By Mary-Justine Lanyon
In 1985, 115 veteran athletes gathered for the first National Veterans Golden Age Games. Last month, the largest group of veteran athletes ever – 1,338 – met in Tampa, Fla., for the 40th such games.
Among those athletes were two mountain veterans: Armand LeSage of Lake Arrowhead, who served in the Army; and Crestline resident Michael Shanahan, who was a Navy corpsman.
Why do they travel across the country and compete? For my husband, Armand, the answer is simple. He says the Games are the most important thing he does all year. Reconnecting with athletes he has met over the six years he has competed buoys him up. Each year he competes in a variety of sports; this year it was golf, boccia, bowling and shuffleboard. He was proud to bring home a silver medal in his age group in golf.
Michael Shanahan competes in the visually impaired division. He also won a silver medal in golf this year in his age group. I was proud to be his guide out on the golf course, one of my volunteer assignments over the course of the week.
The Games began on Saturday, June 27 with the opening ceremony, which includes the parade of athletes carrying their state flags. Prior to the parade, a DJ played music familiar to the athletes, who have to be at least 55 years old, and their families. Many were spotted dancing in the aisles. The energy in the hall was palpable.
When the DJ played a medley of the service songs, veterans from each branch stood to great cheering. And then came the national anthem. Singers had auditioned for the privilege of sharing their talent at the Games. To hear more than 2,000 people singing the “Star-Spangled Banner” brought shivers down my spine.
One speaker, addressing the veterans, said, “I know you have traveled large distances – physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. You matter – your service and your story.”
Brittany Hook, the director of the National Veterans Golden Age Games, said “how cool it is that these games were put together 40 years ago. Thank you for showing up. You show up for yourselves, you show up for each other.”
There is a movement in medicine, said Jim Leahy, the executive director of the Veterans Canteen Service, the major sponsor of the Games, “to build community. Get connected – keep moving forward.”
“Your service is the reason we are celebrating 250 years of freedom,” John Bartrum, the undersecretary of Veterans Affairs for Health, told the veteran athletes. “Few can comprehend what your service has meant. Physical, mental and spiritual health are essential to thrive. We are committed to supporting these events.”
The veteran athletes then stood and recited as one the athletes’ oath: I will take part in the National Veterans Golden Age Games in the true spirit of sportsmanship. I promise to abide by the rules that govern them and respect the officials who are applying them for the glory of sport in honor of my fellow veterans and pride in our country. Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.
And as the torch was about to be lit, Cory Price, the acting executive director of the Tampa VA, reiterated, “This is more than competition. It is about connection. Showing up is already victory. Your commitment impresses us all.”
And with that, the torch was lit with the pronouncement, “Let the games begin!”
Through its motto of “Fitness for Life,” the Games challenge each veteran to be the best they can be. There were 21 medaled sports events this year: air pistol, air rifle, archery, badminton, basketball, billiards, boccia, bowling, cornhole, cycling, disc golf, golf, horseshoes, pickleball, powerlifting, power walk, shuffleboard, swimming, table tennis and track and field events (50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,500-meter runs; discus, shotput, javelin).
This year there were also four exhibition sports: kayaking, wheelchair basketball, volleyball and scuba diving.
Athletes compete in eight age categories, from 55 to 90 and above, and in three divisions: ambulatory, visually impaired and wheelchair.
Being out on the golf course with Michael, Bill and Al was an uplifting experience for me. I was joined by fellow volunteers Jessica and Christina. We, of course, drove the golf carts and gave our golfers guidance on how far away the hole was and in what direction they should hit their balls.
We weren’t alone on the golf course – we saw an armadillo running across one fairway and also spotted a rabbit and a number of water birds.
The next day I volunteered at boccia, similar to bocce but with softer balls. Because I had also volunteered at boccia last year in Memphis, I became the lead scorer, teaching other volunteers how to complete the forms. I got so caught up in the action, I hated to leave at the end of my shift.
On Wednesday it was bowling. We traveled about an hour to beautiful lanes. It was easy to get excited as bowler after bowler knocked down pin after pin. But we also cheered for those whose balls ended up in the gutter.
The final sport where I served as a volunteer was shuffleboard. Since Armand and I had never even seen it played before, we had looked in on other age division competitions earlier in the week. By Thursday, I felt comfortable with my role: removing pucks from the court when they landed in the “dead zone” and after scoring was done. As it turned out, the court I was on was kept in play right through the gold-medal match.
Who can compete in the National Veterans Golden Age Games? They are open to U.S. military veterans who are 55 years old and older. To register, they must be enrolled for healthcare at a Veterans Administration facility. Armand plays on a team from the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Veterans’ Hospital in Loma Linda.
Next year’s games will be in Cleveland, Ohio, from June 22-27, 2027. We’d love to see more mountain veterans participating.
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