VITAL TIMES - Vermont Senior Games · [email protected] or by snail mail to: Betsy Terry, 721 Main...

2017 VSGA Games Season is a Wrap by Andrea Stander

On behalf of everyone at VSGA, I want to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the Baker’s Dozen volunteers who served as our Sport Coordinators during the 2017 season. I know it is a cliché, but it has never been more apt – The VT Senior Games would literally not be possible without these folks’ talent, commitment, hard work, and knowledge of their respective sports. THANK YOU one and all! See the end of the article for a list of their names and the sports they coordinated.

VSGA is grateful to the other athletic organizations with whom we partnered this year: The Edge Masters Swim Team, Colchester Parks & Recreation, Green Mountain Athletic Association, Sprinticity Track Club, Northfield Savings Bank & Central VT Runners. The 2017 season was also greatly enhanced by the many sports facilities and venues that welcomed our events and we want to express our sincere thanks to all the people who worked with us to ensure our athletes had a great experience. Again, see the event list and if you have an opportunity to patronize these facilities, please let them know you appreciate their support for the VT Senior Games. AND… If you’d like to get involved as a Sport Coordinator, or one of the many volunteer roles that are needed for each event – please be in touch!

The 2017 season was a huge learning curve for me, as the newbie on the VSGA team, and I appreciate all the support and “coaching” I got from everyone. Every event I attended brought new knowledge and understanding about the “particulars” of each sport. Not just the rules and the sometimes confusing (to me) scoring methods, but the endless inspiration of having the opportunity to meet and watch senior athletes of all abilities bring their best to their games.

In This Issue:

Season Wrap Up . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2018 Games Preview . . . . . . . . 2

Registration Info . . . . . . . . . . 2

President’s Message . . . . . . . . 3

New Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Winter Games . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

In The Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Reframing Aging . . . . . . . . . . 8

Sponsors & Partners . . . . . . . . 9

Step Up to Fitness . . . . . . . . . 11

Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

VITAL TIMESThe Newsletter of the Vermont Senior Games AssociationAn Affiliate of the Vermont Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

Fall-Winter 2017-18 | Volume 7 / Issue 2

“Season Wrap Up” continued on page 4

2017 Swimming medalists with Sport Coordinator Bethe Patrick-Ogle (far right)

2 | VSGA Newsletter Volume 7 / Issue 2

Board of DirectorsPresident:

Marti Powers (Essex Jct) 802-999-5499Vice President:

Barbara Jordan (S. Burlington) 802-658-4486

Secretary: Diana Wood (Colchester)

802-730-6200Treasurer:

John Scheer (Williston) 802-862-1006

Board Members:Hannelore Boerner (Washington)

Flo Meiler (Shelburne) 802-985-2553

Alan Rubel (Barre) 802-479-0961

Betsy Terry (Colchester) 802-878-2077

Bob Willey (Essex Jct) 802-879-0186

Managing Director:Andrea Stander 802-522-3284

VSGA NewsletterThe Vital Times is published two times a year

by the Vermont Senior Games Association. Contributions to the newsletter are

welcome, including commentary on subjects of interest to Vermont’s older adults and

senior athletes.Deadline for the next issue is March. 1, 2017.

Editorial Team: Betsy Terry, Andrea Stander, & Diana Wood

Circulation – 2,000Send information to

[email protected] or by snail mail to: Betsy Terry, 721 Main Street, Colchester, VT, 05446.

Events & Registration InformationOne of the goals of the Games Committee is to make finding and

registering for events as easy as possible! Remember that most events require advance registration by a definite deadline. This information will always be on the registration form. Please watch for advance registration deadlines and observe them so you won’t be disappointed!

Three Ways To RegisterRegister & pay online: Go to the VSGA website for a link to online registration and pay using a credit card. Your registration confirmation can be downloaded or printed. There will be no additional charge for this easy way to register. Download, print & mail: If you would like to register using a paper form you can print it directly from the VSGA website. Mail it with your check payment to the address specified on the form. Request forms to be mailed to you: If you don’t have internet access or can’t go to the VSGA website, contact the VSGA Managing Director, Andrea Stander, at 802-522-3284 or [email protected] and she will mail a registration form and waiver to you.

vermontseniorgames.org @VermontSeniorGames

2018 Vermont Senior Games Scheduleby Barb Jordan & Betsy Terry, Games Committee Co-Chairs

As we write this article the 2017 Games Season has just concluded. It is hard to even think about next year’s season without taking a minute to thank all the fantastic people who took time to volunteer for one or more of our 2017 events and all you amazing athletes who made every event inspirational. Your VSGA Board is small and works very hard and watching you in action event after event keeps us all motivated to do more.

