Optimal Aging at the 2025 National Senior Games
By Andrew Walker, MPH; NSGA Director of Health & Well-Being
An athlete tests their balance during the SAFE exam at the 2025 Games. Image via Sustained Athlete Fitness Exam Facebook page.
The Senior Games movement celebrates active aging, fosters social connection and empowers older adults by providing opportunities to engage in competitive sports. A key part of our health and well-being goals for the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana was to offer activities that both celebrated active aging and provided valuable athlete services.
In addition to being the largest qualified multi-sport event in the world for individuals 50 and older, the Senior Games leverages its platform to promote optimal aging for athletes, participants and the host community during our biennial sports festival.
Athlete Services and Community Well-Being Events
Throughout The Games, athletes participated in the Sustained Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE), receiving complimentary assessments of cardiovascular, muscular, flexibility and balance fitness. Each participant also received personalized performance guidance from expert physical therapists.
A screening of the “Team Dream” documentary highlighted the inspiring journey of two women training to compete in The Games, sharing both their personal experiences with accessibility in public swimming pools and celebrating the achievements of pioneering women athletes from the pre–Title IX era. An engaging panel discussion with the film’s subjects, Ann Smith and Madeline Murphy-Rabb, followed.
Team Dream screening and panel discussion.
Hundreds of athletes, families and community members joined Optimal Aging Day in Iowa, participating in health screenings, interactive learning activities and wellness education. This event was made possible through partnerships with the University of Iowa Csomay Center for Gerontological Excellence, University of Iowa Injury Prevention Program, Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs, Iowa Public Health Association, National Council on Aging, Des Moines Area Community College, Drake Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) and the Midwestern Alzheimer’s Association.
Optimal Aging Day in Iowa in front of the state capitol building.
U.S. Olympians Thomas Hill (1972) and Ed Banach (1984), along with USA Badminton Medical Lead Dr. Rajeev Trehan, shared mental performance strategies designed to help athletes enhance focus, manage competition stress and improve results.
Left to right: Ed Banach, Dr. Rajeev Trehan, Thomas Hill and Carla Ruff.
Tai Chi also made its debut as an official sport at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana. On July 25, Master Kevin Sun led a fundamentals workshop for registered tai chi competitors and hosted a specialized seminar for Taiji for Health instructors seeking certification. (Here’s why all athletes should try tai chi.)
- Published in Health & Well-Being
Derrick Milligan’s “Insurance Policy” is Paying Benefits
August 2025 Athlete of the Month
By Del Moon, NSGA Storyteller
Derrick Milligan, 60
Chicago, Illinois
Derrick Milligan (far right) and his teammates at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana Triathlon.
On a misty, muggy morning at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana, lifelong athlete and Team Dream coach Derrick Milligan watched members of the three teams he brought to Des Moines for the Triathlon Relay compete. He speaks of always being in sports and explains what drives him at age 60.
“I now consider this activity as my ‘insurance policy’,” he says purposefully.
The North Carolina native started on a swim team at six and played in his first tennis tournament and refereed basketball game at nine. He was an all-state tennis player and an all-city point guard in high school. After failing to make his varsity tennis team at Miami University of Ohio in 1984, he saw a flyer for a triathlon that weekend. “To punish myself for not being in better physical condition for the tennis match that would have put me on the varsity, I decided to do my first triathlon untrained,” he recalls.
Derrick has completed more than 120 triathlons since then. During the years he was pursuing a busy marketing career, playing tennis and doing tris was how he relieved stress and kept in shape. In 1997 he changed course and began coaching others as part of a renewed dedication to fitness. It all came home after witnessing his family’s health history.
“My two grandmothers had five heart attacks, two strokes and a pacemaker between them,” he says softly. “My father died at 61 from his first heart attack. I was already working on his lifestyle and teaching him how to swim. He really was starting to address all the corporate stress that piled up over four decades of working. So, it really bothered me that he died that way on my watch.”
That is why Derrick believes he’s taken out an insurance policy to live a longer and better life. “My mother died this year of congenital heart failure, and her kidneys were probably at 30%. Even though she lived to be 84, the last 25 years have not been high quality because of her health,” he shares.
