Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
As bargains go, it’s hard to beat the one being offered this month by the folks who volunteer with Clovis Area Fifty-Plus Olympics.
For a $20 bill (or two $10s, a fistful of $5s, or any combination of your choice) anyone who is age 50 and older can register, participate in up to 10 different sports (many with multiple events), nosh on drinks and snacks, and even attend the end of season awards banquet in May.
On top of that, for first timers that $20 also covers a t-shirt emblazoned with the organization’s philosophy, according to board member Bertie Snipes Lindsey: “You don’t stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing.”
I met with Lindsey and Clovis Area board President Melinda Coslett recently. These two are passionate about what many of us call “Senior Olympics,” and said there are a few things we need to know.
The first is that “Clovis area” is quite loosely defined, according to Coslett.
The upcoming games are open to “anyone who can get here,” she said.
New Mexico is an “open state,” by Senior Olympics standards, Coslett said, so the upcoming competitions that will be held throughout April in Clovis are open to anyone who meets the age requirement, period.
“We even get a few people from Texas,” she said.
Next — and this one is vital, according to Coslett -- “Forget the word ‘Olympics.’ We only use it because we have to. We can find something for everyone.”
When the two most popular sports are shuffleboard and pickleball, it quickly becomes clear this is an organization dedicated to having fun.
Registration is already under way for the events that are scheduled to take place throughout April and into early May, and four more registration events are still on the calendar.
The next three are at the Roy Walker Recreation Center, 316 W. Second St., Clovis. Sign up from 1-3 p.m. Tuesday, 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, or 1-3 p.m. March 18. The last is scheduled for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. March 20 at Friendship Senior Center, 901 W. 13th St., Clovis.
If you’d like to consult your own calendar before making a commitment, here’s a tentative schedule of sports and competition dates.
Look for table tennis on April 4, horseshoes on April 6, eight-ball pool on April 9, cornhole on April 10-11, basketball and Frisbee accuracy on April 18, washers on April 19, recreation events (which includes things like soccer accuracy kick) on April 22, shuffleboard on April 24-25, air gun on April 25-26, Frisbee golf on April 27, track and field on April 30, and pickleball on May 1 and 2. Swimming and tennis dates are yet to be announced.
Like everything else, the Clovis Area games were hit hard by COVID, with all competitions canceled for two years.
“Our first year back – 2022 – we had a modified schedule of events,” Coslett said. “Last year was a full one again. Everything is back except dance and talent, and we are hoping to bring those back in the future.”
Lindsey and Coslett have both been involved for a dozen years or more.
Lindsey said it was line-dancing that first brought her to the senior games. She currently competes in shuffleboard, cornhole, and Frisbee accuracy.
Coslett says she “joined on a fluke” but tried nearly all the sports over the years. Pickleball may be her favorite.
The organization has done some shuffling this year (not be confused with shuffle-boarding), in an effort to reach out to younger participants. A number of sporting events are scheduled for evening hours to allow those who still work to better fit some fun into their schedules.
Competition takes places in five-year age groups, starting with 50-54, then 55-59, etc., and some sports are modified with age.
In cornhole for example, Coslett said there are “different distances for different age groups. As you age the distances get closer.”
Don’t let use of a walker, wheelchair, or other assistive device stand in the way of participating, Coslett urged.
“We can adapt for handicaps,” she said, “not in every sport, but in many of them.”
A couple of final notes: All events have both men’s and women’s divisions, and many also offer mixed doubles. If you don’t have a partner, you can sign up and request one for those events.
Best of all, “you don’t have to have your own equipment for anything,” Coslett said. “We supply it all.”
Thinking about it but not sure? Give Lindsey a call at 575-760-1413 or talk to Coslett at 575-799-6483.
But be careful. You might get hooked.
Betty Williamson may dust off her discus and shine up her shot put. Reach her at:
