Senior Athletes at the Florida Senior Games: While pickleball has only recently surged in popularity, it has been a fixture at the Florida Senior Games for the past two decades. The annual competition, which has been promoting active lifestyles for over 30 years, shows athletes from across the state, with pickleball playing a key role in its festivities.
A Mother-Daughter Duo Competing Together
Among the 2,500 athletes competing this year, Jimmie Stokes, 82, and her daughter Terri Tracy stand out as an example of family participation. While Stokes is a longtime pickleball player, her athletic journey began with tennis. She switched to pickleball after finding tennis courts too large for her liking.
“The most important thing is to keep going, get out there and run around because then you aren’t sitting in a chair. Once you sit down, I think you tend to kind of disintegrate.” – (Stokes)
The Florida Senior Games: A Local Boost
This marks the third consecutive year the Florida Senior Games have been hosted in Pasco County. The pickleball event features a wide range of competitions for athletes aged 50 and older, drawing competitors from around the state. Nick Gandy, the Sports Information Director for the event, highlighted the broader impact of the Games on the local community.
“The athletes competing stay in hotels, visit the stores and restaurants. Once they are done here, they get out and explore the community. We have athletes come from all over the state.” – (Nick Gandy)
A Family Affair
Although they won’t face each other on the court, Stokes and Tracy have different approaches to the game. Both mother and daughter agree on the value of their contrasting playing styles.
“The younger one is the better one, but her mother taught her.” – (Stokes)
Tracy, acknowledging the differences in their game, said,
“She has better control and technique. I’m a little faster, but she beats me sometimes.” – (Tracy)
News in Brief: Senior Athletes at the Florida Senior Games
Pickleball continues to be a staple at the Florida Senior Games, where athletes 50 and older compete in various sports. This year, Jimmie Stokes, 82, and her daughter, Terri Tracy, participate in the pickleball tournament, with Stokes noting the importance of staying active.
The Florida Senior Games, now in Pasco County for the third year, attract competitors statewide, providing athletic competition and a boost to the local community.
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