Game On!
2023 Games Dates and Logo Revealed – Time To Qualify
We are happy to announce dates for the 2023 National Senior Games presented by Humana! The Games will take place July 7-18, 2023 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The city previously hosted The Games in 2005.
The 2023 Logo highlights the city’s fame for having many bridges. NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker says to expect a warm welcome. “The Pittsburgh host committee is proud that the National Senior Games are coming back to them again, and their local messaging will reflect how pursuing active lifestyles can be a bridge to longer and healthier lives,” he said. “Our athletes show proof of that.”
Athletes must qualify in 2022 to be able to compete in Pittsburgh. There are 52 Member State Games that host qualifying games this year. NSGA updates the State Information Page when states send us the details, so check back if your state has not yet been updated. Make your plans soon!
Venue Spotlight: Road Races Offer Different Environments
For our 2022 Road Race events, we could describe what awaits our runners with the call “10 if by land, 5 if by sea!”
The 5K Road Race will be held Thursday, May 12th at Charnow Park in Hollywood. This race will include a nice stretch of the beachfront walk to offer views of sand and sea. (As the photo shows, the NSG CUP presented by KOHLER Walk-in Bath previewed the race course and gave it a thumbs up. Win a medal in the race to help your state earn the Cup!)
The 10K Road Race will take place Saturday, May 14th at Vista View Park located in Davie. This venue provides typical southern Florida scenery and greenery in a nature park setting to provide a different experience than the 5K.
Go Wild In Broward County
Greater Fort Lauderdale is a wildlife enthusiast’s dream.
Climb aboard an airboat for a thrilling ride in the Florida Everglades with Sawgrass Recreation Park in Weston. As the boat glides across the glassy water, look out for alligators, turtles, fish and birds. Your experienced airboat captain will share fascinating facts about this impressive ecosystem as you take in the sights. Then head on over to the Reptile Exhibit, featuring dozens of species, both native and exotic to Florida, along with turtles, iguanas, and rescued exotic snakes. Learn about Cannibal, a 1000-pound alligator, and all the rescued and adopted animals that call Sawgrass Recreation Park home. For the more adventurous, take a ‘Gator Nights’ tour.
Enjoy some other outdoor activities that are perfect for animal lovers and budding environmentalists. Flamingo Gardens in Davie features a 60-acre botanical garden and Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary. Embark on an enriching experience as you discover diverse native plants and trees, a Birds of Prey Center, a free-flight aviary, and the chance to view alligators, black bears, eagles, otters, panthers, bobcats, peacocks, and of course, flamingos. Learn about the habitats that make it possible to host such a wide variety of different species and how the Flamingo Gardens Everglades Wildlife Sanctuary gives residence to permanently injured and non-releasable birds and animals.
Surround yourself with rainbow-hued butterflies at Butterfly World in Coconut Creek, the largest indoor butterfly aviary in North America. In addition to butterflies, this tropical oasis teems with hummingbirds, lorikeets and other exotic birds. Walk among them in six free-flight aviaries. Complete your self-guided tour at the rose garden and bug zoo.
Association News
“Before Title IX” Program Resonates – Link to View
Kudos are rolling in for the Before Title IX: Tales from Senior Athletes program co-produced by NSGA and Growing Bolder. Kathrine Switzer recounted how she became the first female to officially complete the Boston Marathon and about her contribution to equality in sports. Our other panelists shared insightful and sometimes emotional memories, and all expressed gratitude to have another chance to play with Senior Games.
It’s a powerful 45 minutes with the pioneers! You can watch the recorded program at the link below. (Note you can move the scroll bar past the countdown.) NSGA will be sending a survey out soon to all 65+ females registered for the 2022 National Senior Games seeking more stories to share later this year. Please tell us yours if you receive the invitation!
Senior Athlete Tales Replay Link
New Fountain of Youth Newsletter Just for NSGA Athletes
We recently introduced the Fountain of Youth Podcast, a new weekly Growing Bolder program that features interviews with masters athletes and people who organize or support them. Now, our official media partner is introducing The Fountain of Youth Newsletter with informative articles and features on a broad range of topics that promote successful aging.
This complimentary newsletter was created specifically to serve our followers and will be sent to NSGA’s email distribution list. Watch for it to come on the first day of each month starting in April. Enjoy!
We’re pleased to announce that Iovera has joined the growing family of NSGA sponsors!
