General Information

All participants must complete and sign an Entry Form and Liability Waiver. Please return the completed form, along with payment, to:

Washington State Senior Games
P.O. Box 1487
Olympia, WA 98507-1487

Print, complete and sign the entry form or call 360-413-0148 to have a Registration Package mailed to you.

Due to scheduling, registrations for most individual sports, volleyball and basketball must be postmarked by July 14, 2020.

Other sport registration deadlines:

• Ballroom dance: June 27, 2020
• Soccer: July 21, 2020
• Trap shooting: July 1, 2020 (day of event registration on-site is allowed)
• For softball, check the softball information page for registration deadlines.

On-site registration will be available only for trap shooting, disc golf, archery, rock climbing, cycling, power walking and the road runs.

A discount of $10 off the registration fee can be applied if completed registration forms - with payment included - are postmarked by May 26, 2020.

Required fees are determined according to the following provisions:

• There is a Registration fee of $35.00 (except Golf)
  
  The registration fee helps offset administrative expenses such as programs, athlete bags, medals, security, emergency medical personnel and equipment, printed materials, T-shirts, food, and other expenses.
• There is an Event fee of $10 for each event within a particular sport. (except Golf)
  The event fee helps pay for expenses unique to and associated with each of the individual sports in the Games. Fees are listed in the information for each event and on the entry form.
• Golf fee
  The registration fee for the Golf tournament is $33 per person.
• Cap on Fees
  In an effort to reduce the burden of total fees for participants entering multiple events, the Board of Directors has placed a cap on the total fees required of all participants. With the exception of Golf, a participant’s total fees cannot exceed the sum of the registration fee ($35) plus the event fee ($10) up to a maximum of five events (or $50), for total fees of $85. Please note that this limitation of fees does not apply to the number of individual events that a participant can enter in any given sport.
• Scholarhip Program
  We believe our fee schedule is fair and comparative with similar competitions. However, we understand that registration fees may preclude the participation of some senior athletes interested in the Washington State Senior Games. Therefore, if you do not have the necessary resources required for registration, please notify our registration clerk (360-413-0148) and request to be part of our Scholarship Program.

Upon receipt of your entry form, fees, and signed liability waiver, a confirmation letter (or e-mail) will be mailed to you within approximately two weeks.

The confirmation will contain:

• A receipt of payment
• A list of events the athlete is competing in
• Special events the athlete signed up for

If you have not received your confirmation after two weeks, or if there is incorrect or omitted information, please call our Information Line, 360-413-0148, immediately so that we can verify the correct information.

No refund will be made if an entrant fails to compete. In the event of inclement weather or unsafe conditions, Games officials reserve the right to cancel, reschedule, or postpone outdoor events. Games officials also reserve the right to cancel any event or combine age groups due to insufficient entries. Due to costs that must be incurred by the Senior Games, no refunds will be given under the circumstances stated above.

During the Games, call 360-701-0009 or our Information Line: 360-413-0148 for the most recent event updates.

Each individual must check in personally at the site of his or her first scheduled event. A photo ID showing date of birth may be required. At check-in, you will receive your t-shirt and the latest information regarding events, schedules and special activities.

These are listed in each event description and also on the schedule of events and event venue locations pages online. There also are directions to events that you may find helpful. If you have questions, please call our Information Line at 360-413-0148.

The Washington State Senior Games is an open competition and makes no distinction as to residency. All out-of-state competitors and participants from other countries are welcome.

Any person who has competed at a professional level in any event MUST have been retired from professional competition for at least 20 years in order to be eligible to compete in that event. Professional athletes retired for less than 20 years may participate in any event other than the one(s) in which they competed professionally.

Those entering multiple sports must be aware of possible scheduling conflicts. Athletes planning to enter multiple events should check the schedule of events to avoid possible conflicts. It is the participants' responsibility to check for conflicts. No competition will be delayed to convenience a conflict. No refunds will be given and no schedule changes will be made to accommodate multi-sport entrants.

