to function for individuals living with knee osteoarthritis (OA) or delaying a total knee replacement?
The iovera° System harnesses the body’s natural response to cold to block the signaling portion of a nerve, temporarily reducing pain during the critical weeks following surgery, or for patients with OA knee pain. The treatment is called “cryoanalgesia” (targeted cold therapy) – it’s safe, fast, and can last up to 90 days. iovera° may be right for you if:
- Other non-surgical options are not giving you the pain relief you need, but you’re not ready to move forward with surgery
- You have a hectic schedule or special plans in the coming months—like competing in this year’s Games—and are not ready for the downtime of surgery and rehabilitation
- You have been advised by your doctor that surgery is not currently an option based on potential conflicts with health issues, but you still need relief of your knee OA pain
If you’re experiencing ongoing knee pain, ask your doctor about iovera°. To find a provider near you, visit: https://www.iovera.com/patient/find-a-doctor. Visit iovera.com/safety to learn more.
March Athlete of the Month
“Dousing the Fire” – Lisa Hypnar, 68, Rochester Hills, MI
Photo Credit: Robin Schwartz PR
Lisa Hypnar has an athletic nature and has always found a sport to play, from tumbling in gymnastics as a youth and playing winning tennis as an adult, and now cutting lanes as a decorated senior swimmer.
She also started smoking in her early 20s. Lisa knew she was cheating herself of health benefits but managed to balance activity and the addiction until she was 29 and working as a physician assistant. “I watched a younger man with inoperable cancer being told to get his affairs in order,” she says. “I was smoking two packs a day and quit cold turkey. I did not want someone to tell me to get my affairs in order in a situation I should have control over. I made the decision to do everything I possibly could to avoid that conversation, so I stopped smoking for 19 years.”
Then, like many people, the lure of nicotine crept back over time. “Life sorta got into the way,” she explains. “You hit these bumps in the road and you go to the thing that makes you feel warm and fuzzy, and that was smoking for me.” She quit for the second time after three years but picked it back up 2008, the same year she decided to move from tennis to competitive swimming for the first time in her life.
The third time was the charm as the pool extinguished her habit. “In tennis you have little breaks in the action. Swimming isn’t like that. I was gasping for air after 25 meters,” she recalls. “I had a choice: I can stay healthy and stop smoking, or I can keep smoking and suffer through trying to stay sorta healthy with swimming. I chose for being healthy and active over my addiction to nicotine.”
Lisa literally dove into the sport and has earned dozens of medals in more than 125 masters events at the state, national and international level. Since joining National Senior Games in 2011 she has earned three gold, four silver and two bronze medals, plus placements in NSGA Top Ten Finishes. She has also been inducted into the Michigan Senior Olympics Hall of Fame for her accomplishments.
Not too bad for a woman who was once told by her mother to stop playing softball because “that sort of thing isn’t what girls do.” She was an only girl with three brothers and got her early sports experience played neighborhood sports with them. Lisa picked up gymnastics before college when she had to take her younger brother to gymnastics club. “I couldn’t go anywhere so I thought I might as well pick it up,” she says.
The changes with Title IX came too late for Lisa, who had no high school gymnastics but walked on the team at Michigan State University for three years despite her relative lack of experience. “In 1970 you didn’t have to have been a gymnast since you were three years old to get on a team because there weren’t many girls involved back then.”
Buoyed by her sport and good health, Lisa is certain cigarettes are out of her life for good. “I haven’t looked back since 2009,” she asserts. “There’s no bump in the road that’s going to upset my apple cart and make me go back to my fuzzy place, my weakness.
“It’s a bit embarrassing to share my story,” she adds, “But at the same time it would be awesome if I can change one person’s path to choose a sport over smoking.”
What’s YOUR story? To submit yours, or to nominate a fellow athlete, Please Click Here.
Health and Well-Being
Tips for Healthy Travel
Deb Doerfler, a physical therapist and faculty at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, has tips for healthy travel as you plan to visit Greater Fort Lauderdale.
Sleep Training: Getting enough rest will boost your immune system to fight potential infections. Optimal sleep will give you a competitive edge and will help you more positively cope with any travel-related stress.
- Establish a routine sleep schedule before the games and plan your schedule to maintain it.
- Be consistent going to bed and getting up at the same time
- Keep your bedroom/hotel room quiet, dark and at a cool temperature
- Avoid using electronic devices such as phones and TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime
- Consider using earplugs or a phone app for white noise
- Before bedtime avoid eating a large meal or consuming alcohol
- Avoid caffeine consumption later in the day
Remember your Medications: Keeping consistency with your medication and supplement routine will allow you to perform consistently at the games.
- Pack your medications in advance to be certain any prescriptions are filled.
- Consider bringing pain, anti-diarrheal or constipation medications and a basic first aid kit.
- Maintain the same schedule for medications and supplements.
Avoid Illness: Getting sick could put you on the sideline, try these methods to avoid illness.
