January, 2009, Cheer News & Views

DSO Sports News

By Marion Lisehora mlisehora@mchsi.com

DSO Sports News

By Marion Lisehora mlisehora@mchsi.com

National Senior Games: All the states have completed their 2008 Senior Games, and thousands of seniors across the entire country have qualified in one or more sports to represent their states at the August, 2009 National Senior Games – the Senior Olympics. There will be 18 medal and 7 demonstration sports contested in the San Francisco Bay Area, with Stanford University in Palo Alto hosting many of the sports. Delawareans, who qualified this fall during the Delaware Senior Olympics Annual Games, are now busy making travel and housing plans. All will focus on hard training between now and August! For more information about the National Senior Games visit http://www.2009seniorgames.org/

DSO Social: On November 15 at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover, Delaware Senior Olympic Athletes gathered for their Annual Dinner. The speaker for the night, Libby Custer, was an amazing 95 year-old woman from Hinton,Virginia who delighted the crowd with her extraordinary ability as an after dinner speaker. Her son-in-law, Jim Powell of Lewes, introduced her.

Senior Group Challenge: At the dinner it was announced that the Long Neck CHEER Center’s Silver Sneakers under the guidance of Jeanette Partilla won the Senior Group Challenge for the second year in a row. The Silver Sneakers, with their 40 participants, earned more points than any other group.

Awards: At the DSO Social, Jeanette was also awarded the 2008 Outstanding Volunteer Award. Jeanette is a member of the DSO Board of Directors, and has volunteered at Beach Day and many Health Fairs, as well as working with the Senior Group Challenge. She has totally dedicated herself to spreading the philosophy of DSO, Fun, Fitness and Fellowship through physical activity and a healthy lifestyle. Marion Lisehora was awarded the 2008 Outstanding Athlete Award. Since 1992 she has entered a total of 214 events and earned a total of 212 medals, 194 gold and 18 silver. Her most impressive year was 2000 when she entered 21 DSO events and won 19 gold and 2 silver medals. Joyce Emory Perry was the recipient of the Charlie Marten Award. This award is given each year to someone who, against great odds and much determination to fight medical problems, has returned to competition. To see more about the award recipients visit the DSO website and click on Awards. http://www.delawareseniorolympics.org/

YMCA Pickleball: The Sussex Family YMCA in Rehoboth will be offering pickleball starting January 8. It will be on Thursdays from 12-2 p.m.. It is free to Y members and $55 for a whole year for non-members to play pickleball. To find out more about it contact James Botti at JBotti@ymcade.org or call the YMCA at 296-9622 and ask for James.

YMCA Volleyball: The two fall leagues had their play-offs in December. Although both leagues are open to players of all ages, many of the players are seniors. In the Women’s Division, Net Access won the championship for the fourth straight time by defeating The Drifters 2-1. In the Co-ed Division, the Rehoboth Rookies were undefeated all season, but lost to the Misfits 2-1 in the championship match. Registration for the Spring Volleyball Leagues will be in February with play starting in March. In addition to the Women’s and the Co-ed Divisions, a 4 on 4 League will be started. Contact James Botti at the YMCA for more information.

Women’s Senior Volleyball: A new beginner’s volleyball class for women, 45-70+, will be offered by IRSD Adult Education at Georgetown Middle School on Tuesday nights from 7-9. The class will start on January 6 and continue through May. Learn to play the game and then advance to a team in the Senior Lo-Del Volleyball League, which plays on Thursday nights. The IRSD Community Education Catalog arrived in mailboxes in December. A registration form is on the back, or you can register online at http://www.irsd-adulted.com/. For more information call Marion Lisehora at 934-9512.

Jeanette Partilla of the Silver Sneakers from the Long Neck CHEER Center accepts the 2008 Senior Group Challenge Award at the DSO Annual Social at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover on November 15.

Marion Lisehora (Outstanding Athlete Award) and Joyce Emory Perry (Charlie Marten Award) display their plaques at the DSO Annual Social at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover on November 15.

Net Access, Fall 2008 YMCA Women’s Division Volleyball Champions. Back: Dana Moore, Carol Thompson, Nancy Bradshaw, Mandy Bouvier. Front: Lucy Strauss, Marion Lisehora, Mindy Price. Missing from photo: Amy Kuhlman.

Misfits, Fall 2008 YMCA Co-ed Division Volleyball Champions. Back: Tim Scheftner, Chubby Morris, Joe Sears, Brett Kuhlman. Front: Dana Moore, Amy Kuhlman, Kim Catts. Missing from photo: Jessica Baxter.