By Jessica Smith

Davie Senior Games

When you think of an athlete, who is the first person that comes to mind?

Maybe it is your favorite professional football player or perhaps your son who is the star player on his high school basketball team.

When Davie County Senior Games thinks of an athlete, the first to come to mind are the 46 senior athletes who competed in the 2017 N.C. Senior Games State Finals.

Merriam-Webster’s definition of an athlete is “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.”

Rodgers Peoples and Becky Rizzi exhibited the skill and strength necessary to win medals in bowling doubles and mixed doubles.

Dave Salmon demonstrated his training and stamina during his medal-winning 10K run.

All participants revealed their agility during events, including Barbara Chapman as she medaled in cornhole, shuffleboard, and bocce and Charles Mashburn during badminton and archery.

During August, September and October, local participants traveled across the state to compete in athletic events against the top-ranked participants from 52 other local games. The Davie County competitors qualified for State Finals at the 2017 Davie County Senior Games during April and May.

Davie County’s competitors won a total of 57 gold, silver, and bronze medals for events such as pickleball, horseshoes, cornhole, basketball shooting, and golf.

Three SilverArts contestants showcased their talent in photography, watercolor, and literary arts.

In addition to individual competitions, Davie County’s basketball team, the Silver Spirits, won gold in the basketball tournament for the 21st time in 23 years. The Davie County Guys and Dolls, Davie County Senior Games’ cheerleading squad, won silver in the cheerleader showcase during their first year.

Despite the competition, Bud Stroud describes Senior Games as a way to “help you stay young, meet new people and help you stay in better health. Senior Games are like a family reunion.”

Competing in the state finals: Sue Allen, Bill Bailey, Alice Barnette, Mike Barnette, Roni Barney, Louise Blackwood, Carolyn Boyd-Smith, John Bullins, Frank Burgio, Julie Cartner, Barbara Chapman, James Epperson, Peggy Evans, Dean Flannigan, Ted Freshwater, Vickie Frye, Lois Green, Henry Hagner, Mary Hall, Doris Jones Hinsdale, Gene Hinsdale, Joyce Hinshaw, Rachel Howard, Ralph James, Mary Kesler, Bernie Lackmann, Leigh Leverenz, Charles Mashburn, Charlotte Miller, Alice Monk, Kim Newsom, Mary Newton, Rodgers Peoples, Judy Phillips, Bob Phillips, Bill Renfroe, Becky Rizzi, Dave Salmon, Johnnie Stallings, Nina Stallings, Tom Stayer, Aileen Steelman, Kay Stevenson, Bud Stroud, Nancy Tutterow and Peggy Vance.

Qualification for next year’s finals will be held in the spring at the Davie County Senior Games. For more information, contact Davie County Senior Services or Jessica Smith, at 336-753-6230.