You probably know someone who has remained active well into their senior years. Perhaps she was a great athlete in high school who never lost the drive to compete or someone who rediscovered the joy of sport later in life.
For the past 30 years, adults age 50 and over have competed in regional and state-level competitions called the Senior Games. This year’s Iowa Summer Senior Games will be held June 21-25 at various locations in West Des Moines.
The summer games include everything from archery and badminton to swimming, granny basketball and a triathlon. Registration is open, with a fee of $30 per sport, not per event, so if you register for bowling, for example, your fee would cover singles, doubles and team.
As you might guess, an event attracting more than 1,000 participants needs many volunteers. Anyone interested in assisting with the Iowa Senior Games should email jacob.newton@iowaseniorgames.org. No athletic or officiating expertise is necessary in order to volunteer.
Spectators are also welcome and appreciated, so if you’re not yet in the over-50 age group, or aren’t able to volunteer, come cheer on the older Iowans who share their interest in a healthy and active lifestyle. Perhaps you’ll be inspired yourself.
Ann Cochran is the health navigation coordinator in the Dallas County Public Health Department.
