April, 2008, Cheer News & Views

DSO Sports News

Salisbury University will host the Eastern Shore Senior Games April 3-5. Many of Delaware’s Senior Olympians will compete against Maryland and Virginia Senior Olympians in several sports including swimming, cycling, golf, track and field, basketball shooting, badminton, bowling, one-mile walk, tennis and volleyball. As in all Senior Olympics competitions, athletes will compete against men or women who are in their same 5 year age group.

Senior Lo-Del Volleyball League has entered all 6 of its teams in the ESSG volleyball tournament at Magg’s Gymnasium on the Salisbury University Campus on Saturday, April 5 starting at 9 a. m. The Rough Edges, Dune Diggers, Ladybugs, Quick Chicks, Small Wonders and First Staters are all hoping to come home with medals in their age groups.

The Quick Chicks (60+) have entered their volleyball team in a Senior Women’s Volleyball Tournament to be held at the Lebanon (PA) YMCA on April 12. The tournament filled up so fast that the other Lo-Del teams had their registrations returned. Senior women’s volleyball is growing rapidly!

The Lo-Del League will play volleyball on Thursday nights at Delmarva Christian High School this summer. It is a beautiful gym, and it is large enough set up three courts. Six teams will be able to play at the same time. A Mini-Tournament will be played each night.

Men’s Volleyball: At this time no senior men’s volleyball teams are downstate. They are all upstate. Phil Klabunde, men’s volleyball coordinator for DSO, is looking for someone downstate to organize a team to compete in the state games in September. Contact Phil at 302-998-7690.

Women’s 3-on-3 Basketball: The Delaware First Staters, a 65+ basketball team comprised of Anita Angeny, Delores Blakey, Doris Brown, Marion Lisehora, Grace Pesikey and Pat Venett, has registered to compete in the Chesapeake Classic, which will be held April 26 at PAL in Hockessin. It is being directed by Helen White, highly regarded player-coach, and president of the NOVA United Senior Women's Basketball Association. Ms. White and DSO, led by Joyce Perry and Barbara Dunn, have teamed up to increase awareness for, and participation in, senior women's basketball. Twenty-five to thirty senior women’s teams are expected to compete at the Hockessin PAL Center making it the largest senior women's tournament on the East Coast.

Pickleball is a new court sport being offered by some states in their Senior Olympics Games. Arline Brown of Wilmington is anxious to get it started as a Delaware Senior Olympics Sport. Anyone who would like to find out more, or anyone interested in trying to help get it started downstate should contact her at 302-737-7620.

Blue Rocks DSO Fundraiser May 9: Support this DSO Fundraiser and enjoy a night of baseball! Fliers must be used for DSO to receive credit for your ticket purchase. They can be printed from the DSO web-site http://www.delawareseniorolympics.org/

Annual Family Sports and Fitness Day Picnic May 17 at Lum’s Pond State Park: Pavilion #3, from 10 a.m. until dark. All Delaware Senior Olympians, their spouses, children, grandchildren, friends, and all who are interested in enjoying a day of fun with the Senior Olympics are invited. The cost is $13.00 for adults and $5.00 for children under 12. Lots of food, sports, fun games, and activities for all! Call the DSO office at the Modern Maturity Center in Dover toll free at 1-888-881-6128 to sign up.

Women’s Softball: On April 21 at 6 p.m. three senior women’s softball teams will be back on the ball fields at Sports At The Beach in Georgetown. The Alley Cats 50s (Capt. Maureen White, 302-349-4379 or 302-226-8080), Diamonds 50s (Capt. Debbie Estes, 302-644-7220) and Diamonds 60s (Capt. Dorcy Wilkins 302-933-0910) will all be coming back, and the teams are seeking new players. They are also hoping a fourth team will form and join the league. Players must be at least 50 by Dec. 31, 2008, to be eligible to play. A team will play in the 5 year age group of its youngest player. Age groups are 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69 and 70+. The teams will compete against each other on Monday evenings this summer in Georgetown, and they will participate in the Delaware Senior Olympics Annual Games in the fall. Want to play? Call a captain (above) or the coordinator, Marion Lisehora, at 302-934-9512.

Photos:

The Quick Chicks (L-R near team) Margaret Long, Willa Jones, Helen Chenoweth and Judy Duerr were on their way to winning the 60+ gold medal at the 2007 Eastern Shore Senior Games. They will be defending their title on April 5.

Phil Klabunde, Men’s Volleyball Coordinator, tries bowling with a Wii at a recent DSO Board Meeting. The Modern Maturity Center has several of them for its Seniors to use.

Felicia Schembri of the Delaware Diamonds 50s heads for third as the ball gets past Sue Pierson of the Blue Chicks 50s during a State Tournament game last September.