The Games team: Louis Baca, Susie Dunn, Tom Wilp, Lori Marsh, Donna Larsen, Jacquie Nedderman, Ray Texeira, Steve Ficker, Chloe Hanken, Wanda Johnson, Neil Donohoe, Colleen Linko
Ray Texeira
We’ve had a lot of positive feedback on the upcoming Senior Games and are occasionally asked, “Why the Senior Games in Sun Lakes?” The answer is simple: to create the time and space for everyone to join in and compete, even if they haven’t risen to the top in any particular sport. This year we are trying to level the playing field so that everyone can compete, regardless of age, gender, and physical ability. Choose one or more of these fun competitions: Mah Jongg, Mexican train, short court tennis, social “non-ranked” pickleball, driving range target golf, chip and putt golf, cornhole, bocce ball, crazy golf, and water balloon toss.
Our planning meetings are well attended, and our members have gathered a number of game hosts and supporters. This month we will highlight four more of them:
1. The Sun Lakes Country Club Lady Putters,
2. The Cottonwood Cornhole Club,
3. The Cottonwood Bocce Ball Club, and
4. The IronOaks Photography Club.
Sign up for as many as you’d like. Pre-register at [email protected] and let us know which games you would like to do, and make sure you stop by our table at all of the upcoming community open house events in October.
The research: To further answer the “why” question, I’d like to share excerpts from the Bowling Green State University research on senior games:
“In order to understand the meanings of sports to retired people, it is necessary to figure out the benefits that sports and games can offer. This study puts forward two basic research questions: (1) What are the motives of seniors engaging in the senior games? (2) What are the changes seniors made from participating in the senior games?
“Conclusion: This study examined the motivations of seniors to participate in senior games. Community, family, and friends’ support is the significant motivation for seniors to participate in competition.
“This study also confirms the importance of physical health for seniors to join in senior games. But keeping physical fitness is not the primary reason for seniors to participate. This study found the most important reason is the appeal of competitiveness.
“The second purpose of this study was to investigate the benefits that seniors received from the senior games. Most participants admitted that camaraderie is the greatest reward to them, and this point echoed the motivation of seniors. Some participants made friends from senior games, and they became lifelong friends to participate in the next senior games together.”
Yea, what I said. Our goal is for everyone in our community to hang out, have some fun, win some prizes, and, of course, bring home the community trophy.
Email us and let us know which games you would like to participate in, and we’ll let you know where and when to register. Send your requests to the games team at [email protected].