“That’s what drives me,” he adds. “I want to be very active with my grandchildren, and I don’t have any yet, so I’ve got to keep it together.”
Team Dream Becomes a Documentary – and Regular in Senior Games
In 1999, Derrick formed Team Dream in Chicago as an organization to train women of color in swimming, cycling and triathlon. In 2015, he coached African American swimmer Ann Smith to do Triathlon and Swimming at the National Senior Games in Minneapolis. Ann then decided to focus on the pool and competed in six Swimming events in 2017, with Derrick bringing along six other Team Dream athletes. More came in 2019 and 2022.
During this time, longtime friend and filmmaker Luchina Fisher took interest in his mission and the journey of Ann Smith and her friend and fellow swimmer Madeline Murphy-Rabb in their quest to win a national medal. The result was the award-winning 2022 documentary, “Team Dream.” Read our 2022 story for details. Derrick also won a bronze medal in Tennis doubles in that year.
This year, Derrick recruited three Triathlon Relay teams for The Games in Des Moines. “Most of our history has been all-female, but we started incorporating more male activities,” he says. “Our co-ed team won gold, our all-female team won gold, and then our all-men’s team won silver.” The men’s team revealed a dramatic story of one member’s comeback from a stroke as reported in the 2025 Games Daily News.
The Team Dream teams at the National Senior Games Triathlon Relay in 2025. Photo courtesy Derrick Milligan.
The athletes enjoyed their experience, despite the unfortunate development of poor water quality that required the swim leg to be canceled. By triathlon rules, the swim segment becomes a one-mile run, which disrupted many teams.
“The biggest letdown was the swim being canceled for my three swimmers, including myself,” he says. “But since I pull people from all over the country, they loved the camaraderie, going around town, the meals and seeing everyone.” Undaunted, Derrick says he plans to bring 10 triathlon teams to the 2027 Games in Tulsa. He’s grateful for how Team Dream has progressed and intersected with Senior Games, and he has been inspired by his swimmers to double down on his insurance policy.
“I already wanted to be at a certain level of efficiency in my 70s, but Ann introduced the concept of thriving at 100 years of age, which I hadn’t really thought of,” he says. “So, I’m 60 and never had a heart attack. My blood pressure is optimum. I don’t have high cholesterol. I don’t have diabetes. All are things that run rampant in both sides of my extended family, and I don’t have them because of the lifestyle choices.
“I’m very grateful to Ann and Madeline, he concludes. “They’ve raised the bar of my already high expectations.”
- Published in Athlete of the Month
The Relentless Spirit of Powerlifter Janell Thomas
Coach Gabriel Mahuda describes Janell Thomas as a warrior with an unstoppable spirit, a powerlifter who always goes for one more rep. Janell is competing at the National Senior Games to inspire other women to find their own strength and never stop moving.
Janell Thomas is making history at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana, not just as a competitor, but as a trailblazer challenging conventional ideas about aging and fitness.
Janell Thomas (middle), with her coach, Gabriel Mihuta (left) and husband (right).
At 57 years old, the powerlifter from Jacksonville, Florida, just started in the sport in 2023. She has quickly become a source of inspiration for many, embodying her message that it’s never too late to embrace a new challenge and lift heavy.
Janell’s journey began after participating in a basketball tournament, when she felt the urge to find a new sport that would push her limits. “I wanted a sport that would challenge me mentally and physically,” she said. She found that challenge in powerlifting, a sport that is proving to be not only a test of strength but a powerful tool for healthy aging. Her remarkable dedication has led to impressive gains in a short time, a fact she attributes to her coach, Gabriel Mihuta.
Gabriel speaks to her relentless spirit, noting that her mindset is reminiscent of a boxing legend. “Muhammad Ali started counting his 100th rep as his first rep. Well, if there’s a reincarnation or if there’s something similar to that, we’ve got that in Janell,” she said. “This young lady, if she fails or if she has a personal best, she’s always gonna do that 101st rep, 102nd, 103rd. There’s no stopping her.”
