I’ve been taking part in the Richmond County Senior Games this past week. The North Carolina Senior Games actually began in 1983 trying to promote year-round health for adults who are 50 and older. There are more than 60,000 seniors who take part across our state in 53 local games that serve our 100 counties.
There are lots of events if you’re athletically oriented and lots for those who are not. If you are musically talented, you can enter vocals or instrumentals. There is also drama, dancing and even cheerleading.
If you’re good with your hands, there is a category called Heritage Arts for basket-weaving, crocheting, quilting, jewelry, woodcarving — and the list goes on.
Visual Arts include painting, drawing, photography, sculptures, watercolors and more. Literary Arts is for short stories, essays and life experiences.
There are a few team sports such as men’s and women’s softball and then there’s doubles in tennis and table tennis as well as singles in those sports.
Even if you’re not very good in sports, you would have a lot of fun if you came out and tried croquet, shuffleboard, spin casting or just plain old walking. Also, golfers can play golf and bowlers can bowl.
You compete in your own age group, which could contain just two or three people or up to seven or eight or more. It just depends on how many people sign up. You can actually start participating at 50 years of age and compete as long as you are able.
Speaking from personal experience, I’ve learned to play several sports that I knew absolutely nothing about until I entered the Senior Games. Some of those are bocce, shot put and the discus.
I’ll admit, too, that I never knew you could compete in spin casting either. I have fished for most of my life but I had never tried to hit a target until I tried it the first time at the track and field events. Trying to hit that target certainly is harder than just casting out and trying to catch a fish.
There are also non-sanctioned events offered such as chair volleyball, scrabble, pinochle, contract rummy and aggravation.
If you win or finish second or even third, you can go to the State Finals if you so desire. Then there’s the National Senior Games, which is offered every two years for State Finals qualifiers. State Finals 2016 will be the qualifying event for the 2017 Senior Games in Birmingham, Alabama.
This past Tuesday I competed in women’s bocce. The weather was sorta cool when we started playing at 9 a.m., but by the time we got finished in the afternoon, that sun was really hot. I did get a gold medal that day, so I at least had something to show for my efforts.
On Wednesday morning, we started playing cornhole at 9 a.m. That competition was inside, so at least it was not going to be another day out in the sun. Not long after I got there, my daughter sent me a text saying she was going to call me at 11. I answered back and said I was playing cornhole but “I might lose out in the first round” so for her to go ahead and call around that time.
I suppose I shouldn’t have had any negative thoughts, because that is exactly what happened! After spending Tuesday throwing those balls down the court for bocce, my shoulder was so sore I was having trouble getting the bags down to the other end.
I know, I know, that sounds like just an excuse for losing out in the first round. As they say though, “Pride goeth before a fall” and I shouldn’t have bragged to my husband about getting the gold the day before.
I did get to talk to my daughter at 11 because I went ahead and walked outside to my car just as she called me. It’s always good to hear from her and find out how my wonderful four grandchildren are doing. If you’re a grandparent, you know exactly what I mean when I say they’re wonderful, adorable and the list goes on and on.
Although I didn’t win a medal that day, I did have a good time. Over the years when you compete, you get to meet a lot of new people from around the county and it’s always good to see them again and catch up with what’s going on with them.
I suppose I have always been a little competitive. Growing up around so many brothers and cousins probably taught me to try to be as good as they were in sports. I’m not sure I ever achieved that goal, but I did learn to reach way down inside of me and do the best I could.
I remember when I was in the fourth or fifth grade there was a baseball game going on out on the playground when I went outside. It was just guys playing but when I walked up I said I wanted to play, too. One of them said to let me go ahead and bat because I wouldn’t be able to hit the ball anyway. That was just like pouring gas on a fire as far as I was concerned.
I stepped up to that plate and knocked the ball out into left field over the guy’s head. Then I took off running just as fast as I could and ran around all the bases. Just as I ran across home plate, the outfielder threw the ball in — but it was too late. I felt like I just had to show those guys that girls can hit a baseball, too.
The good thing about competing in the senior games though is that women compete against women and men compete against men. Also, you compete in your own age group.
I want to encourage you to come out and compete in next year’s Senior Games. Whether you win or lose, you’ll definitely have a good time. If you do the very best you can do in whatever you try in life, then you can walk away and be proud of your effort!
Azalea Bolton is a resident of Richmond County, a member of the Story Spinners of Laurinburg and a member of the Historical Society in Richmond and Anson counties.