- Consider wearing a mask during travel even if mandates are lifted. They provide valuable protection against ALL airborne viruses and bacteria that could disrupt your competition.
- Wash your hands or use sanitizer frequently and avoid touching your face
- Sanitize frequently touched locations and be careful to sanitize your hands before eating.
- Adjust the overhead airflow if you are flying. Although airplanes use sophisticated air filtration systems that greatly reduce the risk of airborne infections, adjusting the overhead airflow to create a funnel around your head will add another shield of protection and help disperse airborne viruses
Keep Your Legs in Play: Avoid lower extremity swelling or stiffness due to travel.
Perform these exercises every 30-60 minutes:
- Ankle pumps (move foot up and down bending at the ankle)
- Bend and straighten your knees
- Alternately raise your heels and toes in standing
- Walk for short distances
- Shift your position frequently and avoid crossing your legs
- Consider purchasing compression stockings to reduce pooling of blood (available at most pharmacies)
NOTE: Most swelling will resolve on its own but excessive swelling that persists for several hours after you resume activity, and/or is accompanied by warmth, redness, or pain may be signs of a more serious condition, such as a blood clot, and should be evaluated by a medical provider.
Practice Heathy Nutrition
- Stay hydrated! Choose water over other beverages. Aim for at least 64 ounces spread throughout the day.
- Pack your own healthy snacks or avoid purchasing processed snacks, particularly those high in sodium.
- Avoid alcohol or sedatives which contribute to dehydration, reduce reaction time and slow decision making
- Avoid excess caffeine which contributes to dehydration
Adjust to the Environment
- Try to engage in physical activity similar to your sport in a humid environment a few days before competition
- High humidity feels hotter, so drink plenty of fluids (doubling what you typically consume is a good rule of thumb)
- Wear light colored clothing
- Use SPF that’s waterproof and sweatproof
- Try a cooling neck wrap made for humid environments
Finally, prior to travel to The Games in Greater Fort Lauderdale pre-schedule your SAFE athlete fitness screening HERE!
Health & Well-Being Partners
NSGA Sport Partners
NSGA Official Apparel
- Published in Newsletter
“Dousing the Fire” March 2022 Athlete of the Month
Photo: Robin Schwartz
Lisa Hypnar, 68, Rochester Hills, Michigan
Lisa Hypnar has an athletic nature and has always found a sport to play, from tumbling in gymnastics as a youth and playing winning tennis as an adult, and now cutting lanes as a decorated senior swimmer.
She also started smoking in her early 20s. Lisa knew she was cheating herself of health benefits but managed to balance activity and the addiction until she was 29 and working as a physician assistant. “I watched a younger man with inoperable cancer being told to get his affairs in order,” she says. “I was smoking two packs a day and quit cold turkey. I did not want someone to tell me to get my affairs in order in a situation I should have control over. I made the decision to do everything I possibly could to avoid that conversation, so I stopped smoking for 19 years.”
Then, like many people, the lure of nicotine crept back over time. “Life sorta got into the way,” she explains. “You hit these bumps in the road and you go to the thing that makes you feel warm and fuzzy, and that was smoking for me.” She quit for the second time after three years but picked it back up 2008, the same year she decided to move from tennis to competitive swimming for the first time in her life.
The third time was the charm as the pool extinguished her habit. “In tennis you have little breaks in the action. Swimming isn’t like that. I was gasping for air after 25 meters,” she recalls. “I had a choice: I can stay healthy and stop smoking, or I can keep smoking and suffer through trying to stay sorta healthy with swimming. I chose for being healthy and active over my addiction to nicotine.”
Lisa literally dove into the sport and has earned dozens of medals in more than 125 masters events at the state, national and international level. Since joining National Senior Games in 2011 she has earned three gold, four silver and two bronze medals, plus placements in NSGA Top Ten Finishes. She has also been inducted into the Michigan Senior Olympics Hall of Fame for her accomplishments.
Not too bad for a woman who was once told by her mother to stop playing softball because “that sort of thing isn’t what girls do.” She was an only girl with three brothers and got her early sports experience played neighborhood sports with them. Lisa picked up gymnastics before college when she had to take her younger brother to gymnastics club. “I couldn’t go anywhere so I thought I might as well pick it up,” she says.
The changes with Title IX came too late for Lisa, who had no high school gymnastics but walked on the team at Michigan State University for three years despite her relative lack of experience. “In 1970 you didn’t have to have been a gymnast since you were three years old to get on a team because there weren’t many girls involved back then.”
Buoyed by her sport and good health, Lisa is certain cigarettes are out of her life for good. “I haven’t looked back since 2009,” she asserts. “There’s no bump in the road that’s going to upset my apple cart and make me go back to my fuzzy place, my weakness.
“It’s a bit embarrassing to share my story,” she adds, “But at the same time it would be awesome if I can change one person’s path to choose a sport over smoking.”
Editor’s Note: March 9 is National No Smoking Day
- Published in Athlete of the Month