For Thomas, powerlifting is about more than personal achievement; it’s a platform to motivate others. She hopes to be a trailblazer, urging women and men to prioritize lifting heavy to build muscle and bone density. “As we get into our mature years…we won’t have to walk with a cane or a walker,” she explained.
Representing Jacksonville at the inaugural appearance of Powerlifting in the National Senior Games, she is focused on her performance goals, particularly in her favorite lift – the bench press. “I always wanted to have a high bench, and I’m in that role to have a high bench.”
Beyond the competition, her message is a powerful one that is familiar to all older athletes: “Never stop moving!”
By: Danielle Brown
- Published in 2025 Games Daily News, Games Daily News
Small Town of Cherokee Makes a Big Mark at The Games
A small community in Cherokee, North Carolina has defied its size to send a large and competitive delegation to the National Senior Games, including over 40 Cornhole players!
The 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana has brought together thousands of athletes from across the country. However, a small town in North Carolina is making an outsized impact.
Cherokee, a community within the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) reservation with a population of just under 2,000, sent one of the largest contingents of athletes from one city to the National Senior Games this year. This strong showing is a result of the tribe’s commitment to honoring their elders by providing the resources and support necessary to pursue an active lifestyle.
Kamiyo Lanning, Recreation Manager for the tribe, explained that the strong connection to the games is rooted in their culture. “We want to support and make sure that our elders have every opportunity for living a healthy lifestyle,” she said. The tribe covers travel expenses and registration fees for their athletes.
The enthusiasm around the EBCI delegation is particularly centered on Cornhole competition. Kamiyo noted that this year’s large cornhole roster was a direct result of Hurricane Helene, which prevented the team from traveling to the North Carolina Senior Games. To ensure their elders still had an opportunity to compete, the tribe brought them to the national competition instead.
Among the EBCI athletes are husband-and-wife duo Bernice and Lyman Clayton. For them, The Games are more than just a tournament, they’re a way to stay healthy and connected. “It’s a good exercise for us seniors,” Bernice explains. “It makes us look forward to the next year and trying to keep in good health for ourselves.”
“This is something we do on and off all year long,” says Lyman. “It kind of keeps us off the rocking chair back home.”
The EBCI team’s participation also serves as a powerful message. “We view the Senior Games as a good example for younger people,” Bernice said. “No matter what your limitations are, get up and keep moving. And look at us.”
The community’s efforts have been met with an equally welcoming spirit from the event itself. Kamiyo noted the elders “always feel welcome” at The Games and the tribe appreciates “all the support and everything that has been provided to us.”
By: Danielle Brown
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- Published in 2025 Games Daily News, Games Daily News
4×100 Meter Relay Brings Athletes Together for One Last Race
In the final event of the track competition at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana, athletes traded rivalry for teamwork in the 4×100 relay, forming their own teams after a week of individual races.
In the women’s 55+ division, Diahann Armstrong (60), Donna Lawrence (57), Veronica LeShore (59), and Andrea Collier (59) sprinted to victory with a time of 53.78 seconds, the fastest among all women’s teams and just shy of a national record. Despite only practicing together for 10 minutes before the race, their chemistry was evident.
“This is an amazing experience,” Andrea said. “We’re excited about our time because we came so close to the record.”
Diahann called it “the most exciting part of the meet,” and Donna reflected on the unique setup: “It’s fantastic. We believe iron sharpens iron, so we love competing and teaming up with each other.”
In the men’s 55+ division, Steven Silvey (59), Lloyd Hightower (57), Raymond Cage (56), and Stephen Williams (55) combined for an impressive 49.69 second finish, the fastest men’s time of the meet.
After being neck and neck with each other in their individual races all week, Raymond brought the team together. They practiced handoffs for just 15 minutes but made the most of it by strategically placing runners based on their strengths: curves or straightaways.
“When you realize you’re going to run together, you form a brothership. It’s going to be fun no matter the result.” Lloyd said.
“Individual medals are great,” he added, “but doing it with these guys and seeing how it all comes together, you can’t beat it.”
By: Gabi Mercurio
- Published in 2025 Games Daily News, Games Daily News
Priya Chinnaswamy Serves Up the Truth About Table Tennis
Priya Chinnaswamy is an elite table tennis player, and wants to teach others that the sport is more than first impressions.