If all goes as planned, we will have the 2018 VSGA Games Schedule set by the start of the year. You can be assured that it will be posted on the website as soon as it is ready.

With next year being a qualifying year for the 2019 National Senior Games, our focus will be on providing events that qualify athletes for nationals. Events that we plan to host include: swimming, bowling, racquetball, pickleball, track & field, horseshoes, triathlon, tennis, 5K and 10K road races, golf, basketball, table tennis and cycling. There is a possibility that we may be adding volleyball; this is a national event and would be our second team sport.

As you may know, we were unable to schedule a cycling event in 2017. Having lost our race site in Ferrisburg, it has been challenging to find a suitable site and/or an existing event to partner with. If anyone has location suggestions for 2018, please contact Andrea Stander, our Managing Director, at [email protected] or 802-522-3284. With Maine, Massachusetts, and Connecticut Senior Games all offering cycling events, our best option may be to suggest that you travel to a neighboring state if you want to qualify for Nationals. As you can imagine, it is a very big undertaking to host a quality, safe cycling time trial and 20K/40K road race event. We need some help with this one.

www.VermontSeniorGames.org Fall-Winter 2017-18 | 3

President’s Message By Marti Powers

Now that Fall is FINALLY nipping the air, we come to the conclusion of our 2017 season of Vermont Senior Games events. I hope you enjoy all the articles in this newsletter sharing highlights from our events and profiling some of our inspiring athletes.

I’d like to thank all of the Sports Coordinators, Volunteers, the VSGA Games Committee and the VSGA Board for their hard work this year to significantly improve the quality of our Games, our website, and our outreach to the local communities.

This was a year of learning for our new Managing Director, Andrea Stander, and she has been a real asset to this organization, especially in working with Matt Guild, our volunteer website manager to get our events posted on our website and Facebook page much more quickly along with lots of great photos. It took everyone working together to achieve this improvement and a lot of long hours. All of the work this year will pay off as we go into the National Senior Games “qualifying year” – in 2018.

It became very clear this year that partnering with other organizations greatly enhanced our capacity, visibility and provided more competitive opportunities for VSGA athletes. I’d like to thank all of our partners for collaborating with us and we are looking forward to enhancing these relationships in the future.

Our main focus for the remainder of this year is on a fundraising initiative for VSGA. We have always tried to maintain affordable event registration fees so that everyone who is interested can participate in our games. Like many other community organizations our event fees do not cover all of our expenses for the year, so we are reaching out to everyone in the VSGA community to help support our efforts to bring high quality, fun and healthy opportunities to engage in a wide variety of athletic events throughout the state. Please watch for our letter in your mailbox and consider making a generous contribution to help support our work in 2018. We greatly appreciate your commitment to the Vermont Senior Games Association - THANK YOU!

Marti Powers, President

5K Road Race medalist Karen Newman gets a congratulatory hug from VSGA Board President Marti Powers


Some of the highlights of the season that are embedded in my memory:

• Watching an 83-year-old swimmer get a deafening cheer from all the other participants and spectators as she finished her final heat.

• Enjoying the laughter-filled camaraderie of the bowling participants as they cheered and jeered for each other.

• Catching a photo (all be it blurry) of one of the fierce racquetball players smashing into the back wall while chasing a shot.

• Admiring the flexibility of the pickleball players who didn’t miss a beat when the first day of their tournament had to be moved indoors at the last minute due to rain and wind.

• Being blown away by the athleticism and skill of all the Track & Field athletes especially the woman who competed admirably in the high jump – never having tried it before!

• Learning some of the unique “lingo” that is used in Horseshoes• Watching in awe of the spirit and stamina of all the Triathlon participants• Regretting that a family obligation caused me to miss the Tennis Tournament!• Shivering in the frosty and foggy air on the morning of the 5K only to have the sun rise over the trees and

transform everything into a PERFECT day for running.• Having a ball splashing through huge puddles in a golf cart to take pictures – just before the Golf Tournament

got called off because the greens were turning into swimming pools.• Being amazed by the energy and competitive drive of the basketball teams who played all day long and still

came up with some creative “trash talking.”• Having a few moments of quiet solitude on the shore of Shelburne Beach before the 100+ runners arrived for

the 10K Road Race.• Meeting the fanatical table tennis players, including one who has been playing since he was 8 years old in his

native Sweden.

SEASON WRAP UPcontinued from Cover

Pickleball Mixed Doubles Medalists

“And they’re off” for the 10K Road RaceFast paced “two-on-one” action at the Basketball Tournament


The 2017 Season At-A-Glance:EVENT DATE & LOCATION VSGA PARTICIPANTS SPORTS COORDINATORSWIMMING April 1st at The Edge, Williston 25 Bethe Patrick-OgleBOWLING April 13th at Spare Time Lanes, Colchester 19 Linus KinnerRACQUETBALL May 20th at The Edge, Essex 16 Liz AudetPICKLEBALL June 16th & 17th in Burlington and Shelburne 48 Joanne WinterTRACK & FIELD June 24th at S. Burlington High School 55 Barb JordanHORSESHOES July 22 at Sodbusters, Bristol 13 Debra Brown TRIATHLON July 30th at Colchester 53 Betsy TerryTENNIS August 27th at The Quechee Club, WRJ 22 Donna Griffin5K RUN September 2nd Northfield 51 Marti PowersGOLF September 5th at the VT National Country Club 17 Bruce GepfertBASKETBALL September 29th at Castleton University 76 Bob Willey10K RUN October 7th at Shelburne Town Beach 55 Janet NunziataTABLE TENNIS October 14th at Shelburne Town Gym 16 Bruce Kline/John Bolton

VSGA Welcomes New Event Partners in 2017

A big “thank you” to Northfield Savings Bank and Central Vermont Runners for partnering with the Vermont Senior Games for the Annual 5K Road Race on Saturday September 2, 2017. The race included all ages – from several 5-year-olds in the “Kids Race” to our most experienced VSGA runner who was 85!

Central Vermont Runners, an active community of runners of all ages, organizes and hosts a year-round schedule of running opportunities from their weekly Fun Runs to the Leaf Peeper Half Marathon, many other colorfully titled events like “The Mutt Strutt (a fundraiser for the Central VT Humane Society) the annual Capital City Stampede during the city’s July 4th holiday festivities and the not for the faint of spirit: New Year’s Eve 5K.

Northfield Savings Bank is a very active supporter and sponsor of a wide range of community events offering marketing and visibility for the groups and causes it supports – including Northfield’s famous 3-day Labor Day Weekend community celebration. At the 5K event, NSB provided VSGA with table space in a highly visible location (in the sunshine and right in front of the parking lot) and their partner, Second Wind Timing, made it possible for VSGA to report race results, and share the podium to award our medals while most of the runners were still present. It was a gorgeous early Fall day and there were lots of cheers and support for the VSGA runners. We look forward to participating with NSB and CVR next year. SEE YOU THERE!


In 2018, the Vermont Senior Games Association will focus its efforts on hosting 14 sports that will qualify athletes for the 2018 National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This does not include any winter sports in the upcoming season.

But…have no fear, we have done some research and a wide variety of competitive opportunities are available across Vermont and New England. So, get your ski and snowshoe equipment ready for action and check out the following websites as you prepare for the arrival of our first snow.

New England Masters Skiing (www.nemasters.org) has a whole listing of events including several in Vermont. Their current calendar shows the first Vermont event is the Kelly Brush Challenge Giant Slalom at the Middlebury Snow Bowl on January 13, 2018. They show events at Stratton, Suicide Six, and Sugarbush too.

The Mansfield Nordic Club (www.mansfieldnordic.org) offers a popular Masters program for adults with a variety of backgrounds and goals. They provide opportunities for all levels of skiers with an emphasis on camaraderie, fun, fitness and skill. Beginners, novices and intermediate skiers work in small groups to improve skills and get a good workout, while advanced skiers can take part in challenging workouts.

Skiing takes place on a 6km lighted trail system at the National Guard facilities in Jericho. Thanks to the snowmaking capabilities and a higher altitude than Burlington, you’ll be able to ski on good conditions for much of the winter – even when there is no snow in town!

