Summer Senior Olympics Article

[rainbowgirl28]

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-rev ... 44964.html

John Schrock, 54, of LaGrange, Ind. did double duty Thursday in the Summer National Senior Olympics. He competed in the pole vault and the javelin at the same time, scurrying from event to event. He won the silver medal in pole vault and was sixth in the javelin. LaGrange said the competitors at this level are serious about using sports to take care of their health and stay fit. He added the thinking about sports is different at this age than when athletes are in their teens and 20s, because they are more focused on their sports getting them a scholarship.
"I just tried to stay focused on what event I was doing at the time," Schrock said. "Sometimes when you compete in games like this, it happens that two events are close together like this. I feel pretty good about how I did."

Phil Raschker of Georgia set another record yesterday, this time in the 200-meter dash with a time of 29 seconds breaking the mark of 29.23 set by Kathy Jager of Arizona in 1999 in the 55-59 age division. Hillen VonMaltzahn of New York was first in the pole vault with a mark of 8-06, breaking the record of 8-04 set by Florida's Joy McDonald in 1997 in the 55-59 age division.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.godesoto.com/modules.php?op= ... =0&thold=0

W.S. Donald is going to have to make more room in his home for even more medals and trophies.

Donald, 76, who retired as one of the winningest high school coaches in history, just got back from his fourth National Senior Games in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Mellon University.
Donald has also competed at previous National Senior Games in Orlando, Baton Rouge, and Virginia Beach.
And, he has done it in his usual winning style.
At May’s State Senior Games in Raymond on the campus of Pearl Community College, Donald won 16 first places in the events in the 75-79 age division.
With the wins, Donald marched on to the National Senior Olympics in Pittsburgh, where he finished third in the javelin; fourth in the pole vault; sixth in the discus; seventh in the high jump; and got a pair of eighth place finishes in the long jump and shot put events.
Donald, who was a winning high school track and football coach for more than five decades, said that the youngsters got in his way.
“In the 75-79 age division, those 75-year-old newcomers really were tough,â€Â

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/ ... xml&coll=1

Senior Olympians still spry enough for medals
2 from Huntsville take home bronze from '05 Games
Saturday, June 25, 2005
By MATTHEW NASCONE
Times Staff Writer eintern@htimes.com
Roger Chassey didn't realize it during the race, but when he passed three runners in the woods, he clinched a bronze medal.

On June 12, Chassey, 66, was running as part of the triathlon in the 2005 Senior Olympic Games in Pittsburgh. When he passed the three men, he was halfway through with the 3.1-mile run portion of the swim, bike and run triathlon. He crossed the finish line in third place, earning him a medal for the 65- to 69-year-old division.

"I didn't know it at the time, but those guys were in my age group," Chassey said. "I found out when I got to the finish line and I was glad I made that push when I did."

He was one of two Huntsville residents who took home a medal from the Games.

Dr. Doug Everett, 60, took home a bronze in the triathlon in the 60- to 64-year-old division.

Everett had competed only once previously on the national level, coming in fifth place in the triathlon at the 2003 Senior Olympic Games.

"It is a lot easier to compete at the national games than here in Huntsville," he said. "I believe this is because a lot of the best runners from Huntsville don't have the funds to travel and compete at the national level."

Everett said he placed better in Pittsburgh than he normally does in Huntsville. Everett said he competes every year in the Cotton Row event of the Huntsville Track Club. He said the competition at this event is why he believes national competition is not as tough.

Chassey also participated in the pole vault competition on June 11 and reached the fifth-best height of seven feet.

Even though he did well, Chassey says he can do better.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.mlive.com/news/kzgazette/ind ... 307390.xml

Nearly 600 athletes ready for Senior Olympics to begin Saturday
Saturday, July 02, 2005
dperson@kalamazoogazette.com 388-8555
Athletes age 50 and older participate in the Senior Olympics for any number of reasons, says Linda Law, co-chairwoman of the 2005 Michigan Senior Olympics, to be held in Kalamazoo this month.

