The Game Plan

A publication of the National Senior Games Association - September 2010

Below you'll find the full content from the newsletter, or click a link below to go straight to the story :

• 2010 National Senior Games Championships
• President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush to be honorary chairs
• 2015 Summer National Senior Games headed to Minnesota
• Athlete of the Month
• Cartilage Care, Part 3
• Find a Training Partner
• Anthony Travel Information
• NSGA Briefs
• Calendar of upcoming State Senior Games

2010 National Senior Games Championships & Euflexxa Hockey Classic

The 2010 National Senior Games Championships & Euflexxa Hockey Classic takes place Sept. 29-Oct. 3 in Rochester, N.Y. In addition to ice hockey, the event includes competition in pickleball and curling.

“What’s really exciting is that we’re trying to add a Canadian influence to the event. We’ve done a lot of advertising in Toronto and southern Ontario,” said Scott Bell, director-sales and marketing for the Monroe County Sports Commission, which is acting as the local organizing committee for the event. 

The ice h!ockey competition will be held at the Sports Centre at MCC. Pickleball competition will take place at the Main Street Armory, while Curling participants will compete at the Rochester Curling Club.

All athletes will enjoy a Welcome Reception at thy Hyatt on Friday night as well as an all athlete party on Saturday at TC Riley's located on the RIT campus.

Make plans now to join us for the Championships in September/October 2011 again in Rochester, NY

back to top

President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush to be honorary chairs of Summer National Senior Games

We are thrilled to announce that President and Mrs. George H.W. Bush have agreed to serve as honorary chairs of the 2011 Summer National Senior Games presented by Humana in Houston on June 16-30.

"The Bushes embody the spirit the National Senior Games celebrates – two individuals who have remained very active well into their 80s and who are seen regularly around Houston," said Dan Wolterman, chairman of the Houston Local Organizing Committee. "We feel privileged President and Mrs. Bush agreed to serve as the Honorary Chairs for the 2011 National Senior Games."

"President Bush is an icon of the American sportsman and has been physically active his entire life," said Phil Godfrey, NSGA President & CEO. "He and Mrs. Bush have instilled that passion in their children and countless others. They know our quality of life will be enhanced as we grow older through regular physical activity. The NSGA is grateful to them for their support of our mission."

"Health and well-being are the ultimate reward, and we applaud every athlete participating across the nation leading up to the 2011 Games in Houston," said Pattie Dale Tye, president of Humana of Houston and Dallas-Ft. Worth. "Houston will be positively alive with the spirit of sportsmanship and healthy competition next June thanks to the Senior Games!"

back to top

2015 Summer National Senior Games headed to Minnesota

The NSGA announced that Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Bloomington, Minn., will host the 2015 Summer National Senior Games. The event is tentatively scheduled for July 2015.

The sports competitions will be held at venues throughout Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Bloomington and the University of Minnesota. The Games are expected to draw 35,000 to the area and have an estimated economic impact of $40 million.

"The NSGA is pleased to be bringing our premier event to Minneapolis, Saint Paul and Bloomington, Minnesota," Phil Godfrey, president-CEO of the NSGA said. "We are particularly grateful to the Three Cities team for taking the lead in bidding on this complex event. The venues will be first-class and the tourism options are wonderful."

"Hosting the 2015 Senior Games, the largest Olympic-affiliated event ever to come to Minnesota, is a tremendous accomplishment for this community. The $40 million economic impact will certainly leave a mark in the area and we are confident that our community will display its trademark hospitality to the national and international visitors. Through the outstanding efforts of our local Three Cities organizing committee and the University of Minnesota and the corporate and public community support, we will show what Midwest hospitality is all about," says Dave Mona and Susan Adams Lloyd, Co-Chairs of the Local Organizing Committee.

