FLORENCE — Bill Snaden estimates it has been a decade, maybe a bit longer, since he and his wife, Lillian, have competed in the South Carolina Senior Sports Classic State Games at Francis Marion University.
It doesn’t mean they don’t look forward to the event, though, which begins today and lasts through Saturday at FMU and other sites around the city.
The Florence husband-and-wife team has been volunteering by helping organize and run track and field events for years.
Winning a competition, said Bill, 83, isn’t the only reason to be a part of the games.
“We get to see all the people we’ve known for so many years each time we go,” he said. “For us, the least important thing is the competition itself. It’s great to be out there with people you’ve known for 20 or 30 years.”
Of course, that’s not the case for everyone, which is one of the things that makes the event so attractive, South Carolina Senior Sports Classic president Phebe Holcombe said.
“We try to accommodate the recreational athlete as well as the dedicated athlete,” Holcombe said. “And it’s important that these athletes have venues throughout our state that cater to their needs.”
Holcombe said there are 22 local games around South Carolina that feed athletes into the state games, and the organization is still growing. Spartanburg and the Williamsburg, Horry and Georgetown tri-county area added chapters this year, she said.
Athletes 50 or older are eligible to participate. Holcombe said of the approximately 275 athletes expected at this year’s state games, the oldest registered is 95.
Francis Marion has hosted the event for all 25 years of its existence. Dean Blackburn, the coordinator for the Smith University Center and coordinator of the college’s summer programs, has acted as liaison between the university and the SCSSC and said doing so has been a rewarding experience.
“You see these seniors come in and they’re active, they’re energetic and they’re good people,” he said. “It just inspires you because you see a lot of seniors who aren’t active because they can’t get out and do so many things.
“I look forward to seeing this group every year. It’s like seeing members of your family when you see them.”
While most events are at FMU, some are off campus.
Today’s golf, which begins at 10 a.m., is scheduled for Traces Golf Club. Track and field events on Saturday (7:30 a.m. start) are at West Florence and Saturday’s bowling competition (10 a.m. start) is at Southgate Bowling Center.
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