Personal Best Tour – November 5, 2016, Dover, Delaware

NSGA’s visit to the Delaware Senior Olympics annual award luncheon could not have been better timed. DSO just completed its 25^th anniversary games and wanted to do something special for this year’s gathering. So, in addition to presenting a Personal Best Award to 77-year-old Georgia Billger (read feature here), CEO Marc T. Riker was invited to be the keynote speaker and talked at length about preparations for the 2017 National Senior Games presented by Humana, plans for celebrating our own 30^th anniversary during The Games in Birmingham, and NSGA’s growing efforts to advocate senior health and wellness.

Georgia Billger is no stranger to her athlete peers, both for her longtime participation and for having been a previous recipient DSO’s Charlie Marten Award, which recognizes perseverance and dedication to fitness much like our Personal Best program. One distinguishing characteristic of “The First State” is that Delaware is small enough that everybody seems to treat each other as neighbors. Marc and Media Director Del Moon were welcomed in the same congenial spirit.

Marc also lauded the excellence of Delaware Senior Olympics, noting their longtime wellness programs such as Walk Delaware, in which participants keep a log and walk, run, bike or swim the equivalent of the combined length and width of the state in one year. As evidenced from the annual results announced by board member Peggy Olivero, many far exceeded the required 131 miles.

He also credited DSO with lending NSGA a phrase we often use that they have promoted for some time: “Fitness, Fun and Fellowship.” The program amply covered the “fitness” and “fellowship” portion, so afterwards we decided to have some “fun,” as evidenced in the following photos:

 

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(Left) We were honored to shake the hand of Hugh Horning, the man who created the term “Fitness, Fun and Fellowship” and contributed much to DSO through the years. No one has come up with a better phrase that captures the spirit of The Games!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(Right) Bonnie Strang has 98 gold medals from playing badminton, pickleball and softball, but her first love is softball. On a whimsical suggestion, Bonnie “stood in the box” using her award as a bat, with Marc as catcher and Del as umpire.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(Left) Bonnie also introduced us to Harriet Mair, the person who first told her about Senior Games when they were playing together in a community orchestra. Of course, the fun escalated when we asked them to reenact the meeting with their “air instruments”- Harriet on the oboe, Bonnie on the trumpet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(Right) Stay with us here: We found out that the amazing Marion Lisehora, the woman with lifelong perfect health mentioned by Georgia in her feature, was once a rider in the famous diving horse show at the Steel Pier in Atlantic City back in the 50s! She emphasized that no horse was ever injured in the decades of the show, and that her horse couldn’t wait to jump in the water on hot summer days. Of course, Marc insisted that her feat be re-enacted and volunteered to be the horse for the photo. Watch for Marion to be a story feature down the road.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(Left) In the Personal Best story, Georgia mentioned going to other states to help athletes qualify for doubles play in pickleball, and that in each case they won gold. Three of the women she helped made the drive from outside Delaware to come witness Georgia’s recognition. Pictured are Delia Wan, Melissa Milar and Robbin Murray with Georgia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(Right) Retired librarian-turned-triathlete Marie Neaves was featured as NSGA’s Athlete of the Month for May, 2013. The banquet provided the opportunity for Marie and Del, who wrote the story, to have a happy reunion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks again to the staff, volunteers and athletes we met at the luncheon held at the impressive Modern Maturity Center in Dover. Small state, enormous spirit!

 

Personal Best Tour – September 10, 2016, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

In Photo: Don Hoeppner is congratulated for his Personal Best Award by NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker, along with Wisconsin Senior Olympics President John White (left) and Executive Director Mollie Bartelt.

 

NSGA visited the swimming competitions for the 2016 Wisconsin Senior Olympics at Shorewood VHE Community Pool to present a Personal Best Award to 85-year-old Don Hoeppner, who was described in his profile feature as “a man who never met a sport he didn’t like.”

“Our recognition program has profiled people from many backgrounds. We’ve found that the majority decide to pick up a sport in midlife to enjoy greater health and the social experience,” NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker told the poolside audience numbering more than 125 athletes and supporters. “Don has always stayed active and been involved in sports, which is reflected in the excellent quality of life he continues to enjoy. He inspires others of all ages to become more active to improve their own lives.”

 

Don has not missed any of the Wisconsin state games since he began in his 50s and has played most of the sports offered over nearly three decades. He has competed in all but two National Senior Games as well. “I am not the best of the best, but I sure do enjoy participating in all of these sports,” he remarked. “You have to work at it, but to be able to do this and meet so many others doing the same thing is all worth it.”

 

As always, Riker and NSGA PR staffer Del Moon enjoyed meeting many of the Wisconsin athletes at the pool, and also managed to catch up with shuffleboard and table tennis activity during the visit. Here’s some of the great folks we met:

 

64-year-old Gary Pinter shares how he found Senior Games in 2006, lost 50 pounds and has kept it off through swimming and triathlon. Gary is an eager ambassador for Wisconsin Senior Olympics and has been the subject of several newspaper and television stories.

