Retirement News : Seniors : Senior Games promote good health, fitness

Senior Games promote good health, fitness

Date Added: 28-07-2005

The goal of the Washington State Senior Games is to motivate people 50 and older to get off the couch, to get into a training regime, to learn about nutrition, to exercise regularly and to improve their quality of life. Having a lot of fun and meeting new friends are bonuses to the annual games, which will take place this weekend in 10 South Sound venues. It's a great honor for this community to host the games and encourage seniors to live an active and healthy lifestyle. The brass ring Jack Kiley, president of the host Puget Sound Senior Games Committee, said: "The Senior Games hold out that brass ring. They say come here, participate in a sport, have fun, meet new friends and help life jump a little bit." Kiley and his hard-working committee hope to draw 1,000 seniors from across the state to this weekend's events. "The purpose of the Puget Sound Senior Games is to keep seniors healthy and productive," Kiley said. "Participation in the Senior Games is a year-round effort to enhance wellness. Our mission is to promote health and fitness throughout the year for people 50 years and older through participation, competition and education." The games took root in 1996 with about 200 participants. They have grown to a $75,000 undertaking that relies on countless volunteers and community sponsors for a lion's share of the budget. Sanctioned event While Seattle, Bremerton and other communities have their own versions of the games, this weekend is the sanctioned event for the entire state. Kiley said every other year is a qualifying year -- meaning that athletes who do well in the state games can advance to the national competition held recently in Pennsylvania. This is not a qualifying year for the state games, so Kiley expects about 1,000 athletes this weekend, about 100 fewer than participated in 2004. Athletes can compete in any of 18 sports. With careful scheduling, an athlete could compete in a 5K run at Tumwater High School on Saturday, play table tennis at Tumwater Valley Athletic Club on Sunday morning and that afternoon swim at the Briggs Community YMCA on Yelm Highway. This year's sports lineup includes: archery, basketball, billiards/8-ball, bowling, cycling, golf, pickleball, powerlifting, race walking, racquetball, 5K and 10K runs, soccer, softball, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field and volleyball. Rappelling undersheriff The opening ceremonies are at 8:45 a.m. Saturday, when Thurston County Undersheriff Neil McClanahan will rappel from a helicopter over Tumwater Stadium. He'll unfurl a Washington State Senior Games flag and parade it once around the track. Local mayors will declare the games officially opened. At 6 p.m. Saturday, a banquet will be held in the commons of Tumwater High School. The guest speaker will be Mike Utley, a native of Seattle who played football at Washington State University in Pullman. Utley went on to play lineman for the Detroit Lions but was paralyzed in his third year. He's an inspirational speaker who enjoys skiing, skydiving, kayaking, scuba diving, boating, personal watercrafts, hand cycling and waterskiing. Anyone can attend the banquet by paying $10 at the door. As Kiley says, the Washington State Senior Games are all about "feeling great about yourself, feeling younger and making new friends. Staying active and competing with others in your own age group really gets your juices flowing again." The games showcase this community and promote an active lifestyle -- a winning combination by any measure. Washington State Senior Games For More Information: http://159.54.227.3/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050727/OPINION01/507270329/1005