OCEANSIDE — Athletes aged 50 to 100 from across the region are gearing up for several weekends of competition this month as the San Diego Senior Games continue following its late-August kickoff.
Since its inception in 1988, the Senior Games have encouraged older generations to remain active, showcasing their skills in a variety of sports tournaments reminiscent of the Olympics.
In the first year, 143 athletes participated across nine sports. By the following year, the event had nearly doubled, drawing 295 participants. Over the years, the games expanded to include 18 to 22 sports, attracting up to 2,500 athletes at their peak.
This year’s games will feature 22 sports, with more than 1,500 participants expected, according to Kirsten Cummings, executive director of the San Diego Senior Games Association.
Cummings said the Games, which started in the southern part of the county, extended to North County around 2010. Before that, North County was deemed too far for most competitors.
However, rising interest and available venues in the area eventually made the expansion possible.
“People wanted to play,” Cummings said. “Many of them were already active outside, so we knew we had to go up and represent North County.”
The San Diego Senior Games, lacking a permanent venue, rotate among various locations across the county. For about a month, events are held from Oceanside in the north to Chula Vista in the south and as far east as El Cajon.
This year’s games began with a weekend-long pickleball tournament at Melba Bishop Recreation Center in northeastern Oceanside on Aug. 23. The competition will resume on Sept. 7 and continue each weekend until the finale on Sept. 29 at Fitness Quest 10 in Scripps Ranch.
In recognition of the games starting in Oceanside, Mayor Esther Sanchez read a proclamation celebrating the event. Sanchez highlighted the Senior Games’ role in encouraging seniors to stay active, which is linked to health benefits such as reduced risks of various cancers, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, and falls among older adults.
She also emphasized the games’ community-building aspect, noting the partnerships with organizations like the Melba Bishop Pickleball Boosters Association, which help foster friendships and reduce isolation among seniors.
“Senior Games tackle ageism by celebrating possibilities for community members ages 50 and above,” Sanchez said, adding that the games and their partners also create “meaningful intergenerational connections between senior athletes, their family members, volunteers, and spectators.”
While Cummings expressed a desire for the Senior Games to have a permanent venue that could host proper opening and closing ceremonies, she appreciates the way the current format reflects the diversity of the region.
“This shows off San Diego,” she said.
