PRIME's Guide to the 2005 MA Senior Games

Archery hits a bull's eye, drawing 40 athletes to first Senior Games event! By Carl Fetteroll Director, MA Senior Games special to PRIME The 2005 Massachusetts Senior Games opened May 21 in Palmer with the archery competition. Archery drew 40 women and men to the Nenameseck Sportsmen's Club for a full day as five separate events were contested. Archery uses an aggregate scoring system, so at the end of the day 26 gold, 8 silver and 3 bronze medals were awarded to the participants. This year's archery competition was held early to serve as a warm-up for the National Senior Games, slated for early in June in Pittsburgh, PA. Massachusetts residents who qualified in 2004 to compete in archery in Pittsburgh in 2005 used the late-May bow competition to fine tune their skills, visit with old friends after a long winter, and even to take home some hardware. Janet Hooper of Hudson, MA, said that while she enjoys the competition, it is just the "chance to get out and shoot with friends, and maybe help someone who is new to the sport, that really makes my day." Of course she also took home a gold medal for her efforts. Archery was the first of 23 sports offering athletes age 50 and over a chance to compete this summer, and it started off the Massachusetts Summer Games with a bang. The 40 bowshooters were a new high, in terms of participation for the sport of archery. And, according to Massachusetts Senior Games coordinator Carl Fetteroll, archery "really got things going on the right foot. To have so many participants in a non-qualifying year really says a lot for the people who came out today for the shoot. We are looking forward to the rest of the Summer Games to see if this participation rate continues." The rest of the 22 competitions slated for the Summer Games '05 kick off on June 23 with the golf tournament at Franconia Golf course in Springfield. Then on June 24, candlepin and ten-pin bowling, a Fitness walk and race walk, shuffleboard, and the start of the swimming and tennis competitions will signal the beginning of a weekend of competition. But June 25 is the big day, with basketball, billiards, horseshoes, lawn bowling, pistol shooting, table tennis, and track and field. All sports will wrap up by June 26. If you would like to participate in this year's Senior Games, or would just like more information on the events, contact Carl Fetteroll at 413-748-3812 or check out the MA Senior Games on the web at maseniorgames.org. All participants must be 50 years of age or older by Dec 31, 2005. Once entered, you compete in 5-year age groups (50-54, 55-59, 60-64, etc.), so that you are only competing against others your age. The Massachusetts Senior Games is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Springfield College.