Green Mountain Skimo Citizen Race Series at Bolton Valley - Join the Catamount Trail Association (CTA) on Wednesday nights in January, February, and March at Bolton Valley Resort for some casual uphill competition. The Green Mountain Skimo Race Series is designed to get you off the couch and out on snow! This winter after work don’t let the darkness take you down. Embrace it and come out and kick some uphill butt! Getting after it once a week is great for your fitness, and will help you ski more once the weekend hits. Who doesn’t want to be faster on the up, and stronger on the down! For more details go to http://catamounttrail.org/events/citizenskimo/. Participants can register on-site at these events: $10/Race – CTA Members, $15/Race – Non-Members, and $50/season for a Skimo Season Pass (CTA members only). Don’t forget your headlamp!

The Unites States Snowshoeing Association has a whole calendar of snowshoe races by regions. Check out their website at www.snowshoeracing.com. Wow…looks like their 2018 National Championships are going to be in Bennington, Vermont on March 9-11, 2-18. Check out their website for more details.

For the past several years, Blue Cross Blue Shield has hosted Snow Day Events in Vermont with free snowshoeing and x-c skiing on weekends in February. It doesn’t look like they have their 2018 dates posted yet. Stay tuned at http://www.bcbsvt.com/why-us/community-involvement/events/snow-days.

Smugglers Notch hosts all kinds of events including Free Family Fun Races and usually a Winterfest. Their website is www.smuggs.com. They will keep you updated if you subscribe to their eNotch News.

Check out the website of the ski area closest to you…it is likely that they have a calendar of events & activities too.

Looks like the Green Mountain Club hasn’t gotten their winter events onto their online calendar event. Take a look once the snow flies at www.greenmountainclub.org.

If you have any winter events that you’d like to share with your fellow Vermont Senior Games athletes, please send details to our Managing Director, Andrea Stander, and we will get them posted on the VSGA website.

Here’s to a great winter ahead… happy skiing and snowshoeing!

Competitive Opportunities Abound for Winter Sports in Vermont

by Betsy Terry, Games Committee Co-Chair


IN THE ZONE

Our series of articles about the power of the mind over physical performance.by VSGA Board Member, Barbara Jordan

John Scheer ran his first race at the age of 14 years in converse high top sneakers and has been a runner ever since. He was a high school state champion in cross country and track and competed at the University of Massachusetts in both sports. Since college he has raced in 5Ks to marathons and still runs on a regular basis at 61 years old. In 2014 John was inducted into Run Vermont’s Hall of Fame for his contributions to the Vermont City Marathon as a past race director and volunteer. Here is John’s “In the Zone” story.

I first heard the phrase “in the zone” from Arthur Ashe, the famous tennis player that made his mark in the 1970’s. In the zone is similar to Tiger Woods saying “I brought my A game” as he described his successes in golf. In the zone is being in the moment when you are firing on all cylinders. It is what every person strives for when the feeling of success comes from hard work. It is when a golfer hits a hole in one or when a miler breaks 4 minutes for the first time. You do not have to be an exceptional athlete to experience being in the zone. It is when your mind and body, after much practice, act as one and you are in the moment doing your best. It is this feeling that keeps you motivated. For most of us, it is a rare and special moment in our life, but when it happens, you know and you remember it. My personal story of being “in the zone” was when I ran a 4:10 mile at Boston University in my sophomore year of college. I had focused on training and was healthy that season. When at our conference championships, I ran what may be my best race ever. I broke my PR (personal record) by 6 seconds. The race at the time felt easy. What is interesting is that I got 6th place that day in a meet where only the top 5 counted for team points. It was one of the most competitive races ever in the history of the conference. My time that year would have won most other years. Now 42 years later and in my 60’s, I think of that race as my best example of being in the zone. Even though I have slowed down and don’t train at the level I once did, I still try and push myself for that “in the zone” feeling. The serious athlete in me has never left. In the zone is as much about the training and preparation as the competition. The investment of your time and energy is what gets you to the line of competition that ultimately makes the moment. It is not good luck but inspiration and moments of being in the zone that keep us going every day. As I have matured over the years I have found ways to apply the things I learned as a young athlete to other areas of my life. For example, I have applied the dedication and hard work that I did training as a long-distance runner to my career. As an accountant, I sometimes work so many hours that it feels like training for a marathon. And as the “in the zone” feeling teaches us, it is the investment in time and hard work that makes the successes over the years.

