Statics show that if you keep active through your senior years, your overall quality of life stays at the same level as before. Exercise in any form is beneficial and for those who love sports and competition there are many local organizations that provide special activities for Senior Citizens. But for those who really have the desire and energy, there is one national competition that tops all the rest.
Senior Citizens can be very active if given the chance and nothing proves this more than the National Senior Games which are open to senior athletes, both men and women, aged 50 and over.
The National Senior Games Association is a part of the United States Olympic Committee and is dedicated to helping senior citizens maintain a healthy life style. They have their own Olympic games every two years on odd years and the next Senior Olympic games will be held in Louisville in the summer of 2007 and they expect more than 12,000 senior athletes to participate.
There are local associations in all fifty states and the District of Columbia and it is by joining your local association and participating in the local games and attaining the required status for your particular sport that you get to participate in the bi annual national games . . . The events are not free to participate in, but the advantages really out weigh the cost. Keeping healthy, meeting other senior citizens from around the county and being and example and inspiration to other senior citizens to take up a healthy lifestyle, even if they never participate in the games are just some of the benefits.
In case you think that they make up special, easy competitions, take a look at what the competitions are Archery, Badminton, Basketball, Bowling, Horseshoes, Racquetball, Shuffleboard, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track and Field, Volleyball, Cycling, Golf, Race Walk, Road Race, Softball and the Triathlon. There will be more than 800 events over the 16 days of competition. And they expect at least 20,000 spectators in addition to the 12,000 athletes. The athletes are dedicated, they train all year and many younger people cannot keep up with them. Their times may not come close to the Olympic records, but they are far from the slowest around.
It is too late to get to compete in this years games, but if you are an active senior citizen, contact your local state organization and find out how to join. Meantime, if you have the opportunity to be in Louisville from June 22 – July 8 try and take a day and get a look at what all the excitement is about. And bring some of the younger generation along so they can see just what senior citizens are really all about.