The 2011 Senior Games are scheduled for Houston, Texas, and the 2013 Senior Games will be in Cleveland, Ohio.

back to top

Athlete of the Month: Jerry Hollingshead

Jerry Hollingshead, 51, earned the Athlete of the Month by winning three events at the Rocky Mountain Senior Games in Colorado this summer. In the men’s 50-54 age group, he won the high jump, long jump and triple jump. In the high jump, he broke the state record that he had set last year.

Hollingshead, who lives in Montrose, Colo., is a high school teacher and coach. He coaches softball, track and field and wrestling. “Coaching really keeps me in shape,” he said. He also lifts weights twice a week and is a regular jogger.

He was a Division II All-America in college in track and field. He hopes to return to his winning ways when he competes in the Summer National Senior Games next June in Houston. “I’m hoping to at least place in the top three in two of my events,” he said. “That’s my goal.”

back to top

Cartilage Care, Part 3

By Vonda Wright, M.D.

Here's the third installment in my series on treatments for cartilage issues in Masters athletes. In this installment, I explore "microfracture."

When conservative measures do not relieve the pain and swelling of damaged knee cartilage, there are several techniques for cartilage repair. The important factor to remember, however, is that cartilage is inherently avascular (it has basically no blood supply), and blood is vital for repair of any tissue. When it comes to cartilage you are essentially born with what you are going to have for the rest of your life. The type of cartilage you are born with is called "hyaline cartilage."

One method for filling in lost cartilage is called "microfracture." When this technique is successful the "hole" in your cartilage is replaced with "scar cartilage." This type of cartilage is called "fibrocartilage." Fibrocartilage fills in the gap in your native knee surface, but the material you grow is not as biomechanically sound as your original cartilage.

The microfracture technique essentially uses your body's own blood stem cells (cells that can become any cell) to grow the scar cartilage. The stem cells get to the hole in your cartilage through small holes your surgeon makes (microfracture) in the bone underlying the bad spot in your cartilage.

Microfracture is normally performed by first examining your knee with an arthroscope (camera).The area of cartilage loss is prepared with special instruments called curettes in order to make the side of the hole straight up and down like a canyon. An awl is then used to make several small holes in the bone to allow the bone marrow containing stem cells to fill the canyon. This bone marrow forms a clot and over the next six months will become scar cartilage.

This procedure is appropriate for small holes (smaller than 2 centimeters) in cartilage and works best for younger people. If the procedure works, 80 percent of patients report good to excellent results even 11 years out. If the procedure does not work, it does not burn any bridges for future cartilage procedures.

Vonda Wright is an orthopaedic surgeon, author of Fitness After 40: How to Stay Strong at Any Age, and director of the Performance and Research Initiative for Masters Athletes at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine.

back to top

Find a Training Partner

By Lisa Menninger

Back when I was at my fastest, I trained with people who raced at roughly the paces I raced regardless of distance. I regularly did track and long runs with a group of guys. It was always fun and definitely challenging.

As time went on, I found I was training either on my own or with people who enjoyed a slower training pace. Ultimately, that resulted in a slower pace for me in races.

Two summers ago, I spent several mornings a week with the local high school cross country kids. At 6:30 we met at the high school track and run. Most days are road runs, and two days a week are speed work. With my job and with some travel I had on the schedule, my attendance for the first few weeks was spotty. But I went whenever I could.

When I first started back with the boys, I could only stay with them for about half the run. As the weeks passed, I can stay with them the whole way and saw my body respond to the training. In a few short weeks my cruise pace dropped more than 30 seconds a mile. When that ended, I sought out other local runners who would want to meet early twice a week for a good, solidly paced run and once on the weekend for a long run.

I tell you this little tale to illustrate a point. No matter what your pace, if you want to train to increase your speed, you have to make sure your training partners challenge you. Obviously, we need to know what days we go hard and what days we go at a nice, easy pace. But on tempo or speed days, it is best to have the company of people who are at our pace. If we train with folks slower than us, it's hard for mind and body to push beyond the pace the group is running and we, in effect, sacrifice the workout. So try to do your quality work and your long runs with people who are your pace or slightly faster. 

