ASSOCIATION NEWS
Fountain of Youth Podcast Enters Season 2
The Fountain of Youth Podcast is one of the many offerings that Growing Bolder has brought to life since becoming NSGA’s Official Media Partner. The podcast features interviews by Emmy award winning host Marc Middleton with a wide array of senior athletes, most of whom compete in Senior Games.
Season 2 has just started with interesting guests like longtime athlete Flo “The Pole Vaulting Granny” Meiler and national and world champion sprinter Michael Kish, with a new podcast coming every week of the season. You can listen to any of the past shows from this and Season 1 archived on the program page. Bookmark it and enjoy listening to some of our amazing athletes
Fountain of Youth Podcast Page
GAME ON!
2023 Registration is Going Strong!
Are You In?
Registration for the 2023 National Senior Games presented by Humana continues to pick up as all State Games results and qualifying information has been submitted and remaining sport venues are being finalized.
Pittsburgh registrations continue to grow, and more than 80 Softball teams are already signed up for the 2023 National Senior Games Softball Championship presented by Humana in Columbus, Ohio. Softball’s Early Registration Discount deadline is Tuesday, February 28, with the Softball Final Registration deadline set for Tuesday, March 28, the same date that Early Discount Registration ends for Pittsburgh sports. Final Registration for Pittsburgh ends Tuesday, May 2. Complete details are on the Registration Page.
Special Event Dates – More Details Coming Soon!
NSGA Staff and our local partners are working hard to complete details for social events and activities. The Softball Celebration of Athletes will take place Friday, May 5th in Columbus and there’s other activities, vendors and exhibits that will be found during the event at the Berliner Sports Complex. .
We have already noted in our master schedule for Pittsburgh that the Flame Arrival Ceremony will be Saturday, July 8 and the Celebration of Athletes is set for Friday, July 14. Watch for more details soon!
Venue Spotlight: Archery
Wright Fields at Veterans Park in Beaver Falls features one turf field, six grass fields and two baseball/softball fields. It also has a central building that is utilized for event space and party rentals.
For the National Senior Games, archers will be using Field # 6 in the northwest corner of the complex. There is ample parking and permanent restrooms close by. The surface for competition is natural grass, and the direction of shoot will be from east to west.
New Experiences and Adventures Await in Pittsburgh
From welcoming neighborhood breweries and intriguing dining concepts to stimulating cultural exhibitions and more – a new year brings new, exciting experiences and attractions sure to enhance any Pittsburgh itinerary.
Housed in a renovated building that dates back to 1826, CADENCE+ At The Strip is an event space, speakeasy and bike/run shop all under one roof. Imbibe underground at CADENCE+ Cellars, a modern-industrial speakeasy restaurant and bar that boasts multiple tasting rooms. Strip District visitors can pop into Cellars seven days-a-week for premium dishes and creative cocktails, plus live entertainment on select days. And, outdoor enthusiasts will want to browse Pro Bike + Run, a retail storefront featuring a large selection of bikes and gear to run, ride or race.
There’s a new reason to visit Acrisure Stadium year-round with the opening of the Steelers Hall of Honor Museum. The addition honors the rich history of the Pittsburgh Steelers, highlighting the best Steelers’ players, coaches and front office personnel through displays, photos and video exhibits.
Bonafide Beer Co., also located in the Strip District neighborhood, is a refined taproom and cocktail bar that aims to produce authentic experiences for its patrons. Sip and enjoy Bonafide’s modern takes on everything from IPAs to Scottish ales, Irish dry stouts and American lagers.
Christian James, the newest restaurant concept housed within Joinery Hotel Pittsburgh, shows that behind every great dish is an even better story. By creating a fictional character reminiscing about his travels, James’ menu features fare from around the globe all paired perfectly with personal anecdotes and history.
Bombay to Burgh, a trendy Southeast Asian bistro located across from the Edgewood Towne Center, brings complex flavors combined with the comforts of a home-cooked meal. The restaurant partners with local farmers and makers for the best ingredients which are then transformed into authentic dishes from the Indian subcontinent.
