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Senior Citizens Do Battle
Senior Olympics 2005

It was like any other June morning, the birds were chirping, the squirrels were scurrying around, the early risers were drinking their first cup of coffee, and the students were getting ready for another day at school.

This day, however, was different.

The most unlikely group of adults had assembled at the Municipal Building on Thursday, June 2, 2005 at 7:00 a.m. They were experienced to getting up early, so this wasn’t new to them. They were clad in sweats and jeans, not the usual attire for them.

They were "Senior Citizen Athletes," ready to do battle.

They donned the "Orange T Shirts" that they received to represent their town, and boarded the bus that would take them to their competition. The team of 22 members, whose ages ranged from the sixties to the nineties, was an awesome sight to behold.

What they lacked in ability they made up in determination; what they lacked in strength they made up in spirit; what they lacked in experience they made up in courage. They had no canes, walkers, or wheelchairs. They were not complaining about their aches and pains. They only took with them their daily supply of pills.

They were no longer "Senior Citizens," they were athletes ready to compete in the Olympics. When the bus arrived in West Milford, one senior was heard to say, "We’re ready to rumble."

They left their bus as a united team. A team ready for the horseshoes, the soccer balls, the basketballs, the frisbees, the baseballs and the rubber chickens. They were ready for their opponents. There were no cheerleaders to cheer them to victory; no fans rooting and urging them on and no band to lift their spirit. All they had was each other and Rob Brady, their coach and mentor. They had practiced long and hard over the course of three weeks (really it was only 90 minutes for three days).

There were six teams in this the 16th Annual Tri-County Senior Olympics. Teams from Rutherford, Randolph Township, West Milford, Pequannock, Sparta and Hasbrouck Heights participated in the opening ceremony. After the lighting of the Olympic Flame, Eileen Kiick, the only smoker there, gave them a match; they all sang "God Bless America." The Olympians marched around the field in their bright "T shirts" of red, orange, blue, green, turquoise and maroon. Then the announcement, "Let the Games Begin!"

As the games proceeded it became evident that the team’s dream of a ticker tape parade down the Boulevard would not become a reality. This became more obvious, when in the chicken toss, President John Fitzin’s chicken landed in a high tree and didn’t want to come down. The game was delayed until the chicken was coached down.

The highlights of the day were Al Carcich placing second in Frisbee Golf; Herb Takakjian placing second in Basketball Free Throw; John Fitzin placing third in Basketball Free Throw; Vera Starke receiving the "Young at Heart Award," and Alice Shenloogian becoming a runner up in the Horseshoe competition.

The long awaited announcement of how the teams placed ended the day. Last year the Hasbrouck Heights team placed sixth (last place). This year they placed fourth (with three teams tying for third place).

After saying their farewells, the team boarded their bus for the return trip to their homes, but one member cried out, "Wait till next year!" They were not discouraged. They had an enjoyable day out with their peers.

When they left the bus, they were no longer athletes, competitors, or ambassadors for their Borough. They returned from the "Twilight Zone" and to their roles as "Senior Citizens," grandparents, and great-grandparents. They went back to their former lives; their aches and pains returned; their pace slowed down; they assumed the role that was expected of them; but now they had new experiences to talk about and stories to tell. Their day was not a total loss.

They did receive a free T shirt, free lunch and an exciting experience out on a beautiful sunny day. But most of all they grew closer to each other. They had fun and they relived their youth. In the "Twilight Zone" they were a group of teenagers having fun at sports.

POST SCRIPT: Although the seniors came in fourth, they did not field a full team of 24 players as all the other teams. Their final score was five points away from third place.

If they had the two additional players, they definitely would have been in third place with the other three teams tied for fourth place. Photos and story provided by Peter Gallo Jr. ###