SIGN IN YOUR ACCOUNT TO HAVE ACCESS TO DIFFERENT FEATURES

FORGOT YOUR PASSWORD?

FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

AAH, WAIT, I REMEMBER NOW!
Contact Us: NSGA@NSGA.com
  • HOME
  • NSGA OFFICIAL STORE
  • PARTNERS
  • VOLUNTEER
  • DONATE TODAY

National Senior Games Association

National Senior Games Association

The NSGA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the benefits of competitive sports, physical fitness and active aging to adults ages 50+.

T (727) 475-1187
Email: NSGA@NSGA.com

National Senior Games Association
PO BOX 5630, Clearwater, FL 33758 USA

  • ABOUT
    • About the NSGA
    • How To Qualify
    • FAQs
    • History of the NSGA
    • Board of Directors
    • Team
    • Sports Chairs
    • National Games Awards
    • Contact Us
    • Career Opportunities
    • 30th Anniversary
  • STATE GAMES
    • State Games Information
    • National Senior Games Week
    • State Regions
    • Team Partner Finder
    • NSGA Award Winners
  • NATIONAL GAMES
    • How to Compete
    • National Games Information
      • Athlete Check-In
      • Registration
      • Competition Schedules
      • Hotels & Lodging
      • Limited Events Verification Form
      • Rules & Minimum Performance Standards
      • NSGA Official Merchandise
      • Results & Records
      • Special Events
      • Team Partner Finder
      • Venue Information
      • Transportation & Parking
      • Volunteer for the Games
      • How To Qualify
    • Mile for the Ages
    • NSG CUP
    • National Senior Games Partners
    • 2027 NSG Tulsa
    • 2029 NSG Birmingham
  • SPORTS
    • Individual Sports
      • Archery
      • Badminton
      • Basketball – Shooting Skills
      • Billiards – 8 Ball
      • Bowling
      • Cornhole
      • Cycling
      • Disc Golf
      • Golf
      • Golf (Scramble)
      • Pickleball
      • Powerlifting
      • Power Walk
      • Race Walk
      • Racquetball
      • Road Race
      • Shuffleboard
      • Swimming
      • Table Tennis
      • Tai Chi
      • Tennis
      • Track & Field
      • Triathlon
    • Non-Ambulatory Sports
      • Non-Ambulatory Bowling
      • Non-Ambulatory Cornhole
      • Non-Ambulatory Pickleball
      • Non-Ambulatory Shuffleboard
    • Team Sports
      • Basketball
      • Beach Volleyball
      • Soccer
      • Softball
      • Volleyball
  • HEALTH & WELL-BEING
    • Sustained Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE)
    • Health & Well-Being Blogs
    • Exercise Resources
    • Fitness Videos
    • Well-Being Resources
    • NSGA Ambassador Program Activities
  • MEDIA
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Photo Galleries
      • 2023 Photo Gallery
      • 2023 Softball Championships Photo Gallery
      • 2022 Photo Gallery
      • 2019 Photo Gallery
    • Videos
      • NSG Video Stories
      • 2022 NSG Video Recaps
      • 2019 NSG Video Recaps
      • #StayFitSeniors Athlete Videos
    • Press Room
    • Humana Game Changers
    • Athlete of the Month
    • Press Releases
    • Personal Best Features
    • Games Daily News Archives
      • 2023 Games Daily News
      • 2022 Games Daily News
      • 2019 Games Daily News
      • 2017 Games Daily News
    • Senior Games Blogs & Podcasts
    • NSGA Newsletter Archive
VOLUNTEER
NOW!
 July 11, 2025

December 2019 Athlete of the Month

December 2019 Athlete of the Month

by Del Moon / Saturday, 07 December 2019 / Published in Athlete of the Month

Bob Messersmith, 86, San Juan Capistrano, California

“If you want to be old, you’re old.”

Bob Messersmith has built a senior basketball dynasty. The teams he has organized and coached have won the California Senior Games championship 18 out of 20 years. His Team USA has dominated National Senior Games in five age categories over the past two decades, most recently capturing gold in the Men’s 85+ division in 2019.

Remarkably, the 86-year-old hoopster, based in Orange County, California, has also repeated this success with teams in international FIMBA basketball championship play. Most competitors assume from Bob’s passion and success that he’s a lifetime roundballer motivated by the desire to win. In fact, Bob tells us that while he has an athletic background, he didn’t start playing basketball competitively until he was 61.