A word from Pacira BioSciences, Inc., a proud National Senior Games partner.
iovera°: A Cool Way for Athletes to Manage Knee Pain
For those of you living with knee pain, you may be putting off surgery due to the downtime you’ll need for recovery and rehabilitation – especially as you’re training for this year’s competitions. Did you know there are non-surgical options that can provide immediate pain relief and return to function for individuals living with knee osteoarthritis (OA) or delaying a total knee replacement?
The iovera° System harnesses the body’s natural response to cold to block the signaling portion of a nerve, temporarily reducing pain during the critical weeks following surgery, or for patients with OA knee pain. The treatment is called “cryoanalgesia” (targeted cold therapy) – it’s safe, fast, and can last up to 90 days. iovera° may be right for you if:
- Other non-surgical options are not giving you the pain relief you need, but you’re not ready to move forward with surgery
- You have a hectic schedule or special plans in the coming months—like competing in this year’s Games—and are not ready for the downtime of surgery and rehabilitation
- You have been advised by your doctor that surgery is not currently an option based on potential conflicts with health issues, but you still need relief of your knee OA pain
If you’re experiencing ongoing knee pain, ask your doctor about iovera°. To find a provider near you, visit: https://www.iovera.com/patient/find-a-doctor. Visit iovera.com/safety to learn more.
March Athlete of the Month
“Dousing the Fire” – Lisa Hypnar, 68, Rochester Hills, MI
Photo Credit: Robin Schwartz PR
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.”
What’s YOUR story? To submit yours, or to nominate a fellow athlete, Please Click Here.
Health and Well-Being
Tips for Healthy Travel
Deb Doerfler, a physical therapist and faculty at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, has tips for healthy travel as you plan to visit Greater Fort Lauderdale.
Sleep Training: Getting enough rest will boost your immune system to fight potential infections. Optimal sleep will give you a competitive edge and will help you more positively cope with any travel-related stress.
- Establish a routine sleep schedule before the games and plan your schedule to maintain it.
- Be consistent going to bed and getting up at the same time
- Keep your bedroom/hotel room quiet, dark and at a cool temperature
- Avoid using electronic devices such as phones and TV at least 30 minutes before bedtime
- Consider using earplugs or a phone app for white noise
- Before bedtime avoid eating a large meal or consuming alcohol
- Avoid caffeine consumption later in the day
Remember your Medications: Keeping consistency with your medication and supplement routine will allow you to perform consistently at the games.
- Pack your medications in advance to be certain any prescriptions are filled.
- Consider bringing pain, anti-diarrheal or constipation medications and a basic first aid kit.
- Maintain the same schedule for medications and supplements.
Avoid Illness: Getting sick could put you on the sideline, try these methods to avoid illness.
- Consider wearing a mask during travel even if mandates are lifted. They provide valuable protection against ALL airborne viruses and bacteria that could disrupt your competition.
- Wash your hands or use sanitizer frequently and avoid touching your face
- Sanitize frequently touched locations and be careful to sanitize your hands before eating.
- Adjust the overhead airflow if you are flying. Although airplanes use sophisticated air filtration systems that greatly reduce the risk of airborne infections, adjusting the overhead airflow to create a funnel around your head will add another shield of protection and help disperse airborne viruses
Keep Your Legs in Play: Avoid lower extremity swelling or stiffness due to travel.
Perform these exercises every 30-60 minutes:
- Ankle pumps (move foot up and down bending at the ankle)
- Bend and straighten your knees
- Alternately raise your heels and toes in standing
- Walk for short distances
- Shift your position frequently and avoid crossing your legs
- Consider purchasing compression stockings to reduce pooling of blood (available at most pharmacies)
NOTE: Most swelling will resolve on its own but excessive swelling that persists for several hours after you resume activity, and/or is accompanied by warmth, redness, or pain may be signs of a more serious condition, such as a blood clot, and should be evaluated by a medical provider.
Practice Heathy Nutrition
- Stay hydrated! Choose water over other beverages. Aim for at least 64 ounces spread throughout the day.
- Pack your own healthy snacks or avoid purchasing processed snacks, particularly those high in sodium.
- Avoid alcohol or sedatives which contribute to dehydration, reduce reaction time and slow decision making
- Avoid excess caffeine which contributes to dehydration
Adjust to the Environment
- Try to engage in physical activity similar to your sport in a humid environment a few days before competition
- High humidity feels hotter, so drink plenty of fluids (doubling what you typically consume is a good rule of thumb)
- Wear light colored clothing
- Use SPF that’s waterproof and sweatproof
- Try a cooling neck wrap made for humid environments
Finally, prior to travel to The Games in Greater Fort Lauderdale pre-schedule your SAFE athlete fitness screening HERE!
Health & Well-Being Partners
NSGA Sport Partners
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