The 24th
Annual Polk Senior Games are scheduled for February 27 – March 14, 2016 and offer
a two-week series of 99 athletic and recreational Olympic-style events. They
attract over 2,500 men and women, 50 and over, with a variety of skills - the serious
competitor, the fun at heart, the seasoned athlete, the late bloomer, and the
physically challenged.
The purpose of the Games is to promote friendly competition, fellowship, health
and wellness, an active lifestyle, and volunteerism.
Competition,
held at various locations throughout Polk County, is offered in Archery, Badminton,
Bag Toss, Basketball Shooting, Basketball 3 on 3, Billiards, Bocce, Bowling,
Bridge, Checkers, Chess, Cribbage, Ballroom and Social Dancing, Square Dancing,
Darts, Euchre, Field Events, Fishing, Fly Casting, Golf 18 Hole Singles and Mixed
Doubles and Putt & Chip, Horseshoes, Lawn Bowling, Pepper, Pickleball, Punt
Pass Kick, Racquetball, Road Race 5K, Scrabble, Senior Smarts, Shooting – Rifle,
Skeet, Sporting Clays and Trap, Shuffleboard, Softball, Sudoku, Swimming, Table
Tennis, Tennis, Track, and Walking. Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded
in each event and age division.
Registration
begins the first week of January. The individual entry fee is $10 for the first
event and $3 for each additional event up to a maximum of $28. Fees for team
sports are $125 for Softball, $50 for Basketball 3 on 3, and $50 for Square
Dancing. There are also facility fees for some events. Everyone receives a T-shirt
specially designed by artist Chryssie Tavrides. A free Closing Celebration at
The Lakeland Center for participants, family and friends includes goody bags,
health fair, entertainment, special awards, and door prizes.
Polk Senior
Games was founded in 1992 by Nancye Thornberry of Lakeland who was inspired by
her 70-year old brother competing at the National Senior Games in Syracuse, NY.
With the support of the Polk County community, the Games began in 1992 with 777
entrants. Polk Senior Games has grown to be one of the largest senior games in
the country with over 2,500 participants in 2015.
Polk Senior
Games is a non-profit, 501(c) (3), organization managed by a Executive Director
Deena Wilbur and a volunteer Board of Directors. The Games are presented
annually in cooperation with parks and recreation departments, sports and civic
organizations and over 700 volunteers.
Polk Senior
Games is sanctioned by the Florida Sports Foundation to qualify participants
for advancement to the annual Florida Senior Games, which leads to the bi-annual
National Senior Games.
2016 Polk Senior Games Schedule
Saturday, February 27
8:00 AM Softball, Southwest or
Westside Complex
9:00 AM Powerlifting, Debs Gym, Lakeland
9:00 AM Opening Ceremony, All Saints Academy
9:20 AM Track, All Saints
Academy, Winter Haven
2:00 PM Dancing, Schalamar Creek
Golf & Country Club
Sunday, February 28
8:00 AM Softball, (if needed)
2:00 PM Senior Smarts, 1st Baptist Church
Bartow
Monday, February 29
8:00 AM Tennis Singles, Beerman Tennis
Center
9:00 AM Putt & Chip, Women,
Highland Fairways, Lakeland
9:00 AM Shuffleboard, Men’s
Singles, Lake Parker
1:00 PM Putt & Chip, Men
1:30 PM Square Dancing, Lake Ashton Clubhouse
Tuesday, March 1
8:00 AM Tennis Doubles, Beerman
Tennis Center
8:30 AM Mixed Doubles Golf, Schalamar Creek
Golf
9:00 AM Shuffleboard, Women’s Singles
9:00 AM Horseshoes, Rotary Park, Winter Haven
2:00 PM Checkers, Spring Haven Retirement
Wednesday, March 2
8:00 AM Tennis, Beerman Family
Tennis Center
9:00 AM Cribbage Doubles,
Auburndale Civic
9:00 AM Basketball Shooting, Kirkland Gym, L W
9:00 AM Shuffleboard, Doubles,
Lake Parker P
1:00 PM Trap Shooting, Lakeland
Rifle and Pistol
1:00 PM Cribbage Singles,
Auburndale Civic
Thursday, March 3
8:00 AM Tennis Mixed Doubles,
Beerman Center
8:30 AM Fishing, Tenoroc Fish Management Area
9:00 AM Lawn Bowling, Lake Parker
Park, Lakeland
1:00 PM Punt, Pass and Kick,
Bartow High School
1:00 PM Rifle Shooting, Lakeland Rifle and
Pistol
Friday, March 4
8:00 AM Tennis, Beerman Family
Tennis Center,
9:00 AM Bocce, 50-64, 75+, Carefree Country
Club, WH
1:00 PM Bocce, 65-74, Carefree Country Club, W
Haven
1:00 PM Party Bridge, Sanlan Ranch RV Park
Saturday,
March 5
9:00 AM Field Events, Bartow High
School Stadium
9:00 AM Basketball 3 on 3,
Simpson Park Community
1:00 PM Swimming, Lakeland
Family YMCA
1:00 PM Chess, The Estates At Carpenters,
Lakeland
Sunday,
March 6
9:00 AM Swimming, Lakeland Family
YMCA
2:00 PM Euchre, Bartow Civic Center
Monday, March 7
9:00 AM Table Tennis, Haines City
Community
9:00 AM Billiards 8 Ball, Men
ages 60-79, Wally’s Billiards
1:00 PM Sudoku, Schalamar Creek
Clubhouse, Lakeland
2:00 PM Billiards 8 Ball, All Women, Men
50-59 and 80+
Tuesday, March 8
9:00 AM Pickleball Doubles,
Solivita
9:00 AM Billiards 9 Ball, Men
ages 60-79, Wally’s Billiards
9:00 AM Bag Toss (Cornhole), Kelly Recreation
Center
1:00 PM Pepper, Sanlan RV Park,
Lakeland
1:00 PM Billiards 9 Ball, All Women, Men
50-59 and 80+
Wednesday, March 9
9:00 AM Bowling, Women Singles,
AMF Lakeland Lanes
9:00
AM Pickleball Mixed Doubles,
Solivita
1:00 PM Bowling, Men Singles, AMF
Lanes
1:00 PM Skeet Shooting, Lakeland
Rifle & Pistol Club
Thursday, March 10
8:30 AM Golf, Men 50-64 and All Women,
Schalamar Creek
9:00 AM Bowling, Men Doubles, AMF
Lakeland
9:00 AM Racquetball, Lakeland
Family YMCA
10:00 AM Fly Casting, Andy Thornal, Winter Haven
1:00 PM Bowling, Women Doubles,
AMF Lakeland Lanes
1:00 PM Shooting, Sporting Clays, Lakeland
Rifle & Pistol
1:30 PM Golf, Men 65 and over,
Schalamar Creek Golf
Friday,
March 11
9:00 AM Badminton, Kelly
Recreation Center
9:00 AM Bowling, Mixed
Doubles, AMF Lakeland
9:00 AM Scrabble, American Legion
Post 72, Mulberry
1:30 PM Darts, Medulla Baptist
Church
Saturday, March 12
8:30 AM Road Race 5K, Bartow High School Stadium
9:00 AM Archery, Central FL
Archers, Ft Meade
10:00 AM Walking 5000 Meter, Bartow High
School
11:30 AM Walking 1500 Meter,
Bartow High School
Sunday,
March 13 DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME BEGINS
Monday, March 14
12:30 PM Health Fair, Youkey
Theatre Lobby
2:00 PM Closing Celebration,
Youkey Theatre