Katrina (aka Kat) Geurkink started throwing the shot put, discus and javelin when she was fourteen. Currently she is a consultant, designer and textile artist living in Lebanon, NH, and at age 51, she learned the hammer and the weight. She currently competes in all five throwing events in the 55-59 age category and has medaled in USATF Masters National and World competitions. (Editors’ note: Not sure what the weight is? It’s a weight “in a case with a handle” called the Weight Throw. There is also the “Super Weight” which is heavier. Five throwing events make up the weight pentathlon - Shot, Hammer, Javelin, Discus and Weight Throw.)Here is Kat’s “In the Zone” story, a submission she titled “Archery as an Alternative Practice for Improving Performance in Track and Field.”

A few months ago, I participated in an archery course at our local fitness center in Lebanon, NH. An unexpected benefit of taking the course was an increase in my ability to focus and shift into “sensing” when I am throwing shot put, discus, javelin, hammer and the weight in track and field competitions. The throwing events require fluid and explosive execution of complex movements to throw far. It is easy to get caught up in trying to think my way to better performance by concentrating on something I am trying to improve and

“THE ZONE” continues on page 14


Reframing Aging – A New MetaphorBy Janet Nunziata, Associate Director for Education

From The Center on Aging at The University of Vermont

The Center on Aging at The University of Vermont has been a strong supporter of the Vermont Senior Games Association for a number of years. Until recently, I served on the VSGA board of directors, where I had the privilege of working with other volunteers to bring you “the games.” So, I’m pleased to have an opportunity to share with you through Vital Times.

A little bit about me . . . I’ve been a runner for 35 years and have competed in several VSGA Track & Field meets. My focus, however, is on staying healthy and fit. I do run an occasional 5K road race and always feel like a winner, no matter where I finish. For many years, I’ve also practiced gentle yoga, and try to do one class a week. Being outside, enjoying the beauty of Vermont, is important to me. I like to walk at Shelburne Farms, or in the La Platte Nature Preserve near my house, where I snowshoe in the winter.

We VSGA athletes are a very diverse group. We range in age from 50 to over 90, and participate in sports of all kinds. Yet, regardless of where we live, what sport we compete in, or our chronological age, we all share one characteristic: we are aging. Most of our thoughts about aging may be centered on our own aging. We likely feel good that we’re active, able to move and to compete. But, how do we view others in our community and state who are aging? Do we “buy into” the negative messages our culture sends about aging? Or, do we see our fellow older adults as companions on the aging journey that we all make.

I want to share with you some of the new ways the Center on Aging is thinking about aging. Together with other organizations in Vermont, such as Falls Free Vermont Coalition (see note), we’ve discovered a whole new way of reframing the way we talk about and think about aging. How did this develop? A non-profit called FrameWorks Institute (see note), together with eight national organizations, including AARP, decided to research how to help us to talk more positively about aging. Just like the Center on Aging, these organizations

wanted to help us better understand the contributions that older adults make to our society. They were tired of seeing the old “doom and gloom” narrative that goes something like this: Our country (or Vermont) is on a downward

spiral as the number of adults over 65 is increasing dramatically. How will we ever support all of those old people?

FrameWorks Institute tested new language and approaches that help us to talk about aging in an optimistic way. It turns out that the best metaphor to describe aging is “gaining momentum,” something that we athletes understand. If you’re a runner, for example, you know that once you “hit your stride” or “find your groove,” it becomes much easier to speed up. The “gaining momentum” metaphor gives us a news lens through which to view our aging selves. Of course, like any other phase of life, aging has its challenges. Yet, aging can be a time when we grow and contribute to our communities, whether through volunteer work, loving our grandchildren, or exercising our creativity through music or art.

As a VSGA athlete, you are well equipped to share a positive message around aging with the wider community. You have proven that older adults can achieve athletically, at a much higher level, and for much longer, than other generations could imagine. You have re-framed the way we view athletes who are older. Those of you who have competed at the national level have amazed us with your ability to train hard, have fun, and to make Vermont proud.