Dive deep into The Viking Age at VIKINGS: Warriors of the North Sea at the Carnegie Science Center. This limited exhibition, in Pittsburgh from Feb. 11 – Sept. 4, features never-before-seen jewelry, clothes, weapons and much more. Visitors have their pick of immersive experiences as they can build their own Viking ship using a touch screen, hold a Viking sword and even try on traditional garb and roleplay as a Viking.
Old-school entertainment has found a second home in Homestead with the opening of Shorty’s Tap x Taco. This two-story venue features classic games scattered throughout including dartboard lanes, shuffleboard tables, pinball machines, a karaoke room and more. The food and beverage menu includes shareables, local brews and, of course, plenty of tacos.
Learn more about these new “Only in Pittsburgh” experiences, attractions and more at VisitPITTSBURGH.com.
Village Vendor Opportunities Available for the 2023 National Senior Games
Promote your brand, product or service to the nation’s top senior athletes in 2023. The NSGA offers a variety of exciting vendor and sponsorship opportunities at the National Senior Games in Columbus and Pittsburgh. For detailed information and pricing, please email NSGA Business Development.
FEBRUARY ATHLETE OF THE MONTH
Chuck DiMeglio, 62
McLean, Virginia
Around the World in Wavy Ways
By Del Moon
Chuck DiMeglio admits he’s a detail-oriented guy who is driven by challenges. Like keeping records of his lifetime swims and achieving the goal of “swimming around the world” in 2022 at age 62.
If you’re counting, that’s 1.75 million pool lengths to get around the globe. And Chuck loves to count. “I’ve set a goal for two million lengths to get to a nice even number,” he says. “That should take me another five years to do.”
“I guess I’m just an analytical person,” he muses. “I started thinking about how far I’d swam and how much it would take to go around the world. I decided I could do it.” Chuck had been recording his swims in a day planner since post-college days, and the task has been easier in recent years. “I was swimming so much I found it was actually easier to count the days I didn’t swim my routine.”
The idea was natural for a guy who earned degrees in engineering and finance and is a certified public accountant (CPA). In case you’re wondering, Chuck didn’t stop at counting pool lengths. He estimates his circumnavigation also involved 180 swimsuits, 150 pairs of goggles, 80 gallons of shampoo, 30 gym bags, 15 pairs of paddles, 10 pairs of fins, four pull buoys, three kickboards and a half gallon of Visine. Oh yes, plus seven padlocks and 4,000 quarters for lockers.
“No, I didn’t keep a log of how many towels I used,” he says with a laugh.
Chuck, an active masters swimmer since 1984 who has competed in three National Senior Games, swims five days a week, 51 weeks a year. He had to make up time in recent years. “I had orthoscopic surgery on my elbow in 2013 and sat out for three months,” he recalls. “I calculated how much I had lost during my recovery and swam extra lengths to catch up, going up to 5,000 yards a day. I did the same thing again when COVID shut down my pool, upping my sessions to 6,500 yards or 18 miles per week. I thought I would drop back down after I caught up, but I have kept up that pace.”
The distance goal was reached last July at the place where he started swimming in 1963 – the pool of the historic La Fonda Hotel in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico, where his father was the general manager. “We didn’t have much as kids for recreation growing up in the hotel,” he recalls. “The pool was just a great place to be.”
Chuck and his twin brother swam competitively in clubs and high school. Moving to Williamsburg, Virginia, Chuck captained the high school team. “We had 30 swimmers and divers using a four-lane pool that was 20 yards long to train. Not the best conditions.”
In college Chuck trained with the swim team at the University of Virginia until an illness and the pressure of completing an engineering degree altered his plans to only swim on a club team and in intramurals and focus on studies. After college he kept swimming thanks to his employer. “I went to work for a Big 8 accounting firm that participated in ‘Battle of the Corporate Stars.’ I was on that team for five years and we won a couple of national championships. My workload was heavy, but the swimming actually helped me through it.”
