Me? Take Up a New Sport? Absolutely! Here’s How…
Sean Callahan
There are a few active sports that men and women over age 50 are getting into in a big way. People who once spent time on the shuffleboard court are now throwing javelins, running 100-mile races or taking up any of dozens of sports that only a few years ago were limited to far younger participants.
Given the physical and social benefits of exercise, it’s important to find sports that motivate you to participate. But while all of the “new” sports are challenging, they’re not all physically demanding. Archery, for example, requires a great amount of skill, but it can be enjoyed by those without great cardiovascular endurance.
FINDING YOUR SPORT
The Internet is an easy pathway to essential information. To find a local organization for the sport you’re interested in, enter the name of the sport plus the name of your state and “masters” into your search engine. More information sources…*
• National Senior Games (NSG), a nonprofit organization affiliated with the US Olympic Committee that holds a national event every two years and promotes dozens of smaller events throughout the year. The next national championship will be in San Francisco in 2009.
Events typically include contests in golf and tennis, archery, badminton, cycling, discus, high- jumping, horseshoes, javelin, pole-vaulting, racewalking, shot put and table tennis. The NSG Web site has links to state organizations for senior sports (225-766-6800, www.nsga.com).
• MastersTrack.com (www.masterstrack.com), one of the oldest organizations to provide information on senior track-and- field sports.
• Senior Sports Newsletter, published by Seniors-Masters-Champions, a Web-based retailer of sports gear for seniors (217-544-7650, www.seniors-masters-champions.com).
• geezerJock magazine, my own publication and Web site, has information on senior sports throughout the country, as well as a calendar of upcoming events for seniors (312-622-4593, www.geezerjock.com).
• Local recreation departments. Many city and county recreation departments now offer instruction to seniors in judo, horseshoes and other sports you may have wanted to try. To find the departments, contact your local government office.
If you haven’t participated in a sport in many years—or never participated—don’t worry. Most senior sports organizations provide training and/or will help you find local coaches.
IN GOOD COMPANY
If you’re over age 50 and are embarking on a new athletic challenge, you’ll be in good company. Just consider Paul Soucy of Livonia, Michigan. He was 68 years old last year when he became the oldest champion in the 2006 Ringside World Championships, an amateur boxing tournament held annually in Kansas City, Missouri.
Because mainstream media do not devote much space to senior sports, you might have missed the news about Sister Madonna Buder, a nun from Spokane, Washington. Last year, at the age of 76, she became the oldest woman ever to complete the Ironman, a grueling endurance event, consisting of a 2.4-mile ocean swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile marathon run. Buder, who didn’t run competitively until she was 49, was quoted as saying, “I train religiously.”
John Whittington, who is in his 60s, wasn’t expected to compete in the javelin event last year at the Nevada State Senior Olympics. After all, he had recently undergone brain surgery for the removal of a tumor. But Whittington did compete and took a gold medal in his age group with a throw of 95 feet, 3 inches.
And if that doesn’t inspire you, consider the recent achievement of 75-year-old Barbara Hillary of Averne, New York. Earlier this year, the lung cancer survivor ignored the threats of polar bears and frostbite to ski and hike her way to the North Pole.
Of course, you don’t have to participate in world-class events or even be a competitive athlete to enjoy sports. For many seniors, sports are an exciting way to socialize while also enjoying the health benefits.
WORDS OF CAUTION
If you’ve never played a sport before—or have been away from it for several years—tell your physician what you have in mind, and ask if there are any reasons why you shouldn’t proceed.
But even if the doctor gives you a green light, ask other seniors in the sport what type of training is the safest and most productive.
Example: If you want to try ski jumping, they may suggest that you improve your balance and coordination by bicycling during the summer before you hit the slopes.
*For more information about specific sports you might like to try, go to our Web site, www.BottomLineSecrets.com/Bonus, or send a self-addressed, stamped, business-sized envelope to “Challenging Sports,” Bottom Line/Retirement, Box 10704, Stamford, Connecticut 06904-0704.
Bottom Line/Retirement interviewed Sean Callahan, editor of geezerJock, a Chicago-based magazine for masters athletes, www.geezerjock.com. 18 issues plus 24 months of Web access, $30.
(Article originally published September 1, 2007)
Reprinted with the permission of:
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