Game On!
It’s Pittsburgh!
The 2023 National Senior Games will be returning to Pittsburgh! The announcement was made yesterday at a media event held at the opulent Senator John Heinz History Center in downtown Pittsburgh, where NSGA staff members, invited local athletes and representatives from the Pennsylvania Senior Games joined with local organizers and officials to celebrate in the socially distanced setting.
The Games were previously hosted by the “City of Champions” in 2005, and Pittsburgh now joins only St. Louis and Baton Rouge as two-time hosts. To honor this achievement, NSGA invited some Pennsylvania athletes who started in National Senior Games in 2005 to come share stories and souvenirs with guests and media. Some 2019 medal winners were also on hand to share their experiences and excitement.
One of the themes echoed during the event is how much both the city and The Games have grown since 2005. “The city has seen a transformation of its downtown and has many new offerings,” NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker said. “We plan to extensively use the David L. Lawrence Convention Center as our hub of activity. Overall, the NSGA team agreed that Pittsburgh will pleasantly surprise our athletes with what is offered.”
Dates for the summer event will be announced later this year. Visit our Facebook and Instagram pages to see and Like the photos and clips from the announcement event. See you in Pittsburgh!
Click here for the official NSGA Media Release
State Games Calendar Offers Quick Reference
As the year unfolds, we are seeing a wide array of situations state by state, with some early scheduled events postponed or canceled, and others forging ahead and plan to conduct their Games later this year. Remember, athletes can still qualify in 2021 at state senior games for the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana in Greater Fort Lauderdale.
There’s a quick way to check what games are scheduled by clicking on the “Qualifying Games Calendar At A Glance” box on our State Information Page at NSGA.com. Athletes can then go to the “Qualifying Games Contact List” link to find web links and contacts to obtain details. We are updating information as we receive notifications. Each state independently makes their best decisions based on their circumstances and will be communicating directly with their athletes about their status.
Association News
Personal Best Feature: Living a New Chapter
Yvette Matthews, our second 2021 Personal Best athlete profile, is one of those people who are lucky to enjoy good health for decades. And after she was faced with a dire disease, she might be called lucky for receiving a new liver transplant and a second chance. But that would not credit her for the things she has done to keep her body in its best shape to make that transplant possible.
In our extended edited conversation with Yvette, you will learn about her life and the big challenge she faced. More importantly, she relates how she overcame fear and returned to competition through the Transplant Games and then joined in Senior Games. There’s a lesson for all of us in her positive outlook!
READ HERE: Yvette Matthews “Living a New Chapter”
April Athlete of the Month
Just Another Archer Having Fun
Rick McKinney, 67, Gilbert, Arizona
When Rick McKinney began with archery, he was told he should choose another sport. “I was all thumbs and clumsy,” he admits. “But man, there was nothing like it and a lot of fun!”
It’s a good thing Rick pushed on or he wouldn’t have given us one of the most impressive careers for an American archer, notably four Olympic appearances that produced two Silver Medals- an individual in 1984 and a team medal in 1988. He has also set several records, won 37 national championships, and earned three individual titles and contributed to five consecutive team titles at the World Archery Championships between 1975 and 1995. He was also named 1983 U.S. Olympian Male Sportsman of the Year, the only archer to receive the award.
The list goes on, including the Gold he earned at the 2019 National Senior Games presented by Humana. It’s rare to see an Olympian compete as a senior athlete, but Rick has the right perspective.
Olympian Rick McKinney proudly poses with his 15-year-old student Trinity Howard, who recently set a world Barebow record in the Junior and Cadet division at US Archery’s 136th Outdoor Target Nationals and US Open held in Richmond, Virginia.
“I don’t look at it as me being different than everybody else,” he explains. “I’ve always loved shooting the bow and arrow, but it’s a different approach now. I’m still competitive and execute as good of a shot as I can, but I’m there to have fun. I know I’ll never be as good as I was, but that’s not the point. I strive for that perfect shot, and don’t get it as often as I used to. But when I do, it feels so good.”
Rick knows how it feels to have a nemesis. In his prime it was American teammate Darrell Pace, who often edged him off the top perch. “He was a paradox to me – I couldn’t tell if I loved to hate him or hated to love him, because he was so good,” he says. “But we both say, ‘That person is the reason why I was as good as I was.’”
Rick showing championship form at the 1977 World Target Championships.
The Recurve bow master has given back to his sport, authoring two acclaimed archery books, coaching at college and youth level, and twice providing commentary for NBC’s Olympic Archery coverage. As a volunteer he has served on committees and boards with the United States Olympic Paralympic Committee and with USA Archery.
Rick has also impacted archery technology, starting his own Carbon Tech Arrows manufacturing company that he runs in Arizona. “Some companies only improve where they can make money; I wanted to improve it for the archer,” he says. “With my experience in arrows, I know what the archers and bow hunters want. We were the first to make different wall thickness and weights of carbon arrows.”