He found National Senior Games beginning in Houston in 2011 where he was “fairly surprised” to win Gold medals in both the 50-meter backstroke and butterfly and in the 100-meter individual medley event, plus a Silver in the 100-meter freestyle. Chuck looks forward to competing in Pittsburgh in 2023. “My aunt and her family lived there for decades, and I have a relative still there. I’ve also done some work as a consultant in Pittsburgh for a major airline. My wife and I are both excited to go.”
Golf is a close second sport for Chuck, who has a single digit handicap. Has he kept track of how far he has gone hitting golf balls? “No, but that’s a good one! I have considered going around the world in a golf cart. I usually swim five days and then play golf on the weekends. I figure I’ve put down 300 to 400 miles a year in a cart. That adds up.”
Chuck is also proud to be a role model for his three children. “They all swam for clubs, summer leagues and high schools and have been coaches and teachers,” he says. “My son David broke a few Northern Virginia Swim League relay records, and one still stands today. He was also on the club team at the University of Virginia. My daughter Sarah says she got her position in pediatrics at a big hospital here partly because of her experience as a swim coach and teacher where she learned how to manage little kids well. She also said she learned how to manage parents well too!”
What’s YOUR story? To nominate a fellow athlete… CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR ATHLETE STORY
SENIOR HEALTH & WELL-BEING
Mentor Friends/Family: Support The Game’s Active Aging Nation
By Andrew Walker, MPH; Director of Health & Well-Being
While working at events during the 2022 Games in Fort Lauderdale, I was reminded of the “thrill of victory” watching the iconic TV program Wide World of Sports. The difference was that I did not find much of the “agony of defeat.” Senior athletes experience a deep sense of reward and inspiration as a result of competition or volunteerism in National Senior Games and State Games.
Senior Games are overwhelmingly positive, providing the thrill of competition for thousands of participants and demonstrating the benefits of active aging, creating social capital with outstanding return on value, and generating millions of dollars in community economic impact where they are hosted.
The NSGA Mission is to enhance the well-being and fitness of older adults through sports and physical activity. We are doing our part to support Active People, Healthy NationSM, an initiative to help 27 million Americans become more physically active by 2027.
Despite the substantial health benefits of physical activity one out of every four U.S. adults report being inactive during their leisure time, and only about half of U.S. adults report levels of aerobic physical activity consistent with national guidelines.
With the Games only five months away, I challenge you to remember that it is not too late to share the joy of The Games mentoring family or friend in finding their best way to move through playing a Senior Games sport. Start by reviewing this rough guide to mentoring:
- Identify a family or friend to mentor and remind them that everyone needs physical activity to stay healthy.
- Review the registration process at NSGA.com.
- Encourage them in selecting their favorite physical activity and ways to move.
- Connect a favorite way to move with a sport they would like to try and suggest an open sport. (Open Sports being offered at the 2023
- National Senior Games are Cornhole, Power Walk, Recumbent Cycling, 8v8 Soccer and Triathlon Relay. Qualification is not required for Open Sports/Events. Athletes must be at least 50 years of age by December 31, 2022 to be eligible for Open Sports.)
- They can look at a list of sports by physical activity level. There are 21 different sports in the 2023 Games. State Games often have other sports not currently in National Games as additional options.
- Complete a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q). See your doctor if required,
- See a Physical Therapist if you have a pre-existing injury.
- Work with a certified personal trainer or exercise center staff if needed.
- Encourage building a sports fitness program that includes activities to enhance basic fitness with strength, balance, cardio, power, reaction time and muscular endurance training. (A recent National Cancer Institute study found that participating in activities like running, cycling, swimming, aerobic exercise, racquet sports, golf, and exercise walking showed a relationship with enhanced longevity and heart and cancer death reductions.
- Join a sport club/association to assess your competition readiness.
- Beat the registration deadline; return to NSG.com and complete the registration process.
Train smart, remembering less is sometimes best.
NSG OFFICIAL APPAREL
2023 National Senior Games Merchandise Available Online!
In case you missed it – 2023 National Senior Games merchandise is now available from the NSGA Online Store? You can also check out limited items from the 2022 Games!
Get in gear – Click here for the NSGA Online Store.
NSGA OFFICIAL PARTNERS
HEALTH & WELL-BEING PARTNERS
NSG SPORT PARTNERS
