Irma DeMarzo, 76, Jackson, New Jersey Irma DeMarzo is the kind of person that embraces everything that she does, and especially when it comes to tennis. In her native Brooklyn, Irma displayed an innate competitiveness and physical aptitude in a variety of sports and was recognized as the top girl athlete in her high school. However,

Jerry LeVasseur, 76, Brunswick, Maine On a hot and sunny July day in 1944, young Jerry LeVasseur and his mother set out from Bristol, Connecticut for an afternoon of fun at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in nearby Hartford. The Big Top was packed with 7,000 fans.  As the show began, the

Ruby Rott, 80, Saint Paul, Minnesota When we first invited Ruby Rott to be a Personal Best athlete, she didn’t feel she was worthy of the recognition, instead suggesting another Minnesota tennis player in his 90’s who won two medals at last year’s National Senior Games. After all, she had only finally managed to capture a

Ethel Lehmann, 84, Largo, Florida Baseball was love at first sight from the time Ethel Lehmann was a little girl in New York sitting on her father’s shoulders, watching and cheering along as the hometown hero hit a home run. As a teen that memory resonated when she set softball records and was named team

Dr. Granville Coggs, 88, San Antonio, Texas “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” – From Invictus by William Ernest Henry When he thinks back over an eventful life, Dr. Granville Coggs is both astonished and gratified at the path he has taken and the things he has

By the Numbers – Jane Kaiser, 65, St. Louis, Missouri Jane Kaiser may not be the most gifted senior athlete, but she just might be the healthiest. It seems fitting that a native of St. Louis would be the poster child for our motto to “Be Your Personal Best.” After all, the Gateway City is

Targeting the Heart – Little Big Eagle, 58, Midland, North Carolina There he stood on the awards podium in Cleveland, proudly celebrating his Gold Medal in archery won at the 2013 National Senior Games Presented by Humana. His name was announced – Little Big Eagle – and it seemed to convey to every observer that this

Full Cycle – Larry Johnson, 94, Albuquerque, New Mexico When he turned 90, Larry Johnson’s grandson challenged him to ride his bike 90 miles to celebrate. Not only did he accept the challenge, he made it an even 100 miles and staged the ride on a spin cycle at his gym in Albuquerque. Now 94, the

Going Great Lengths – Vivian Stancil, 67, Riverside, California Photo (below) By: Cathy Wilson If you had told a young Vivian Stancil she would one day be swimming and competing in Senior Games, she would have laughed out loud at the notion. She was always deathly afraid of water, and could have easily quit with

Forever 21 – Karen Newman, 52, New Greenwich, Connecticut It would be easy to survey the athletic accomplishments of seven time All- American triathlete Karen Newman and assume her road has been a relatively easy one. Of course, a natural runner with an intensely competitive attitude would be able to return to form after taking