They might be senior citizens now, but many of the county’s elders still love to run track, play pickleball and compete in the bag toss.
Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation has teamed up once again with the recreation departments in Temple Terrace and Tampa to hold Olympic-style games for seniors called Active Life Games.
“One of the great things about these games, because parks and rec likes to incorporate physical, social and emotional health, is that they get all of that,” said Dana McDonald, senior program coordinator for Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation. “These games are a perfect example of that. People continue to get older, but they stay active physically and socially. It’s great for people who train all year or those that only compete during these games.”
Competitors can register online between now and Sept. 24 for a fee of $15 for one event or $25 for multiple events. The county has a complete list of events and locations on its website.
“They might not do sports all the time, but there is a balance in the games” of more physical and less physical competitions, McDonald said.
“When we start getting people excited about it, you can feel the pride they have in themselves and how hard they work. And they cheer each other on. They want to really enjoy themselves.”
Because of the recent spike in COVID-19 caused by the Delta variant, the Active Life Games will follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines and county safety protocols during the games.