 

First-time competitor Gloria Boileau was classy and pretty in purple at the 2016 Wisconsin Senior Olympics. Gloria entered several events and uplifted everyone with her enthusiasm and color.

 

Majan “Mario” Marcianiak (left) and Bob Fasciang schooled Marc and Del in a pickup game of shuffleboard after qualifying action had completed. Bob, who will be 90 when he goes to Birmingham next June, won national gold medals in Hampton Roads in 2003 and Pittsburgh in 2005.

 

We enjoyed watching two top table tennis players face off. Ladislav “Lasso” Sranko, left, took gold in mixed doubles and doubles play and added a silver in the 60-64 men’s singles action at the 2015 National Senior Games presented by Humana held in Minnesota last year. Jacek “Jack” Odoner gave Lasso all he could handle. Both are major promoters with the Milwaukee Table Tennis Club. Play was fast-paced, and this shot was as close as we could get to freezing the ball in motion.

 

Steve “The Homer” True is a longtime sports media icon in Milwaukee who currently holds court with a regular talk show on ESPN 540 AM. This year he decided to dust off his paddle and jump into the action at the 2016 Wisconsin Senior Olympics. Homer still has some good moves. Not too shabby Steve!

Personal Best Tour – June 27, 2016, Franklin, Tennessee

 

In Photo: NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker (right) with Personal Best athlete Eleanor Pendergraft (holding certificate) along with (l to r) Tennessee Senior Olympics Board Chair Lisa Wright, Executive Director Christine Dewbre and triathlete Barbara Bogart, who first encouraged her to get into the games.

“Y’all are the huggingest bunch I’ve ever seen!”

So opened the Tennessee Senior Olympics (TSO) athlete dinner and party as Williamson County Parks and Recreation Director Gordon Hampton welcomed over 400 athletes and supporters to Liberty Hall at The Factory in Franklin. At the dinner-and at every sport venue we visited-the athletes, family members and volunteers created an atmosphere as much like a family reunion as a serious sporting event to qualify for the 2017 National Senior Games presented by Humana in Birmingham next June.

The program itself demonstrated the support enjoyed by TSO with remarks by Hampton, Franklin Mayor Ken Moore and TSO Board Chair Lisa Wright, who is also with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Tennessee, a longtime sponsor. TSO, now in its 36^th year, also receives public support that allows for a network of district games to be held annually around the state as a lead-in to the State Finals qualifying events we visited.

Our featured Personal Best athlete Eleanor Pendergraft is well known to her Tennessee peers, yet there was no table talk and all ears focused to the stage while Riker recounted her remarkable story of escaping from the grips of multiple sclerosis and to keep the disease at bay through her athletic participation.  “People might say this is a miracle, but Eleanor’s accomplishments came from making the decision to work her way past her challenges,” Riker said. “At every step, with every setback, she continued to make the decision to pursue her goals. This shows that we all can make a decision to improve our level of fitness and enjoy a higher quality of life.”

In her comments, Pendergraft shared that an automobile accident a few months ago (which she clearly established was not her fault) resulted in extensive damage to her artificial knee. Because the surgery and rehab would have prevented her from qualifying in the state finals, the feisty runner decided to put off the procedure until July 6^th so she could qualify in her running events with the assistance of her walker. “My doctor expects me to be as good as I was before, so I don’t care how fast I do my events, because this gets me to my goal of competing in the National Senior Games next year.”

 

Because there were not many women entered into track events in the 80-84 division at these finals, all she had to do was gut it out and finish her events to qualify. We’re happy to report that Pendergraft did indeed finish eight events, including the 5K road race which we witnessed early the next morning. In typical style, she “sprinted” with her walker to the finish line and a hero’s welcome by other runners. To emphasize the family feel of the Tennessee games, we met many married couples and siblings participating in events as we observed activity in eight sports. In bowling, we found 53-year-old Eric Barnes, whose mixed doubles partner is his 82-year old mother Rowena Cupp, who has been to several national games.  Barnes, who has special needs, counted the days until he was 50 so he could be in Senior Games. Here are two other family examples:

How could we pass up “Team Davidson” with smiles like this? Swimming sisters Susan Rollins (A/K/A “The Machine”), Marion Bailey, and newbie Beth Share pumped themselves up using their maiden name for the team.

Marc Riker met sisters Barbara Cornwall and Betty Case and discovered these harmless-looking ladies are fierce competitors in badminton and pickleball. They proudly recounted coming home from the 2009 National Senior Games in Palo Alto with a gold medal in women’s 75-79 doubles.

Congratulations, Tennessee. You really know how to have great games and to make visitors feel welcome!