“Table Tennis is not just a garage or a bar sport. People don’t realize an hour of table tennis can burn over 200 calories,” Priya Chinnaswamy, an elite table tennis player, explained when asked about the most common things spectators don’t appreciate about the sport.
Now 55, she has played table tennis since she was a girl and coaches students of all ages. This is her second National Senior Games, and she has worked hard to not only make it here, but also to overcome her performance anxiety.
Priya has loved making friends at the Senior Games, but is also a fierce competitor. “When we are at the table, we are not nice… but outside of that, the friendships are fantastic,” Priya laughed. Priya also noted that playing doubles requires a lot of trust and relationship building, which many players have to develop in a short time. In doubles matches, each player must alternate hitting the ball, so verbal and non-verbal communication is key.
Like any other elite athlete, Priya’s training is intense. She coaches three times a week and plays three times a week. Practice consists of scrimmage matches, as well as practicing specific skills, like repetitive serving. She also spends certain practice days focusing on technique, such as playing only backhand, which requires her to have active footwork so she can move around the table. Focus is crucial in her practice and play, and she works diligently to block out all external stimuli while playing.
Where does her motivation come from? Her students! One of Priya’s students is 95 years old, and it inspires her to continue learning and growing in the sport. When she first started coaching older adults, she was shocked to see that people of all ages can play table tennis at a high level.
Priya also discussed the value of table tennis for athletes with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Among the many athletes she has coached, individuals with a mentally degenerative condition remained more stable for longer periods.
Priya dominated her competition at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana, earning three medals – two gold and one silver in Des Moines. Thanks, Priya, for giving us an inside look at this fascinating sport!
By: Sydney Parker
- Published in 2025 Games Daily News, Games Daily News
Thank You, Des Moines. Next Stop, Tulsa!
“Iowa Nice” is more than a catchy phrase – it’s real!
We are grateful to Des Moines for the hospitality shown to our athletes, staff and volunteers. The 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana was the second largest Games in history, and the athlete’s compliments are rolling in thanking the organizers and the people of Iowa for staging great competitions.
The bar is set now for our 2027 Host Community, and we believe Tulsa, Oklahoma, is up to the challenge to create more magic and memorable experiences for National Senior Games athletes.
The Games in Oklahoma will be here “Sooner” than you think! LET’S GO!
- Published in 2025 Games Daily News, Games Daily News
Games Daily Interns Reflect on What They Have Learned About Aging
Every Games, we ask our communications interns to share their thoughts about what they experienced and how it influenced their perspective on aging. Read their reflections below.
The Games Daily would not be possible without the help of talented intern reporters, and we had an exemplary team of three individuals who weathered through daily deadlines and challenges in the field to deliver excellent content throughout the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana. They also collected hundreds of photos, video clips and field interviews to power our social media during The Games and beyond.
We are grateful for their contributions to share impressions that collectively show the depth and breadth of The Games and the Senior Games Movement.
Danielle Brown
My perspective on aging, shaped by my family and personal health issues, was reinforced throughout the experience. My core belief is that age is just a number, a viewpoint strengthened by knowing that life is short and our ability to do what we love is a blessing that can be lost at any time.
The NSG athletes embodied this belief, highlighting that competing in high-level sports is not limited by age. I was deeply moved by their perseverance, which mirrored my own professional experience of succeeding despite challenges. It was a powerful reminder that a sedentary lifestyle is a choice, not an inevitability, and that aging can be a dynamic and active part of life.
Gabi Mercurio
This experience changed how I think about aging. Speaking with athletes, both on and off the record, was incredibly inspiring. Their stories weren’t just about sports, they were about resilience, joy, loss and determination. These athletes are living proof that staying active isn’t just possible with age, it’s a lifestyle choice that can empower and extend quality of life. There is no expiration date on fitness or passion.
Long days didn’t feel long when you were surrounded by such energy and purpose. Being part of the team responsible for telling these stories of grit, perseverance and lifelong friendships was an honor. It made me realize I want a future career that’s just as dynamic and meaningful.