He currently works with two Junior Olympic programs and also teaches adults in the area.
“I try to find ways to improve training, like bringing books for the kids to read, teaching them how to set goals and all the little things that you normally don’t learn until later,” he says. “I’m more of a life coach than an archery coach. I want them to learn more about themselves so that even if they don’t continue, they have a good foundation to enhance their ability in anything else they want to do.”
Youth interest in archery has increased from the success of The Hunger Games movie series, he notes. “It’s phenomenal. We’ve grown exponentially, and a lot of the growth came in the girl’s programs,” he says. “The Junior Olympic program I work with now is 80% girls. It was a huge shot in the arm.”
For Rick, Senior Games is a refreshing experience. “They are about a lifestyle change for many people. It helps them live longer and make better goals in life instead of withering away,” he observes. “I meet a lot of new people in archery there. A lot of them don’t even know me. I’m not a braggard and I keep it low key, so it’s fun when they eventually find out. We’re all shooting together and having a good time more than thinking about winning.
“I’ve done this for my whole life because it’s fun,” he concludes. “I believe you should do what you love to do. Unfortunately, it has sped up my life – it’s gone by so fast because I’m having so much fun!”
What’s YOUR story? To submit yours, or to nominate a fellow athlete, Please Click Here.
Senior Health and Wellness
Back In the Games – Essential Strength Exercises
A significant amount of work goes into planning, designing, and staging an excellent multisport event like the National Senior Games. Likewise, similar preparation on the athlete side requires a consistent training program and not missing big periods of training due to injuries or illnesses.
With the 2022 Games approximately a year out, it is especially important for you to build a strong fitness base that includes strength training. NSGA collaborated with Dustin Jones, DPT, of Stronger Life Fitness, who curated a suite of essential strength exercise videos that are beneficial to Senior Game athletes. These essential exercises strengthen common movements that are found among the 20+ National Senior Games sports. In addition to performance enhancement, they make life a little easier.
A significant amount of work goes into planning, designing, and staging an excellent multisport event like the National Senior Games. Likewise, similar preparation on the athlete side requires a consistent training program and not missing big periods of training due to injuries or illnesses.
With the 2022 Games approximately a year out, it is especially important for you to build a strong fitness base that includes strength training. NSGA collaborated with Dustin Jones, DPT, of Stronger Life Fitness, who curated a suite of essential strength exercise videos that are beneficial to Senior Game athletes. These essential exercises strengthen common movements that are found among the 20+ National Senior Games sports. In addition to performance enhancement, they make life a little easier.
Dr. Jones notes that being strong in a squat is absolutely vital for jumping and sprinting as well as going up and down the stairs. In addition, a strong deadlift can help with running and picking heavy things off the ground. Lastly, he suggests doing loaded carries because they are great to build total body strength and balance that athletes need in sport and in life. Each exercise progresses you up the ladder of difficulty, and is useful for all levels of fitness.
Click the link below to check out all of the essential strength exercise videos to assist in your training on the Fitness Videos page in the Health and Wellness tab at NSGA.com. For full understanding of the movements, we suggest you watch only first, follow, and then try each activity. Combing these simple strength activities with preventive health is beneficial to a healthy return to Senior Games activity.
Preventive health research shows that COVID-19 vaccines are effective in protecting you from getting sick, allowing those fully vaccinated to return to doing some things that have been prevented due to the shutdown. Furthermore, #VaccineReady is this year’s National Minority Health Month theme, focusing on the importance of vaccinations as a tool to help racial and ethnic minorities and American Indian and Alaska Native communities confidently get back in the game. Let’s get vaccinated so we can all stay well and train well for fun in the sun at the 2022 National Senior Games presented by Humana in Fort Lauderdale, Florida!
This article was prepared by Andrew Walker, MPH, NSGA Health and Wellness Director
How To Prevent Joint Pain
From KOHLER® Walk-In Bath
Exercising or training for an event can be hard on your body, especially the joints. Proper care and attention to your body is paramount to effective training and athletic performance. Here are some tips and techniques to help you stay agile and pain-free while you train.
1. Eat your veggies
Cleveland Clinic recommends cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale and cauliflower for their high levels of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Turmeric and ginger have anti-inflammatory properties that could benefit athletes as well.
2. Stretch
According to the Arthritis Foundation, warming up for at least five minutes before a workout keeps your body running smoothly and protects your joints.
3. Try low-impact exercise
Cross-train with activities such as biking and swimming that are easy on joints and provide the same cardiovascular benefits as high-impact exercises like running or jumping.
Use heat and ice
If pain, inflammation or stiffness do occur after a workout, Healthline suggests treating the area with a gel ice pack for quick relief. A warm bath can also help ease stiffness and provide some full-body relaxation after rigorous exercise. A jetted whirlpool massage and a cup or two of Epsom salts in a bath for at least 12 minutes can soothe muscles and help speed recovery.
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