The Long Road to Glory – January 2021 Athlete of the Month
Richard Soller, 93, North Bend, Ohio Richard Soller feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders after chasing a dream goal for 32 years. We’ll make you wait and read on to fully appreciate his story and eventual reward. When Richard went out for track in high school, he suffered a torn hamstring
- Published in Athlete of the Month
The Adventures of Shirley Radecki – December 2020 Athlete of the Month
Shirley Radecki, 92, Eugene, Oregon Winning two swimming medals in The National Senior Games is a remarkable achievement, but no one was more surprised to win them than Shirley Radecki, who struck gold and silver in her first appearance last year at the age of 90. In a way it was very special, but it’s
- Published in Athlete of the Month
The Long Run November 2020
Association News Remembering Harris Frank The Senior Games Movement celebrates the life of Harris Frank, who left us recently at the age of 95 in his beloved hometown of St. Louis. Harris is a co-founder of The Games, and he lived a full life marked by major accomplishments that made him a recognized pillar of
- Published in Newsletter
The Journey is as Important as His Records November 2020 Athlete of the Month
Michael Brown, 67, Jacksonville, Florida At the age of 50, Michael Brown achieved something that athletes of any age yearn for – a record. The former Jacksonville, Florida high school teacher and track and field coach threw his javelin a whopping 226 feet at the 2004 Florida Senior Games, and then repeated the same distance
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The Long Run October 2020
Association News Step Into 2021 with a NEW Virtual Challenge! The recent NSGA Step Up Your Game virtual challenge received good participation and positive feedback from our athletes, so we’re going to do it again to help keep everyone moving! This time, we look to the future with the StepsTo2021 National Senior Games Challenge, which
- Published in Newsletter
Mary’s Miles and Miles of Texas – October 2020 Athlete of the Month
Mary Kaplan, 81, Sunrise Beach, Texas When we say runner Mary Kaplan sets goals as big as Texas, we mean it literally. Now 81, the retired Air Force nurse has not only run a race in all 50 states, she has also achieved the goal to run a 5K in every Texas county. All 254
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The Long Run September 2020
Association News Step Up Challenge Results – Guess Who Came Out on Top? Last month’s NSGA Step Up Your Game Challenge was a fun way for athletes to log their activity in steps and compete with their state to win by achieving the highest average steps for the team. Hundreds signed on and the competition
- Published in Newsletter
“Pickleball Over Parkinson’s” September 2020 Athlete of the Month
Andy Leighton, 73, Arlington, Virginia Andy Leighton has learned over the years that you don’t give anything away to your opponents – you make them earn everything. For the past decade, that outlook has been put to test, as he now has a second opponent to face every day: Parkinson’s Disease. “After the diagnosis, I
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The Long Run August 2020
Association News Download the NEW NSGA App! The NSGA, in partnership with our 2021 National Senior Games presenting sponsor Humana, is proud to announce the creation of our very own National Senior Games Association phone app that you can download free today! The NSGA App is user-friendly and mirrors the NSGA website to make it
- Published in Newsletter
“Joy on the Track” August 2020 Athlete of the Month
Joy Upshaw, 60, Walnut Creek, California It’s great to win a gold medal, and special when you achieve a record for the best performance in your age and event. But it’s extraordinary when your record surpasses a legend and personal inspiration, as Joy Upshaw experienced in 2019. Even though she was at the top of
- Published in Athlete of the Month