The 2016 Personal Best health and wellness initiative took to the road with a presentation to 60-year-old Colorado athlete Tom McAdam at the Celebration of Athletes kickoff event for the 39th annual Rocky Mountain Senior Games held in Greeley, Colorado.

After introductions by RMSG President and NSGA Board Vice Chair Kate Amack (shown in award photo), CEO Marc T. Riker told assembled athletes and spectators Tom McAdam’s story (posted on Personal Best Page) about how he got involved in Senior Games as a way to honor his 95-year-old father Bob McAdam, a retired fitness educator and racquetball hall of famer. “Tom encouraged other family members to join in, and his brother in Minnesota did,” Riker explained. “As a result, Brian McAdam was able to reverse weight gain and the side effects from neck and back operations. Then Brian’s children were inspired and are now competitive swimmers. It shows you never know how your actions will positively impact others.”

Tom agreed, and talked about both the social and fitness benefits of his involvement. Being 60 years old, he said he frequently gets surprised reactions from people when he mentions his activity. “People tell me I don’t look like I’m old enough to be in Senior Games. I tell them I look like this because I am in Senior Games.”

Following the presentation and athletes’ oath to open the 39th annual Rocky Mountain Senior Games, McAdam lit the cauldron and led athletes on a torch march with athletes bearing signs of the sports being played.

Over two days Riker and NSGA PR staffer Del Moon visited seven sport venues and met some great athletes…as we always do! Here are some snapshots from the visit:

 

The 2015 Florida Senior Games began with an awards ceremony to honor their 2014 Games Athletes of the Year, Walt Deal and Danuta Kubelik. Both are past National Senior Games competitors. Also at the ceremony was State Representative Kathleen Peters, second from right and City of Clearwater Government Mayor, George Cretekos. It was the first time in the event’s 24 year history that the state games had been hosted in Clearwater, which is celebrating its centennial this year.

The program, held outside of the Long Center that was the venue for swimming and other events, was the perfect opportunity for an NSGA Personal Best presentation. More than 100 athletes and others heard NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker honor 90-year-old swimmer and runner Ryan Beighley. In the photo here, Ryan displays his Personal Best certificate with his wife Marty by his side, with Riker (left) and Florida Sports Foundation Senior Vice President (and current NSGA Board Chair) Stephen Rodriguez congratulating him.

Ryan immediately cracked up the audience with his Irish wit in his brief remarks. “Isn’t it customary that an award recipient gets a hug of congratulations?” he wondered, turning to look back at Rep. Peters. She gladly complied with a laugh and a hug.

Later the same day, NSGA and the Florida Senior Games hosted a bowling clinic for non-ambulatory veterans from the Bay Pines Veterans facility at Seminole Lanes, the bowling venue for the state games.

US Dept. of Veterans Affairs Recreation Therapist Lin Hales recruited several vets from the facility and the clinic was facilitated by Cory Krause, Seminole Lane’s general manager. One of the veterans, 65-year-old John Starr (in chair on left) had not bowled in over 20 years and smiled from ear to ear as he scored two strikes and a finishing score of 141.

NSGA’s Marc T. Riker, Becky Sewell and Del Moon were on hand to help and congratulate the vets. “We hope to work with our states to have many more clinics like this around the country next year to stimulate more participation,” Riker said, noting that the 2017 Games in Birmingham will again offer non-ambulatory bowling, horseshoes and shuffleboard divisions.

The 2015 Florida Senior Games enjoyed robust athlete participation with more than 2,000 athletes in 24 sports over nine days of competition. We ran into many National Senior Games athletes, including two cycling gold medalists, Kathy Petrillo and Cheryl Cherry shown below. Cherry shattered the Florida games 5K time trial record. Moon also caught up with one of his 2015 Personal Best feature subjects, 94-year-old John C. Taylor from Atlanta, who was the eldest participant. And at archery, Sewell (left, below) and Riker presented the gold to Jack Cason, who also snagged the gold in men’s 80-83 compound release in Minnesota.

Our thanks to FSG event manager Sarah Kirchberg and the rest of the staff and volunteers for their hospitality and for running well-organized games!

For the first time, NSGA presented two Personal Best athlete awards in one state visit. The “Las Vegas Double Down” happened because we first selected 60-year-old tennis player and cancer survivor Brenda Talley (left in photo), who is also the director of the Nevada Senior Games. A big reason why she became the games director is tied to her inspirational story. We just had to select Brenda to honor.

“Brenda’s board of directors and our staff all agreed that her story of overcoming dire personal obstacles, and her heroic efforts to salvage the state games when they were in danger of being canceled in 2013, made for the most compelling story,” said NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker. “While the selection was not based on her current position, we decided that since we were coming to Las Vegas it was only appropriate to ‘double down’ and select a second athlete to profile too.”