All athletes must be 50 years old by December 31, 2020 to compete in the Senior Games.  An athlete's competition age bracket will be based on his/her age on December 31, 2020. Partner and team age groups are determined by the age of the youngest partner/team member on December 31, 2020.

Age divisions include:

• Individuals:
  50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89, 90-94, 95-99, 100+
• Teams:
  50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+
• Rock Climbing:
  The Rock Climbing Event allows individuals 40 years of age or older to compete.

In the Olympic tradition, Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in each event during the 2020 Washington State Senior Games. If there is only one person in an age group, that person will participate in exhibition competition with the nearest age group - preferably the next lowest age group. Medals will be presented during or at the completion of each competition.

2020 is a qualifying year for the National Senior Games to be held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, November 5 – 18, 2021. Top participants in the 2020 Washington State Senior Games will be qualify to participate in the National Senior Games in 2021.

We urge all participants to fully prepare and condition themselves prior to competing in the Senior Games. It is recommended that each participant confer with his or her personal physician prior to the competition. Since there is a no-refund policy in place for athletes who fail to compete, having a physical examination prior to registering also may prevent a loss of entrance fees.

Most events will be held in the Olympia, Lacey or Tumwater areas with the following exceptions:

• Archery will take place at Skookum Archers in Puyallup
• Badminton will take place at the Lakewood Community Center in Lakewood
• Cowboy Action Shooting and Trap Shooting will take place at the Evergreen Sportsmens Club in Olympia/Littlerock
• Shuffleboard will take place at the Little Creek Casino in Shelton
• Softball will take place at the Mason County Recreational Area (MCRA) in Shelton
• Table tennis will take place at United Lutheran Church in Tacoma

See the event venue location page for more details on event locations.

Participants must provide their own transportation to and from all events and venues.

Participants are responsible for providing their own equipment for the events entered, except as specified on their sport page. See the events page for any additional equipment requirements for a specific event. Washington State Senior Games will not be held responsible for any loss or damage of any personal equipment.

All athletes must wear the athletic attire usual and customary for the sport(s) in which they are competing.

Insurance is the responsibility of each participant. Every athlete should carry proof of insurance in the event of an emergency, injury or illness.

Medical personnel and standby ambulance service will be available at some venue sites. If a participant must be transported by ambulance, it will be at the participant's expense.

During the Games, results will be available at the sports venues. Upon the conclusion of the Games, results will be posted as soon as they are available.

The Die Hards Track Club is a 50+ track and field club that meets weekly, sometimes twice weekly, on a year-round basis. Most practices are held at 10:00 am on Saturdays at St. Martin's University

Call Fran Melzer at 360-878-7708 for current, more detailed information.

With respect to our Board of Directors and volunteers (we have no paid staff), Washington State Senior Games does not discriminate on the grounds of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, or presence of any disability. In order to compete in the Washington State Senior Games participants must be 50 years of age or better.

Participation in the Washington State Senior Games as a player, coach or spectator is a privilege to be attained by meeting the standards of good sportsmanship and appropriate conduct as defined in this rule and in the rules governing each individual sport. The governing board of these Games, the Washington State Senior Games, reserves the right to disqualify any player, coach or spectator from further participation or attendance in the Washington State Senior Games for inappropriate conduct including but not limited to the following:

• Physical or verbal assaults or threats
• Unsportsmanlike or disorderly behavior
• Improper use of alcohol and/or drugs
• Destruction of property
• False representation of age, residency or eligibility

Athletes and coaches are responsible for knowing, understanding and following the rules, policies and code of conduct for their sport. Violent acts may result in charges being brought against the individual (s). A complaint by a Games athlete, coach, volunteer or official must be addressed to the Sport Commissioner of that particular sport. Appeals may be made to the Board of the Washington State Senior Games. The decision of that Board is final.