Attendees play pickleball at a previous Massachusetts Senior Games event.
Photo credit: Massachusetts Senior Games
WILBRAHAM — Curious about cornhole? Promised yourself you’ll try pickleball — or powerwalking? Is shuffleboard more your speed? Have you been dying to take a shot at disc golf?
If you’ve been thinking of trying out any of these sports this spring, you’re in luck.
The Massachusetts Senior Games is hosting a clinic on May 8 where you can sample up to six sports in the same afternoon.
Scheduled from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Scantic Valley YMCA, located at 45 Post Office Park in Wilbraham, this first-ever sports clinic is designed to let attendees sample six events that are part of the annual Massachusetts Senior Games — including pickleball, cornhole, power walking, shuffleboard, disc golf and basketball shoot.
“I’m excited about this clinic,” Joan Simmons, games coordinator for the Massachusetts Senior Games told Reminder Publishing. “It’s free and fun! All the events — except pickleball, which has some cardiovascular to it — are low impact, low stress, easy to do and allow athletes to socialize [while participating].”
Simmons said the hour-and-a-half clinic will be open-ended. Participants can stay for the entire session, or just for a portion of the time. The program will begin with an introduction to the six sports, and then participants will be divided into breakout groups for the various clinics. Attendees, Simmons said, can spend all their time on one sport, sample several — or all — or leave after a taste of the sport that most interests them.
Registration for the Senior Games Sports Clinic is required, with participation limited to 30 individuals, first come, first served. Signups will close on May 5. For more information, and to register, visit MASeniorGames.org and scroll down under the events tab to the registration link to sign up for the clinic.
Simmons explained the idea to host a sports clinic sampler came during a national meeting with other games coordinators. Other states had found success piquing interest in their annual Senior Games through the clinics, Simmons said, and when she broached the subject, the board of the Massachusetts games decided to give the strategy a try.
The board even allowed her to make an investment in the clinic — authorizing the purchase of a portable shuffleboard setup that “can be rolled out in any gym” including the two-room setup the clinic will be using at Scantic Valley, Simmons shared. She’s also excited that the longtime event coordinator for the MA Senior Games disc golf competition — Davis Johnson — will be leading the sampling clinic for that sport. “He’s in the Guinness Book of Records for throwing a Frisbee the furthest on record in 1976,” Simmons said, adding that a quartet of disc golf athletes from the 2024 state Senior Games will be competing in the National Senior Games in Iowa in 2025.
But Simmons stressed that individuals don’t have to be accomplished athletes to take part in this year’s games, and the clinic is a great way to get introduced to the state organization,
“The nice thing about the Senior Games is you can be a very beginner and still participate,” Simmons said. “We encourage that — it’s not just a competition — it’s also about camaraderie and friendship.”
A second sports clinic is already planned for Wareham in June, with more in the works for after the summer.