At the annual Nevada Senior Games Celebration of Athletes attended by over 300 athletes and supporters, Riker honored Talley and 64-year old elite badminton medalist Debbie Lorenzo in our NSGA Personal Best presentation.

“My goal to recover from ovarian cancer was to get healthy enough to qualify at state games to play tennis in the National Senior Games, which I was fortunate to finally do this summer.” Talley told the audience. “The Games helped save me, and they are important for so many others too.”

Lorenzo, a Singapore native who served UNESCO internationally and came to Las Vegas to live with her mother after an emergency evacuation from the former Yugoslavia eliminated her position in 1995, told the audience, “Age is only a silly little number. You’ve heard this before, but it’s true: don’t just add years to your life, it’s about adding life to your years.”

The program also included a presentation of proclamations from the Mayor of Las Vegas and Governor of Nevada presented by Las Vegas City Councilman Stavros Anthony, a staunch supporter of their games. Las Vegas area YMCA representatives Barbara Carter, Susan Flight and Brianna Barber were also thanked for their support of the Nevada Senior Games. NSGA and YMCA of the USA have forged a partnership encouraging states to seek relationships that will enhance healthy active living for seniors. Nevada has answered the call!

During their stay, Riker and NSGA Communications and Media Director Del Moon also enjoyed visiting Nevada games action at cycling, track and field and racquetball venues. The Nevada games drew over 650 participants, a great showing for a non-qualifying year.

We were fortunate to meet track Olympian Martha Watson (seen here on left with Riker and Talley), who has been a volunteer for their games for several years and just entered competition herself. She thought it wouldn’t be fair for an Olympian to be competing in Senior Games…and then got beat in her return to the track in the 100 meter race. It’s all good, Martha knew she was not in competition form, saying ‘I loved feeling that flutter of excitement again waiting at the line for the gun.” She vows to train and come back strong to qualify and make her National Senior Games debut in 2017!

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We also found two happy Californians who each have earned international rankings resulting from their competition in five field events (called the weight pentathlon) held at the UNLV track stadium. Linn Dunton (left in first photo below) is now #2 in the world in the 55-59 division and Linda Cohn (on right) ascended to #1 in the U.S. for 60-64. Dunton was featured as a 2013 Athlete of the Month for her poignant story of beating breast cancer and returning to competition using her deceased mother’s throwing implements.

Below are additional images from track, cycling and racquetball. We left Las Vegas feeling like big winners!

The list of celebrities and notables who have joined us on our Personal Best tour stops include Olympians, a college football champion quarterback, a Grammy winner, a US Army general, the director of the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, and a slew of local and state dignitaries and civic leaders. On this visit, we can add a World Series champion to the list. Detroit Tigers Hall of Fame legend Willie Horton was the keynote speaker at the Michigan Senior Olympics Celebration of Athletes dinner where NSGA honored 67-year-old racquetball player Sharon Huczek with a Class of 2015 Personal Best Award.

Huczek, a self made woman who paid her own way through college and had a distinguished 40 year career in public education and counseling in nearby Warren, has overcome many life challenges to succeed as a medal-winning athlete, mother and fitness advocate. Now retired, she still conducts pilates and cycling classes at her YMCA. Shown here congratulating Huczek (center) are Bonnie Brown of the North Oakland Family YMCA, NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker, MSO executive director Becky Ridky, and Willie Horton.

“This is more than just a recognition of athletic ability,” said NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker as he made the award presentation. “Sharon Huczek epitomizes NSGA’s new definition of personal best that goes beyond a moment of athletic achievement,” said NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker. “Sharon’s ongoing journey on and off the playing field to strive for fitness and health while also inspiring others to follow her lead made her an excellent selection.”

Huczek earned one gold and one silver medal for her racquetball singles and doubles play at the 2015 National Senior Games presented by Humana. Riker announced that she was among Michigan athletes who came home with a total of 109 medals, the sixth largest state result this year. “We are proud to have Sharon selected as a Personal Best athlete for our state,” Michigan Senior Olympics Director Becky Ridky noted. “She not only a great athlete, she encourages others to be fit and volunteers to help at our Games. She’s a role model for our community, and I hope her story helps motivate others to get involved.”

MSO also presented three new inductees to its Hall of Fame: Hilary George, an accomplished thrower who said he prefers to call his sport “Field and Track”; Marika Blumerick, a multi-sport athlete with an amazing life story that included losing her hearing in WWII bombings in her native Germany; and Jerry White, a diverse track and field/race walk athlete with an infectious positive spirit.

Riker and NSGA staffer Del Moon visited several MSO sports including 40K cycling, 5K road race, tennis, pickleball and disc golf. The lasting impression we left with was how engaged, excited and engaged everyone was with the event- athletes, volunteers, sponsors, and venue hosts. Kudos to Becky Ridky and her organization for producing model senior games for the Wolverine State!