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They Shoot, they Score, they WIN the GOLD! San Diego’s SWBA Splash Returns Undefeated
By Linda Cord
August 19,, 2009 (San Diego) – It's a slam dunk: the golden years are fun and filled with fitness challenges and triumphs for two San Diego women's teams that scored victories to win gold medals, placing first in the nation at the Summer National Senior Games held at Stanford University in Palo Alto.
Splash, a team of women all over 80 years of age, handily won all three of its games, winning the team's fifth gold medal to date. Sol Class Act (ages 70-75) won five games in one day and three on another, ending with an 8-1 record. Their only loss was by just two points in double overtime.
The biennial Summer National Senior Games competition began with a traditional “Torch Run and Flame Arrival Ceremony” and ended with the “Celebration of Athletes” presented by AstraZeneca. The games were held at Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, where up to 30,000 qualified athletes competed in more than 18 sports and seven tournaments or competitions before more than 35,000 spectators.
San Diego’s Senior Women’s Basketball Association (SWBA) had nine teams travel north to this year’s three-on-three, half-court basketball competition. Games were held in three Stanford Gymnasiums, the Ford Center, Arrillaga Center for Sports & Recreation and Maples Pavilion.
Allnet.com, (50 – 55 age bracket), ended with a record of 4 – 4. The competition in this bracket has become increasingly more skilled and faster paced than prior years. A sign of the evolution of women’s basketball post Title Nine, now seen in senior women’s basketball. Twenty-Three teams participated in this age bracket.
San Diego Shooters (55 – 60 age bracket) came in 4th place with a 6 – 2 record. All of the Shooters games were close and proved to exhibit excellent physical and strategic basketball skills.
San Diego’s Fusion came in 6th place (65 – 70 age bracket) suffering 2 losses in overtime, also.
Splash Coach, Marianne Hall with San Diego’s Senior Women’s Basketball Association (SWBA) said, “One of the team’s most memorable moments this year was regaining the Gold after losing it in 2007.” The octogenarian team has now won five gold and two silver medals. This year’s win was also special because the Splash played for the gold in honor of their former teammates, Lois Davis, Peg Mushrush, Ginger Goss, and Marilyn Spillane.
Coach Kathy Marpe, of San Diego SWBA team, Sol Class Act, said the most memorable moment was “playing five games in one day to win the gold.” The only team that beat them, in double overtime by a scant two points had been trying to beat Sol Class Act for the past 10 years, according to one of their players.
Kirsten Cummings, also known as “Coach K,” has recently started the National Senior Women’s Basketball Association (NSWBA), an organization designed to help interested women start up regional leagues throughout the nation. NSWBA also offers basketball workshops, camps and coaching for senior women who want to play basketball again, or for the first time. In fact, February 5 – 7, 2010, the NSWBA is hosting a three-day camp right here in San Diego. For more information or to register you can go to http://www.nswba.com.
Coach K stated, “The influx of Boomers and now, post Title Nine players are part of the reason for the rise in the level of play. Our camps and workshops will help participants fine-tune and learn new skills which will strengthen their game and build confidence, another big part of anyone’s game.”
Organizers note that in addition to the excitement of playing and improving your game in a league, then traveling to a national competition, meeting new friends, strengthening existing team relationships and broadening your life’s journey, there are many health and emotional benefits that come along with participating in a sport or league.
Some of these athletes have medical or physical issues and are told by their doctors to “keep playing, it’s good for you and is helping keep you healthy.” For instance, one SWBA players has diabetes, while another has chronic back pain and other health issues.
Interested in starting or joining a 40 or 50 + women’s basketball league in your area or hosting camps or workshops or going to the 2011 National Senior Games? Now is the time to begin preparation, so contact the NSWBA at info@nswba.com for more information and assistance.
To register for the three-day Women’s Basketball Camp, being held Feb. 5 – 7, 2011, visit http://www.nswba.com .
Coach K and the NSWBA are focused on senior women’s basketball leagues and training. However, there are other senior sports open to men and women through the San Diego Senior Olympics Association at http://www.sdseniorgames.org. In fact, the San Diego Senior Olympics are coming September 11 – 27, 2009. Registration deadline is August 28, 2009. Visit the website “Events” page to find a game in which to participate.
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