The National Senior Games (Senior Olympics) are a sports competition for Senior Citizens in the United States. It is conducted by the National Senior Games Association (NSGA) once every two years. Akin to the Summer Olympics, it is a multi-sport event devoted to adults above the age of 50. It consists of regional competitions held yearly in all states of the US.
History
The games were founded by Warren Blaney.
[Austin American-Statesman, Austin, TX, Mar 10, 1975. [1] Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020] In 1969, the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission approved the 1970 meet.
[Coliseum Commission 1969; via LA84 Library. [2] Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020] In June 1970 the first Senior Olympics took place at the Los Angeles Coliseum (1970 known as Senior Sports International Meet).
[San Bernardino County Sun, June 23, 1970. [3] Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020] The games continued in the 1970s and 1980s in the Los Angeles and Orange County, California.
[MastersHistory. [4] Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020] Today the meet is known as the Senior Games (or Senior Olympics). The Senior Games are now held in every state in the USA.
[NSGA. [5] Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020] In 1985 National Senior Olympics Organization (NSOO) was formed, and in 1990 NSGA took over control of the Senior Games.
[NSGA 1987. [6] Retrieved Jan 18, 2021]
A 1987 version attracted 2,500 people. Recent attendance (Louisville, 2007) had over 10,000 competitors and 20,000 spectators, with oldest competitors being over 100 years old.[NSGA 1987. [7] Retrieved Jan 18, 2021]
In 2021 there are currently five regions under NSGA: Great Lakes, Northeast, Pacific, Southeast, and West.[NSGA Jan 18, 2021. [8] Retrieved Jan 18, 2021] These national games are supported by the National Senior Games Association.[NSGA. [9] Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020]
The Huntsman World Senior Games is an international senior sports competition begun in 1987. The 27 athletic events held in Southern Utah begin with the torch lighting in traditional Olympic fashion during the Opening Ceremonies.[World Senior Games. [10] Retrieved Oct. 29, 2020]
Summary
Summer
The Senior Summer Olympics are conducted from 1970 to the present day.
| +
!Number
!Year
!Host City
!Number of Sports
!Number of Athletes |
| 1 | 1987 | St. Louis | 15 | 2,500 |
| 2 | 1989 | St. Louis | 16 | 3,400 |
| 3 | 1991 | Syracuse | 18 | 3,400 |
| 4 | 1993 | Baton Rouge | 18 | 7,200 |
| 5 | 1995 | San Antonio | 18 | 8,200 |
| 6 | 1997 | Tucson | 10 | 10,300 |
| 7 | 1999 | Orlando | 12 | 12,000 |
| 8 | 2001 | Baton Rouge | 18 | 8,700 |
| 9 | 2003 | Hampton Roads | 18 | 10,700 |
| 10 | 2005 | Pittsburgh | 18 | 11,100 |
| 11 | 2007 | Louisville | 18 | 12,000 |
| 12 | 2009 | Palo Alto | 18 | 10,000 |
| 13 | 2011 | Houston | 18 | 10,100 |
| 14 | 2013 | Cleveland | 19 | 10,881 |
| 15 | 2015 | Bloomington-Minneapolis-St.Paul | 19 | 9,989 |
| 16 | 2017 | Birmingham | 19 | 10,530 |
| 17 | 2019 | Albuquerque | 20 | 13,882 |
| 18 | 2021 (postponed to 2022) | Fort Lauderdale | 21 | 11,938 |
| 19 | 2023 | Pittsburgh | 21 | 11,681 |
| 20 | 2025 | Des Moines | TBD | TBD |
Winter
The Senior Winter Olympics were held from 2000 to 2011.
|
| 1 | 2000 | Lake Placid | 265 |
| 2 | 2002 | Lake Placid | 240 |
| 3 | 2003 | Buffalo | 640 |
| 4 | 2004 | Blaine | 560 |
| 5 | 2005 | Blaine | 440 |
| 6 | 2006 | Blaine | 500 |
| 7 | 2007 | Blaine | 420 |
| 8 | 2008 | Providence | 500 |
| 9 | 2009 | Fort Lauderdale | 410 |
| 10 | 2010 | Rochester | 260 |
| 11 | 2011 | Rochester | 250 |
State Games Regions
NSGA State Regions:
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Northeast (12): Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, D.C.
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Southeast (12): Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia
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Great Lakes (8): Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin
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West (9): Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming
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Pacific Ocean (10): Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington
Senior State Games
Source:
Empire State Senior Games
- USOC Festivals
The USOC Sports Festivals were in the 80s. Teams of North, East, South and West competed in a domestic Olympics.
- Many states have held and still hold Sports Festivals.
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Keystone State Games in Pennsylvania
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Empire State Games in New York
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Prairie State Games in Illinois
- Master and Senior Games
NSGA Qualifying Games
Veterans Games
Canada Games
Sports
Individual Sports Competitions in the Senior Games:
Team Sports Competitions:
Non-Ambulatory Sports Competitions:
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Non-Ambulatory Bowling
-
Non-Ambulatory Cornhole
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Non-Ambulatory Pickleball
-
Ambulatory Shuffleboard
See also
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Huntsman World Senior Games
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Senior sport
-
Masters athletics (track and field)
External links
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Bay Area Senior Games
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Wyoming Winter Senior Olympics
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Wyoming Summer Senior Olympics
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National Senior Games Association
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NSGA Results and Records
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NSGA Dates and locations of previous Senior Games
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World Senior Games
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Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins age 103 wins several gold medals
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Deborah Wheeler, Local octogenarian wins in Olympics, The Walton Sun, July 5, 2007
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Dan Farrand, Golden memories: Local athletes win medals at Senior Olympics, NewsTimesLive, Jul 06 2007
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Associated Press, Gray grit: boom times for Senior Games, July 4, 2007
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Masters Events
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PBS Documentary, Age of Champions
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State by State Senior Games links
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Wisconsin Senior Olympics
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World Masters Games
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Desert Recreation: Palm Desert Senior Games
