Sports Competitions for Adults Over 40: A Participant's Guide to 27 Sports

229 Pages·2009·0.64 MB·English

by  Thomas A. Jones

Sports Competitions for Adults Over 40
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Sports Competitions
for Adults Over 40
A Participant’s Guide
to 27 Sports
T A. J
HOMAS ONES
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina, and London
LIBRARYOFCONGRESSCATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATIONDATA
Jones, Thomas A., 1941–
Sports competitions for adults over 40 :
a participant’s guide to 27 sports / Thomas A. Jones.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7864-3465-7
softcover : 50# alkaline paper
¡. Sports—United States—Directories.
I. Title.
GV583.J54 2009 796.084'4—dc22 2009006115
British Library cataloguing data are available
©2009 Thomas A. Jones. All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying
or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
Cover image ©2009 Shutterstock
Manufactured in the United States of America
McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 6¡¡, Je›erson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
To my father,
whose sense of fair play in competition
and enthusiasm for sports of all kinds
sparked my desire to write this book.
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Acknowledgments
This book has been years in the making and I have been helped by
countless individuals along the way. My first debt is owed to the many ath-
letes against whom I have competed. They not only brought out the best in
me, but were unfailingly enthusiastic, supportive, and encouraging as I
talked to them about Masters Sports. Second, the various organizations that
sponsor sports for Masters Athletes have been helpful in providing data and
guidance. Third, I should acknowledge Rick Beizer, Gary Temple, and David
Carroll, who offered their comments on draft sections of the book. Fourth,
my thanks to Sandy Beccia, who helped me format, edit and pull the chap-
ters together with her usual smooth efficiency. Finally, the book would never
have come into being without the love and support of my wife, Suzette. Her
patience and encouragement have been, as my granddaughter says, AWE-
SOME. Of course, none of these people are in any way responsible for the
errors or oversights in the book. Those are all my doing.
vii
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Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Preface 1
Introduction 5
Alpine Skiing 9 Rowing 82
Badminton 13 Soccer 87
Baseball 17 Softball 90
Basketball 22 Speedskating 101
Canoeing 26 Squash 104
Cross-Country Skiing 32 Swimming 109
Cycling 36 Table Tennis 116
Diving 43 Tennis 120
Fencing 46 Track and Field 126
Handball 50 Triathlon 132
Ice Hockey 55 Volleyball 138
Orienteering 60 Weightlifting and
Platform Tennis 65 Powerlifting 144
Racquetball 69 Multi-Sport Events 151
Road Racing 76
Appendix A: National Champions 159
Appendix B: Websites of Sponsoring Organizations 210
Appendix C: Selected Comparisons 212
Appendix D: Outstanding Masters Performances 213
Appendix E: Studies on Exercise and Longevity 214
Index 217
ix