For the past five years or so, I’ve had the honor to serve on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Masters Games (formerly the Wisconsin Senior Olympics). In short, our mission is to put together games for aging athletes (ages 40+) to continue to challenge themselves physically and mentally while enjoying the camaraderie of competition.
Serving on the Board motivated me to take up several track and field events. Moving deeper into my 60s has forced me to recognize more limitations while at the same time opening my mind to the purer joys of sport. Yes, you want to do your best. Yes, you realize if you even attempt to sprint, you could easily tear a hamstring.
Participating in the games brings those challenges. You train, you push yourself. If you want to improve your time in the 800, 400 or 200 (the three events I’ve chosen to compete in the past two years), you must put in the training time. You can’t go out and decide to run without preparing. You want to finish the event without injury and do your best. In your earlier years, the goal would more likely have been to win the gold, silver or bronze medal.
There is a very specific joy in the aging athlete community. We support each other. There are sheer congratulations when someone finishes last, chugging along, doing their best.
The supportive nature of the community extends in many ways. The first year I participated, I chose to do the shot put. Two men in their early 60s were the top competitors in my age category.
Watching them warm up, I saw them go over to an older man, bent over, much smaller (both of my competitors where over 6’2” and 250 pounds). They chatted with him, encouraged him, gave him a hug.
As we stood and waited to make our throws, I asked about their relationship. “Oh, he’s our high school coach from downstate Illinois. We picked him up on our drive up here, and he’s going to throw the shot put, too,” was their abbreviated response.
I was stunned. Here’s this frail-looking man, in his late-80s and his two former athletes/students were still in touch with him and went out of their way to pick him up and drive him to Wisconsin so they could hang out together, reminisce and compete. I choked up.
Soon after that, I chatted with a woman waiting to throw the shot put for the FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE. She was in her early 80s, and couldn’t have weighed more than 110 pounds. Yet, there she was, excited, pumped up, ready to take on a new challenge. Ripples of electric current went through my body as I spoke with her and heard her story on why she chose to take on this new life challenge.
There’s something extremely special watching an old codger sprinting his butt off in the 100-yard dash, extending his dream from earlier years into the twilight days of his life. Before and after athletes finish, they cheer, clap and urge on their fellow competitors. It’s heartwarming and life-changing.
Competition, community, camaraderie, challenge -- the four C’s. The Wisconsin Masters Games has all four, and I hope we continue the tradition for many more years.
Serving on the Board motivated me to take up several track and field events. Moving deeper into my 60s has forced me to recognize more limitations while at the same time opening my mind to the purer joys of sport. Yes, you want to do your best. Yes, you realize if you even attempt to sprint, you could easily tear a hamstring.
Participating in the games brings those challenges. You train, you push yourself. If you want to improve your time in the 800, 400 or 200 (the three events I’ve chosen to compete in the past two years), you must put in the training time. You can’t go out and decide to run without preparing. You want to finish the event without injury and do your best. In your earlier years, the goal would more likely have been to win the gold, silver or bronze medal.
There is a very specific joy in the aging athlete community. We support each other. There are sheer congratulations when someone finishes last, chugging along, doing their best.
The supportive nature of the community extends in many ways. The first year I participated, I chose to do the shot put. Two men in their early 60s were the top competitors in my age category.
Watching them warm up, I saw them go over to an older man, bent over, much smaller (both of my competitors where over 6’2” and 250 pounds). They chatted with him, encouraged him, gave him a hug.
As we stood and waited to make our throws, I asked about their relationship. “Oh, he’s our high school coach from downstate Illinois. We picked him up on our drive up here, and he’s going to throw the shot put, too,” was their abbreviated response.
I was stunned. Here’s this frail-looking man, in his late-80s and his two former athletes/students were still in touch with him and went out of their way to pick him up and drive him to Wisconsin so they could hang out together, reminisce and compete. I choked up.
Soon after that, I chatted with a woman waiting to throw the shot put for the FIRST TIME IN HER LIFE. She was in her early 80s, and couldn’t have weighed more than 110 pounds. Yet, there she was, excited, pumped up, ready to take on a new challenge. Ripples of electric current went through my body as I spoke with her and heard her story on why she chose to take on this new life challenge.
There’s something extremely special watching an old codger sprinting his butt off in the 100-yard dash, extending his dream from earlier years into the twilight days of his life. Before and after athletes finish, they cheer, clap and urge on their fellow competitors. It’s heartwarming and life-changing.
Competition, community, camaraderie, challenge -- the four C’s. The Wisconsin Masters Games has all four, and I hope we continue the tradition for many more years.