“I went to the University of Maryland expecting to pitch for their baseball team and ended up with a scholarship on the track team,” he recalls. He still treasures the gold watch he received when his team won the Penn Relays. He later kept up with masters track running, setting a 100-meter record at the age of 50. Bob also enjoyed playing softball for fun, and that led him to the half court.

“One of my buddies I played softball with got me to go shoot hoops with some guys every weekend,” he says. “We thought it would be great to have some competitions, and our local group grew from that.” As a retired Air Force Colonel with Viet Nam experience, Bob was the right guy to recruit, coach and manage regular practices. Within two years his teams were in Senior Games and beginning to travel to national and international tournaments.

The Capo Classics, as they are called, welcome all older men from the area to join them for healthy hoops at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center gym. Dozens are signed up, and at least 25 men show up to play three times per week. While the club has helped Bob to develop excellent teams, he is equally proud to provide a physical and social outlet for the many men of all abilities who participate.

“We are blessed where we are. There’s a lot of guys that tell me they wouldn’t know what to do if they didn’t have this basketball thing,” Bob shares, adding with a laugh, “There’s nothing like the camaraderie and all the ‘BS’ we throw at each other, and then we go out for a beer and talk about how good we used to be.”

TEAM USA captured gold again in 2019

Bob is also proud to see that his group has spawned the next generation of players. This year, a Capo Classics 65+ team competed in the National Senior Games coached by 66-year-old Darrell Cavenaugh. “It’s good to have the younger “kids” around, as I call them,” Bob chuckles. “They got fourth place in Albuquerque, but then Darrell took his 65 team to Finland and won the FIMBA World Championship, just like I did 20 years ago.”

As much as Bob loves to win, life challenges and battles through prostate cancer and multiple hip and knee replacements remind him that having a healthy body and an active social life are the real prizes.  “You realize this isn’t the biggest thing about your life. You don’t have to prove yourself to anybody,” he says. “We want to do the best we can do. If we do that, we’re comfortable. If we win, that’s better.”

The white-haired court wizard sums up his thoughts by sharing his club’s motto: “Age is a mental condition – If you want to be old, you’re old.” Bob then adds, “And we’re all re-living being ten years old doing this!”     

  • Tweet

About Del Moon

What you can read next

Leonard and Felipita Loretto standing next to each other in match New Mexico Senior Olympics outfits.
Fitness and Tradition Keep New Mexico Couple Moving
Edna Siniff stands smiling at the camera inside the A-1 Archery store in her hometown. A gold medal from the 2023 National Senior Games hands around her neck.
“Some Day” Finally Came for Edna Siniff
A woman and man in their 60s both sit on bicycles, lining up for a race.
One Sport Leads to Another

Recent Posts

  • From “Misfit Farm Kid” to Super Senior Athlete

    By Del Moon, NSGA Storyteller Don Phillips, 94 ...
  • 2025 Games Athlete and Community Well-Being Programs

    By Andrew Walker, MPH; NSGA Director of Health ...
  • Lifting and Loving Life

    June 2025 Athlete of the Month By Del Moon, NSG...
  • Get in the Senior Games and Flip the Script on Aging

    By Andrew Walker, MPH; NSGA Director of Health ...

Archives

Categories

FOOTER MENU

  • About
  • State Games
  • National Games
  • Sports
  • News and Events
  • Partners
  • Donate Today
  • Press Room
  • Coordinators Homepage
  • QG Coordinators
  • How to Use the NSGA Website

NSGA “The Long Run” & General Interest Signup

GET IN TOUCH

T (727) 475 1187
Email: NSGA@NSGA.com

National Senior Games Association
PO Box 5630, Clearwater, FL, 33758 USA

  • GET SOCIAL
National Senior Games Association

Non Discrimination Statement |Copyright Notice | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use  
Accessibility Statement | Linking Policy | Help/Contact
© 2024 National Senior Games Association. All rights reserved. Designed by JayBirds Co Inc.
A 501 (c) 3 Charitable Organization | EIN: 43-1488742
A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. THE TOLL-FREE NUMBER FOR CONTACTING THE DIVISION IS 1-800-435-7352 AND REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY ALSO BE OBTAINED BY VISITING THE DIVISION’S WEBSITE AT https://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Consumer-Services
National Senior Games Association`s Florida Charity Registration Number, CH62417

TOP
NSGA Uses Cookies
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
2025 National Senior Games Presented by Humana - July 24 - August 4, 2025 14 Days 0 Hours 47 Minutes 56 Seconds