Thursday April 24, 2008

Registration for Metro Parks’ annual Fifty and Over Games is continuing through May 1, and several hundred athletes are expected to take part in nine exciting competitions staged throughout Louisville from May 13-18.

Senior athletes of various skills and abilities will compete in events from basketball to billiards, and table tennis to track and field. The Fifty and Over Games is a direct result of area residents pursuing lifelong fitness as a daily goal, with the athletes who participate being great examples of the initiatives being advanced through the Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Movement.

“To watch the Fifty and Over Games is to witness all the best human qualities: drive, class, determination and sportsmanship,” said Mayor Jerry Abramson. ”The athletes who compete year in and year out are exceptional role models for anyone who is seeking a healthy lifestyle.”

Registration for this year’s Fifty and Over Games takes place through May 1. A $20 entry fee allows participants to compete in an unlimited number of events; registration after May 1 is $25. Participants are encouraged to arrive at least an hour early to the event if registering on site.

Additionally, the 2008 Fifty and Over Games Awards Banquet Ceremony will take place at Masterson’s Catering, 1830 S. Third Street, at 6 p.m. on Sunday, May 18. Tickets to that event are $10; however, athletes who finish first, second or third in each event can attend the banquet at no charge.

Most events will take place at the University of Louisville’s athletic facilities, with remaining events scheduled for area parks and other sites. Rules and regulations for each competition are available online. To help participants get ready for the Fifty and Over Games, Metro Parks offers a variety of fitness programs, including exercise classes, weight rooms, basketball leagues and more.

Sponsors of the Fifty and Over Games include:

• KIPDA – the Designated Area Agency on Aging
• Dignity Memorials

Participants may register on the day of an event by arriving at least an hour before the scheduled start time. Registration forms are available online at www.louisvilleky.gov/MetroParks/recreation/fiftyandovergames, and they can also be picked up at the Louisville Tennis Center, 3783 Illinois Avenue in Joe Creason Park, along with 17 community centers operated by Metro Parks. Registration forms can be mailed in advance to the Flaget Community Center, 4425 Greenwood Avenue, Louisville, Ky. 40211. Information is also available by phone at 502/456-8186.