Yet, sometimes, we look at individual athletes as “extraordinary,” unlike the “other” old people. All of us athletes are more than individuals, we are part of a larger community. I encourage you to look at the way you see yourself beyond athletics. Do you think of yourself as contributing as much to your community

“Your assumptions are the windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile or the light won’t come in.”

-Alan Alda

70-year-old runner Judith Craig crosses the 10K finish line with a smile on her face


as younger people? Are you sharing your skills and knowledge with your community? Check out your “self-talk” - are you telling yourself “I can’t do that because I’m old”, or a similar negative message? (From research, we actually know that the way you envision your own aging process impacts the way you age. People who believe they are growing, learning, and “gaining momentum” have been shown to live longer.)

Help us to redefine the way we Vermonters talk about aging. Help us to counteract the negative messages, such as the media’s talk of a “silver tsunami” (a reference to the growing number of older adults in our culture, but seen through a very negative lens). Instead, let us focus on “building momentum”. Let’s focus on aging as a dynamic process in which we honor the abilities and knowledge that we older adults bring to our communities.

To share your comments, or suggestions for a future topic that you would like to see explored, please be in touch (reach me by email at [email protected]).

The author, Janet, gets a fresh perspective from the top Mt. Mansfield

Partners

Thanks to Our Sponsors & Partners

Sponsors

Burlington Parks, Recreation & WaterfrontCastleton State University

Champlain Valley Table Tennis Club (Shelburne)Central Vermont Runners

Champlain Valley Table Tennis Club (Shelburne)Colchester Parks & Recreation

Green Mountain Athletic AssociationNorthfield Savings Bank

Quechee ClubRutland Recreation & Parks

Shelburne Parks & RecreationSodbusters Horseshoe Club (Bristol)

South Burlington High SchoolSpare Time (Colchester)

SprinticityThe Edge (Essex & Williston)

TrackLife Timing (South Burlington)USTA Vermont

Vermont National Country Club (South Burlington)

Notes: Falls Free Vermont Coalition is a good source of information on statewide programs that will help you stay healthy //fallsfreevermont.org/ To find a program in your area, click on “Area Agencies”, then select the one that serves your part of Vermont. You may also call the Senior Helpline at (800) 642-5119.

FrameWorks Institute: http://www.frameworksinstitute.org/reframing-aging.html)


Whatever your age or activity level, it is never too late to start a fitness routine, play sports and even compete. The athletes participating in the Vermont Senior Games have proved that in spades! The research is overwhelming -- older athletes show significant improvement in their physical, emotional and mental health. AARP has long been a proponent of healthy lifestyles and supports the Senior Games across the country. With a focus on endurance, strength, flexibility and balance -- known as fitness building blocks – you can maintain independence and mobility even as you age. Having a competition to prepare for can be a great motivator as well.

Here’s a list of some of the ways older athletes benefit from staying fit and competing:• Health: Who can argue that exercise doesn’t improve your health? Researchers have found that seniors who

engage in sports live longer than their more sedentary, isolated counterparts. Researchers have also found that brain health, especially the functions involving information processing, is enhanced by exercise.

• Discipline: Setting a goal and working consistently toward achieving that goal teaches personal discipline. Once you fall madly in love with a sport, you will constantly try to improve, whatever your skill level or age.

• Resiliency: After you’ve lost some closely fought games, you realize that the ability to pick yourself up after losses and begin anew is essential. There’s always the opportunity for do-overs; there’s always the prospect of getting better and competing again.

• Team-Building Skills: At some point, you realize that your talents and skills, however essential, are only part of the talents and skills needed to win. You respect your teammates’ contributions, just as your teammates respect yours. You also learn to set goals, make decisions, communicate, resolve conflicts and solve problems-a good set of skills to acquire, whatever your age.

• Teachability: To be coached, you must be teachable. That is, you must trust the direction of another who has your best interests at heart. Learning and applying lessons is also a valuable skill.

• Friendship: When we compete, we strengthen our relationships with our teammates-and sometimes with our competitors as well. We develop enduring relationships because we remember the occasions, whether we won or lost, in which we challenged ourselves and met like-minded folks.

And don’t forget -- it’s a lot of fun!

