August, 2009, Cheer News & Views

DSO Sports News

By Marion Lisehora mlisehora@mchsi.com

National Senior Games: Over 130 Delaware senior athletes are in Palo Alto, California, this month competing in the National Senior Games – the Senior Olympics. Athletes and teams qualified last fall by competing in the Delaware Senior Games. The Delaware Diamonds 50s, a women’s softball team that plays in the Senior Women’s Softball League at Sports At The Beach in Georgetown, is the only women’s softball team representing Delaware! Good luck, team!

Flag Bearers: DSO’s two nominees for flag bearer representing Delaware in the Celebration of Athletes in California are Annie Rizzo and Bill Dawkins. Annie has competed in our State Games every year since she has been old enough.  She is a consistent Gold Medal winner in our games.  This will be her fourth Nationals.  She has won two National Golds in Tennis Singles.  Her Basketball team, the Ya Yas, has won National Golds twice at the Huntsman Games. Bill has competed in our State Games every year since DSO started in 1992.  His medal production is beyond counting.  He has been in all but two of the Nationals.  He served three terms on the Board of Directors of Delaware Senior Olympics and for several years was Coordinator for the sport of Racquetball.  Bill served in the US Marine Corps during  World War II.  Now at age 81, he still actively farms 50 acres in Clayton Delaware.  

DSO Registration for the 2009 Delaware Senior Games in more than two dozen sports is still open for most events! Register by August 15 to receive a free games t-shirt! Find out everything you need to know online at delawareseniorolympics.org or phone the DSO Office at 1-888-881-6128.

The July Volleyball Tournament for senior women was held July 10 and 11 at Delmarva Christian High School in Georgetown. Coordinator Willa Jones of Rehoboth reports that 20 teams from Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Delaware participated in 4 age divisions. After playing against each other all day, players from several of the teams joined together for dinner each night at the Captain’s Table in Rehoboth. The Delaware First Staters 70+ team (Georgia Billger, Mandy Bouvier, Doris Brown, Marion Lisehora, Harriet Mair, Mimi Peters, Judy Stevenson) from the downstate Senior Lo-Del Volleyball League was undefeated in the tournament, as it won the age division for 65s and 70s teams. The 60s division was won by Where and When (Sharon Henshaw, Sheri Leymeister, Diane Brock, Sharon Rife, Debbie Hart, Margaret Glassford, Patti Moore), a team from West Virginia. A Pennsylvania team, Keystone Electric (Jeannie Bordlemay, June Hoch, Cheryl Holder, Suzanne Seitz, Dolly Smith, Karen Williams) took the 55s championship, while Lokahi (U'ilani Talbert, Teri Smalley, Vi Gomes, Linda Ekland, Bridget Fischbein, Nancy Bradshaw) from Delaware and Pennsylvania prevailed in the 50s age division.

Jo Johnson was in Louisville, Kentucky, for the NATZ Master’s Bike Races on June 26, July 1 and July 3 in the 60-64 age group. In the 25 mile hilly road race on June 26, Jo fought thru heat, almost ending up with heat stroke to finish in 6th place. On July 1, still not feeling quite up to par, and with more hills and wind, Jo managed to again take 6th place in the time trial. Then on Jul 3, feeling more like herself, Jo took 3rd place in the crit held at Churchill Downs in a very close finish between the first five finishers. Congratulations, Jo!

The Tri-State 55+ Senior Baseball League is going strong with five teams playing Thursday nights at Banning Park and Saturdays at either Friends School or Banning Park. Come on out and see the level of competition. They will be playing the same rules for the Baseball event in the Senior Olympics on Saturday, September 26 at 2 pm at Banning Park. Anyone interested in joining a team for the season, please contact John DeBenedictis at 302-376-3739 or johnadebenedictis@verizon.net.

Volleyball Class: Indian River School District Adult Ed will offer a Beginner’s Volleyball Class for Women 45-70+ at Georgetown Middle School starting Tuesday, September 8. Call instructor Marion Lisehora for more information at 302-934-9512.

First Staters 70+: The Delaware First Staters won the combined 65 and 70 age division in the July Volleyball Tournament held at Delmarva Christian High School. Back: Judy Stevenson, Georgia Billger, Mimi Peters, Harriet Mair. Front: Mandy Bouvier, Marion Lisehora, Doris Brown.

Where and When: Where and When from West Virginia captured the championship in the 60s age division in the July Volleyball Tournament held at Delmarva Christian High School. L to R: Sharon Henshaw, Sheri Leymeister, Diane Brock, Sharon Rife, Debbie Hart, Margaret Glassford, Patti Moore.

Quick Chicks Vs Jet Setters: The Delaware Quick Chicks battled the Keystone Jetsetters to take second place in the 60s age division. L to R: Margaret Long, Helen Chenoweth, Cindy Anderson, Jo Ann Pessagno, Judy Duerr, Sue West.

Jo Johnson: Jo Johnson (in blue) finished third in the crit race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, on July 3 during the NATZ Master’s Bike Races. Photo by Tom Moran.