"There are some people who enjoy competition," Law said. "Other people just want to see how they measure up."

Victor Van Fleet has yet another reason. The 86-year-old Kalamazoo bicyclist wants to educate seniors on the health benefits of staying fit.

Van Fleet is registered in the 5k and 10k time trials and the 20k and 40k road races. He is assured of gold medals in all four events because he has no competition in the 85-89 age group, Law said.

But that's not what is important to Van Fleet.

"If I had a mission, it would be to get people out ... and doing something vigorously, and watch what they eat," said Van Fleet, whose first job was "pedaling a bike for Western Union" in Detroit when he was a youngster.

Van Fleet rides a couple of times a week with the Kalamazoo Bicycle Club and also makes a couple of trips to the post office on Drake Road from his home across the street from Kalamazoo Valley Community College in Texas Township.

"He is so dedicated to trying to get seniors ... to start exercising to preserve their lives; that's his big soapbox," said Harriet Swanson, 78, also a bicyclist from Kalamazoo who will be participating in the Senior Olympics. "He thinks that's one of the real answers to longevity."

Van Fleet, who is retired from the real-estate field, said physically fit seniors also are a key to reducing health-care costs. If seniors stayed in better shape, he said, the state wouldn't have to invest so much money in Medicaid and could probably balance its budget.

But it's much more than economics.

"There's no money in the world that can replace good health," said Van Fleet, who rides his bike 60 miles a week to prepare for the Senior Olympics.

Van Fleet isn't the oldest participant in the Senior Olympics, which begins next Saturday with team sports -- basketball and volleyball -- at the Western Michigan University Student Recreation Center and continues July 13 through 17 with individual and doubles competition.

There are a few participants in their 90s, Law said, including John Boesenhofer of Toledo, Ohio, who is coming to Kalamazoo to participate in the discus and javelin throw, shot put, high jump, long jump and pole vault.

Boesenhofer will have competition in the 90-94 age group in some of those events. Frederick Winter of Holland plans to give him a run for his money in the discus and javelin throw, shot put and long jump. Winter also is competing in singles shuffleboard.

Almost 600 people have signed up for the Senior Olympics. Law is pleased, but even better, she said, is that 25 percent of the participants are from the Kalamazoo area.

"That is overwhelmingly wonderful," Law said. "That (strong local participation) was a goal of ours, and we're really impressed with that."

Law said three events have been canceled because of low registrations: softball, men's volleyball and paddleball.

She also noted that there will be no walk-on registrations during the games. References in Senior Olympics materials to on-site registration means check-in and packet pickup will be on-site for athletes who were previously registered, she said.

Everyone should be pre-registered through the Michigan Senior Olympics office in Rochester, she said. The toll-free number for that office is (800) 400-8161.

Law said volunteers are still being sought to help run the road races, bicycling events and triathlon July 15-17 in the mornings and early afternoons.

Anyone interested in being a volunteer should call 381-2977, ext. 3707, and leave a message, or register at MSOvolunteer@sbcglobal.net.

[Vaulting prof]

Thanks for the article on the Michigan Senior Olympics
I'll be there to defend my state record in the M 60-64 Pole Vault

I'm going to branch out and try the long jump and 200M dash
this year also.

Vaultingprof

[ladyvolspvcoach]

vaultingprof, what's your record?? We'll be routing for you!

[Vaulting prof]

Last year I went 8ft 11 in to break the old 8ft 6 in record. That was using straight pole technique. I had a nice pole but didn't know how to bend
it. So, this year has been relearning how to use all that spring.

Great potential--- but it's been quite a learning curve to retrain.
Next Friday will be a key test on whether the transition is on its
way -- or still just potential. I still see lots more learning before
I have this mastered (if anyone ever truly masters it)

Thanks for the cheer

vaulting prof