Almost any week during the year, from February in Arizona to November in Hawaii, you can find seniors competing in Olympic games throughout the country, and best of all, you won’t have to travel far. The Senior Olympic Games are held in 49 of our 50 states. Men and women ages 50+ compete in events such as track and field, swimming, golf, softball, tennis, basketball, bowling, cycling, archery, horseshoes, racquetball, badminton, and table tennis. If winter sports are of more interest to you, Senior Winter Games are also scheduled in Montana.

In 1999, it was reported in Senior News that more than 600,000 seniors from all 50 states plus Canada and Mexico took part in the competitions. The athletes compete in events categorized by gender and age (five-year increments). Participants in the Senior Games are not all “experts” in their sport. Competitors represent a wide age range and are beginners and novices to accomplished athletes. Simply put, the aim of the Senior Games is to promote fitness at all ages. As the mission statement of The National Senior Games Association states, “…a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting healthy lifestyles for active adults 50 and over through education, fitness and sport.”

There are also National Senior Games, both in the summer (held in odd-numbered years) and in the winter (even-numbered years). The Winter National Senior Games do not have any entry requirements other than age, but for participants to compete in the Summer National Senior Games, they must have qualified in state senior games.

As reported by the National Senior Games Association, “the Senior Olympic Games has grown to be one of the largest multi-sports athletic competitions in the world.” To learn more and to get a complete listing of all the Senior Olympic Games, call The National Senior Games Association at (225) 379-7337 or visit the Association website at www.nsga.com . Sign up to compete or just plan on attending to cheer for the athletes. Many states even permit out-of-state residents to compete in their Senior Olympics. In addition to the athletic events, you can enjoy the social events, health fairs and other activities that are usually associated with the Senior Games. Do you have a zest for life and fellowship? Find the nearest Senior Olympics, get off the couch, and join the fun.