24th Annual Florida Senior Games begin Saturday in Clearwater
CLEARWATER – Kicking off the 2015 Florida Senior Games in Clearwater Saturday morning are seven sports and the presentation of the 2014 Florida Senior Games Athletes of the Year Awards. Day one of nine-day event features action in Archery, Bowling (men, women and mixed doubles and team), Racquetball, Shuffleboard, Swimming, Tennis and Volleyball.
Beginning at 9:30 a.m., prior to the start of the swimming and volleyball competition at the Long Center in Clearwater, State Representative Kathleen Peters (District 69), Clearwater Mayor George Cretekos, Florida Sports Foundation Senior Vice President Stephen Rodriguez and National Senior Games Association CEO Marc T. Riker will provide an official welcome and present three awards.
The 2014 Florida Senior Games Athletes of the Year, volleyball player Walt Deal, of Clearwater and distance runner Danuta Kubelik, of Crystal River, will be presented with their awards. Following the presentation of the award, Deal will take to the volleyball court with the Clearwater Aces, a longtime medal winner on the local, state and national level. Kubelik will return to Clearwater next weekend to run in the 800 and 1500 meter runs at Clearwater High School.
The National Senior Games will make a “Personal Best” recognition of 90-year old Ryan Beighley, a swimmer and track and field athlete from The Villages. The NSGA Personal Best program is a health and wellness Initiative of the National Senior Games Association to drive a healthy aging message as Senior athletes provide the best examples of Personal Best attitude. After the recognition, Beighley will swim in the 50 yard backstroke and breaststroke and the 100 yard breaststroke.
The 2015 Florida Senior Games is the first time in the event’s 24 year history the Games will take place in the Clearwater/Pinellas County area. More than 2,000 Florida Senior Athletes, age 50 and over, will compete in 24 sports over nine days of competition, December 5-13.
Schedule for Saturday, December 5
Archery – Joe Dimaggio Park, 9:00 a.m.
Racquetball – Richey Racquet, 9:00 a.m.
Team Bowling (Mixed Teams) – Seminole Lanes, 9:00 a.m.
Shuffleboard (Singles) – Clearwater Lawn Bowls & Shuffleboard Complex, 9:00 a.m.
Tennis (Singles) – Innisbrook Resort, 9:00 a.m.
2014 Athlete of the Year Presentation/NSGA Personal Best Recognition – The Long Center, 9:30 a.m.
Volleyball – The Long Center, 10:00 a.m.
Swimming – The Long Center, 10:00 a.m.
Bowling (Doubles, Mixed Doubles) – Seminole Lanes, 1 :00 p.m.
Results from the 2015 Florida Senior Games will be updated daily and can be found at https://events.clearthunder.com/FSG2015. Click the “Results” link at the bottom of the page and choose from the events and sports. Individual athletes can be searched by name and by city and county. A daily wrapup of featuring athlete accomplishments will be sent out daily. To request a photo of any of the athletes, please contact Nick Gandy at [email protected] and every effort will be made to meet the request.
The 2015 Florida Senior Games Press Kit, the most definitive information source for the Games can be found online in a pdf document at
http://www.flasports.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/2015PressKit.pdf.
The 2015 Florida Senior Games Press Kit features facts, figures, schedules, athlete highlights, daily highlights and important information for media wishing to cover the Games in Clearwater.
The 2015 Florida Senior Games are a program of the Florida Sports Foundation, which serves as the state’s lead organization in promoting and developing Florida’s Sports Industry. The 2015 Games are being held in conjunction with the St. Pete/Clearwater Sports Commission and the City of Clearwater Parks and Recreation Department.