Sydney Parker
Every single athlete I got to speak to was brimming with kindness and determination, and it was truly incredible to witness what these people are capable of.
I had no real idea of what to expect before this internship began. I understood that the older adults we would be working with possessed unique life experiences and strengths, but I could never have guessed the kind of power and energy this community holds. Not only are there some fierce competitors, but there are lifelong friendships thriving in every nook and cranny of The Games. I am not an athletically gifted person myself, but I now have a much deeper understanding of how fitness and graceful aging are entwined.
- Published in 2025 Games Daily News, Games Daily News
How Mike Adsit Embraced the Storm and Re-Cycled Himself
After facing several major medical complications, Mike Adsit is back on the bike and ecstatic to be at the National Senior Games among his fellow athletes.
In 2015, NSGA published a “Personal Best” profile about cyclist Mike Adsit, who is now 75 years old. In that feature, Mike told the story of how he beat stage 3 Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and how he has encouraged and inspired others. He was moved to return to biking, pushed by the realization that active adults have a greater survivability rate than those who are not active.
Mike is still cycling competitively, despite an incredible array of new challenges. In 2019, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Mike endured more chemotherapy, but this time was also given hormone therapy to deplete his body of testosterone. He lost a lot of muscle mass because of this, which made staying on the bike even harder.
In 2020, Mike had a triple bypass heart surgery, and then in 2022, he had a heart ablation procedure because of heart flutters he experienced during a race. After recovery from all of this, fate dealt another blow. Ten days shy of the National Senior Games in 2023, Mike was hit by a car. Undaunted, he still showed up in Pittsburgh for The Games!
Any one of these setbacks could leave the average person knocked out of their sport forever. But this cyclist is anything but average. Each time, Mike refused to give in, prioritized recovery and worked his way back to becoming active again.
Through all of this, Mike managed to make it to several State Games and three trips to national competition. The 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana is the first Senior Games in a while that Mike has been able to compete without a health condition or injury. His racing bike shorts display ‘COURAGE: Embrace the Storm,” an expression he uses when telling his story.
How does it feel to be back and better than ever? “Awesome!” Mike exclaimed with a smile. “I always get so inspired by all the other athletes, and the National Senior Games are just so awesome!”
“I want to inspire others that cancer is not a death sentence, and you can go on. Just keep pedaling,” Mike declared. He has certainly beaten the odds, and so far has earned ribbons for placing in the top 8 in his first three races in Des Moines.
By: Sydney Parker
- Published in 2025 Games Daily News, Games Daily News
Still Serving After 66 Years, Iowa City Duo Competes In Senior Games
Table Tennis players Jarol and Leah Duerksen, an Iowa City couple celebrating 66 years of marriage, find a home-court advantage as they compete in the National Senior Games in their own state.
For Jarol and Leah Duerksen, playing Table Tennis at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana is a kind of homecoming. After traveling across the country for their last eight National Senior Games, the Iowa City couple is enjoying the unique opportunity to compete in their own state. 
Des Moines hosting The Games so close to home is a welcome change that allows friends and family to join in on the fun to watch their mixed doubles play and witness the camaraderie.
“I like seeing people that we’ve met before, and sometimes I don’t remember who we met, but they’re always happy to see us,” Leah said. “Having the games in Iowa allows our local community to be a part of the experience,” Jarol added.
The Duerksens have a long history of sharing their passion for table tennis with others. After meeting over a ping-pong game in college 68 years ago, and eventually building their Iowa City house around fitting a table tennis table inside, they regularly open their doors to students and staff from the University of Iowa.
“We’re just living the dream,” Jarol said.
The couple, who will celebrate their 66th wedding anniversary in two weeks, credit their long marriage to a shared love for the sport and a deep commitment to one another. “When we made our commitment to each other for better, for worse, we meant it,” Jarol said, emphasizing their philosophy of doing things together.
Their dedication to the sport was highlighted when they were profiled for the 2022 Games Daily News. For more on the Duerksens’ incredible journey, including their “Live Long, Play Pong” mantra, read the original article here.
By: Danielle Brown
- Published in 2025 Games Daily News, Games Daily News
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