If you'd like to run with friends and partners who are slower, use a scale to help you decide who you run with on what days. For example, if it's the day after a hard workout and an easy run is on the schedule, and your usual cruise pace is 8:30s, you can run 9/9:30s with your buddy. But I wouldn't suggest slowing your run down more than a minute past your usual cruise/easy day pace. And again, if quality or long runs are on the schedule, maintain the training pace you normally use for these days and don't go with a slower group.

If you are not sure how to find a training group, next time you are at a local race, take note of who is around you. If you race with some frequency, you'll start seeing the same faces again and again, crossing the line near you. Strike up a conversation. Runners are friendly folks, and perhaps they are looking for people of similar ability to run with, too. You can make a date to meet once or twice and see if it works for you. Also, avail yourself to any organized, local groups. Whether you know folks in the group or not, it is often arranged by pace and ability and you can find others who are running at your pace and train with them when the group meets.

There are definitely people who would rather run alone. But I find I am most effective in my training if I run with people at my speed or a bit faster. It keeps my pace where it should be and often, passes the time, making the workouts more fun as well as more effective.

Find a buddy. It's a great way to get faster and enjoy a little social time as well.

Lisa Menninger is a personal trainer for triathletes, runners, and cyclists. She has competed at an elite level in running, cycling and multisport. You can contact Lisa via her website at www.lisamenninger.com.

back to top

Anthony Travel Info

Anthony Travel is a one-stop resource for athletes and guests for the 2011 Summer National Senior Games

Anthony Travel is the most convenient and knowledgeable resource for making your travel plans for the National Games in Houston next year. Athletes and guests who make reservations through Anthony Travel receive these benefits and more:

• Exclusive discounted rates at Official 2011 Summer National Senior Games Hotels

• New this year! A daily complimentary breakfast is available at all of the Official Hotels

To make your reservations or for more information, please visit AnthonyTravel.com (search Senior Games) or call (800) 736-6377.

back to top

NSGA Briefs

Here’s the latest from the National Senior Games Association. The NSGA has announced two demonstration sports for the Summer National Senior Games to be held in Houston next year: 6-on-6 soccer and power walking. Additionally,the NSGA has reduced the fees for softball teams by more than 35% and altered the rules for qualifying for the national games in team sports. Also, the NSGA has provided a video of the venues at the 2011 Summer National Senior Games. Finally, the NSGA has one excellent job opportunity open – more information is included below.

Demonstration Sports

Houston will conduct two demonstration sports during the 2011 Summer National Senior Games presented by Humana. Soccer 6-on-6 and Power Walking 1500M and 5K. Athletes may not participate in both Race Walk and Power Walk; therefore, they must choose one or the other sport, not both. Complete rules for these demonstration sports will be available on the NSGA web site under the tab “Nat’l Summer Games” “2011 Summer Games” within the next couple of weeks.

Changes to softball qualifying, fees

The softball fee was reduced from $1,175 to $750. We’re expecting that an increased number of teams will make the national tournament even more competitive. Each event allows for a specific number of qualifiers. If out-of-state residents qualify at an “open” qualifying games, they will not take away a qualifying spot from a state resident.

Check out the great venues in Houston

Below is a link to a video of the venues for the 2011 Summer National Senior Games in Houston, Texas. Many events, including archery, badminton, basketball, horseshoes, table tennis, tennis, and volleyball will be held in the air-conditioned George R. Brown Convention Center. Bowling, racquetball and swimming will also be held in air-conditioned venues. 

Click here for a video showing Houston venues

back to top

State Senior Games Calendar: Qualifying Time is Running Out!

Take a look at the upcoming state senior games listed below. Remember: It’s a qualifying year, and the only way to have a chance of qualifying for the Summer National Senior Games in 2011 is to compete in an NSGA-sanctioned state event. For a complete list of state games scheduled for this year, click here.