Step Up to Fitness and Compete!By Dave Reville, AARP Vermont

The “Vermont Maple” basketball team, ready to play at the 2017 tournament


silently telling myself what to do while I am attempting the throw (for example, telling myself to keep my hips moving in the discus). But this “thinking/telling” can get in the way of my body’s ability to execute the throw fluidly and explosively.Instead I try to practice “sensing”. My body’s response to “sensing” is similar to what happens when we slam on the breaks in our car when something appears in front of us unexpectedly. We don’t tell ourselves to slam on the breaks. We don’t consciously think about it. We just do it. Practicing “sensing” is a great way to quiet my “thinking/telling” and activate my body’s intelligence and ability to perform at a high level. I find it much easier to practice “sensing” in archery, than when I am throwing. I think this is partly because in archery I can focus my eyes on one thing throughout the entire movement. It may also be that I do not have the same attachment or expectations about my performance in archery (since I am a beginner) as I do in throwing. I will often start with paying attention to how the ground feels on the bottoms of my feet as I move into the archery stance. Then shift my awareness to my hands and the different textures of the bow and arrow, sensing the tension of the string as I put the arrow in place. Then I move my eyes to focus on the center of the target. I wait with relaxed eyes until I feel a subtle change in my body: a quality of openness and clarity that arises in me. It is almost like I can feel the target pulling the arrow to it. When I feel that pull, I release.After several weeks of practicing archery in this manner, I realized that I was naturally (and much more frequently) shifting to “sensing” during my throwing practice and competition. I have experienced increased confidence in my throwing and my ability to trust my body to do what it does best... on its own. It is starting to show in my performance. A few weeks ago, I improved my distance in the hammer by ten feet. I am often able to take fewer throws during practice and the quality of my learning has increased because with “sensing” I am much more aware of what my body is actually doing during each throw.

Tom Hart was a teacher at Champlain Valley Union High School in Hinesburg for 35 years; he retired in 2000. At CVU, he started the Life Program. He has been a Hinesburg resident for 75 years. Tom is a former Senior Games athlete and has competed in basketball, bowling, swimming, track and field, and weightlifting. He currently holds 8 Vermont weightlifting records, 2 national records, 2 world records, and is ranked #1 in the world for all strict curlers over 60 years of age.

In March 2014, I competed in a weightlifting event in hopes of setting a Vermont bench press record. I had competed in the bench five or six times before but never in the strict curl so decided that I might as well try it. At my gym I had curled 100 pounds a couple of times but had failed many other times. I knew if I had a good day I could set a Vermont record in the 70-75 age group. At the time, the world strict curl record was 108 lb. so knew I didn’t stand much chance of lifting that much. On my first attempt, I successfully lifted 90 pounds which gave me a state record. On my second lift I figured, “what to heck”. I might as well try for a world record. I selected 110 pounds thinking I didn’t stand a chance. All of a sudden, the meet announcer said, “we now have a 72-year-old competing for the first time ever going for a world record.” When I turned and saw about 200 people watching me I had a rush of adrenaline and somehow knew I could do it. I lifted the 110 pounds, then 115 pounds and finally 120 pounds on my last attempt for a new world record.In July 2017 I had a nearly identical experience in Longmeadow, MA and set another world record in the 75-79 age group by curling 124 pounds.

In the Zone is a regular column in the VSGA newsletter. We hope to hear from more of you for the next issue of the Vital Times. Please send your Zone stories to [email protected].

THE ZONE continued from page 7

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAIDMONTPELIER, VTPERMIT NO. 358

The Vermont Senior Games Associationc/o The University of Vermont - Center on Aging89 Beaumont Ave. Burlington, VT 05405

www.vermontseniorgames.org

The Vermont Senior Games Association (VSGA) is a member in good standing of the National Senior Games Association, serving Vermont senior athletes since 1983. The VSGA Mission is “To promote healthy lifestyles for adults 50+ by providing high quality sport competitions and the opportunity to qualify for the National Senior Games.”

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be sent via email beginning with the Spring-Summer 2018 edition. Please confirm your information below. Send your response to Diana Wood by mail: 645 Pine Street Suite B, Burlington, VT 05401 or by email to [email protected]. If you’ve already sent your preference, thanks - you can disregard this message.

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VITAL TIMES - Vermont Senior Games · [email protected] or by snail mail to: Betsy Terry, 721 Main...

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Transcript of VITAL TIMES - Vermont Senior Games · [email protected] or by snail mail to: Betsy Terry, 721 Main...