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
  • DESTINATIONS

National Senior Games Association

National Senior Games Association

The NSGA is a non-profit organization dedicated to motivating active adults to lead a healthy lifestyle through the senior games movement.

T (727) 475-1187
Email: NSGA@NSGA.com

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

  • ABOUT
    • How to Get Involved
    • NSGA Showcase Video
    • History of the NSGA
    • Board of Directors
    • Team
    • Sports Chairs
    • National Games Awards
    • 30th Anniversary
    • FAQs
    • Contact Us
    • Career Opportunities
  • STATE GAMES
    • State Games Information
    • State Regions
    • Team Partner Finder
    • NSGA Award Winners
  • NATIONAL GAMES
    • How To Qualify
    • National Games Information
    • NSG Cup presented by Kohler Walk-In Bath
    • 2023 NSG Pittsburgh
    • Athlete Check-In
    • Registration
    • Hotels & Lodging
    • Rules & Minimum Performance Standards
    • Competition Schedules
    • Results & Records
    • Special Events
    • Team Partner Finder
    • Tourist Information
    • Transportation & Parking
    • Venue Information
    • Volunteer for the Games
    • Limited Events Verification Form
    • National Senior Games Partners
  • SPORTS
    • INDIVIDUAL SPORTS
      • Archery
      • Badminton
      • Bowling
      • Cornhole
      • Cycling
      • Golf
      • Pickleball
      • Powerwalk
      • Race Walk
      • Racquetball
      • Road Race
      • Shuffleboard
      • Swimming
      • Table Tennis
      • Tennis
      • Track & Field
      • Triathlon
    • NON-AMBULATORY SPORTS
      • Non-Ambulatory Bowling
      • Non-Ambulatory Cornhole
      • Non-Ambulatory Shuffleboard
    • TEAM SPORTS
      • Basketball
      • Soccer
      • Softball
      • Volleyball
  • HEALTH & WELL-BEING
    • Get In Shape With Ageility
    • Zibrio Health and Well-Being
    • Senior Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE)
    • Heartline Study
    • Falls Prevention Resources
    • NSGA Steps Challenge
    • Exercise & Well-Being Resources
    • Humana Healthy Living and Prevention Resources
    • Fitness Videos
    • ACE Training Tips
    • NSGA Ambassador Program Activities
    • National Senior Games Partners
  • MEDIA
    • Photo Galleries
      • 2022 Photo Gallery
      • 2019 Photo Gallery
    • Games Videos
      • 2022 NSG Video Recap
      • 2019 NSG Video Recaps
    • #StayFitSeniors Athlete Videos
    • Senior Games Blogs & Podcasts
    • Games Daily News Archives
      • 2022 Games Daily News
      • 2019 Games Daily News
      • 2017 Games Daily News
    • Archived Press Releases
    • Newsletter
    • Press Room
    • Athlete of the Month
    • Personal Best Features
REGISTER
NOW!
 January 30, 2023

“Dousing the Fire” March 2022 Athlete of the Month

“Dousing the Fire” March 2022 Athlete of the Month

by Del Moon / Tuesday, 01 March 2022 / Published in Athlete of the Month

Photo: Robin Schwartz

Lisa Hypnar, 68, Rochester Hills, Michigan

Lisa Hypnar has an athletic nature and has always found a sport to play, from tumbling in gymnastics as a youth and playing winning tennis as an adult, and now cutting lanes as a decorated senior swimmer.

She also started smoking in her early 20s. Lisa knew she was cheating herself of health benefits but managed to balance activity and the addiction until she was 29 and working as a physician assistant. “I watched a younger man with inoperable cancer being told to get his affairs in order,” she says. “I was smoking two packs a day and quit cold turkey. I did not want someone to tell me to get my affairs in order in a situation I should have control over. I made the decision to do everything I possibly could to avoid that conversation, so I stopped smoking for 19 years.”

Then, like many people, the lure of nicotine crept back over time. “Life sorta got into the way,” she explains. “You hit these bumps in the road and you go to the thing that makes you feel warm and fuzzy, and that was smoking for me.” She quit for the second time after three years but picked it back up 2008, the same year she decided to move from tennis to competitive swimming for the first time in her life.

The third time was the charm as the pool extinguished her habit. “In tennis you have little breaks in the action. Swimming isn’t like that. I was gasping for air after 25 meters,” she recalls. “I had a choice: I can stay healthy and stop smoking, or I can keep smoking and suffer through trying to stay sorta healthy with swimming. I chose for being healthy and active over my addiction to nicotine.”

Lisa literally dove into the sport and has earned dozens of medals in more than 125 masters events at the state, national and international level. Since joining National Senior Games in 2011 she has earned three gold, four silver and two bronze medals, plus placements in NSGA Top Ten Finishes. She has also been inducted into the Michigan Senior Olympics Hall of Fame for her accomplishments.

Not too bad for a woman who was once told by her mother to stop playing softball because “that sort of thing isn’t what girls do.” She was an only girl with three brothers and got her early sports experience played neighborhood sports with them. Lisa picked up gymnastics before college when she had to take her younger brother to gymnastics club. “I couldn’t go anywhere so I thought I might as well pick it up,” she says.

The changes with Title IX came too late for Lisa, who had no high school gymnastics but walked on the team at Michigan State University for three years despite her relative lack of experience. “In 1970 you didn’t have to have been a gymnast since you were three years old to get on a team because there weren’t many girls involved back then.”

Buoyed by her sport and good health, Lisa is certain cigarettes are out of her life for good. “I haven’t looked back since 2009,” she asserts. “There’s no bump in the road that’s going to upset my apple cart and make me go back to my fuzzy place, my weakness.

“It’s a bit embarrassing to share my story,” she adds, “But at the same time it would be awesome if I can change one person’s path to choose a sport over smoking.”

Editor’s Note: March 9 is National No Smoking Day

  • Tweet

About Del Moon

What you can read next

Pickleball + Airstream = A Lovely Way to Play January 2023 Athlete of the Month
100 Reasons to Keep Swimming – November 2022 Athlete of the Month
Gary Patton Refines and Finds Success December 2022 Athlete of the Month

Recent Posts

  • Making Space for Sports

    Larry DeLucas, 72 Birmingham, Alabama There are...
  • Pickleball + Airstream = A Lovely Way to Play January 2023 Athlete of the Month

    Gene Berg, 70 Margaret Berg, 61 Litchfield, New...
  • The Long Run November 2022

    ASSOCIATION NEWS NSGA Announces 2023 Games Them...
  • Gary Patton Refines and Finds Success December 2022 Athlete of the Month

    Gary Patton, 77 Rock Rapids, Iowa Gary Patton n...

Archives

Categories

FOOTER MENU

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

NSGA E-Newsletter and General Interest E-Mail Sign Up

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 | Linking Policy | Help/Contact
© 2022 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
2023 National Senior Games - July 7-18, 2023 157 Days 14 Hours 18 Minutes 28 Seconds