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Grace Larsen of Oceanside, left, and Dolly Scott of Encinitas are on an 80-plus basketball team that recently won a gold medal at the National Senior Olympics. (Photo by Jamie Scott Lytle - jlytle@nctimes.com) |
Dolly Scott has six children, nine grandchildren and five great-grandkids, but you wouldn't guess it based on her shock of deep auburn hair and her surprisingly effective jump shot.
Grace Larsen admits to being in her 80s, but her lockdown defensive tactics on the basketball court make onlookers question how an octogenarian manages to move her feet so quickly.
Scott, an Encinitas resident, and Larsen, of Oceanside, are both members of a San Diego-based basketball team for women 80 and older. That they play basketball in their eighth decade on earth (both declined to give their exact age) is a feat in itself, but their story is even more compelling because their team recently won a gold medal at the National Senior Olympics.
The San Diego Splash, based at the Mission Valley YMCA, won all three of its games last month in the National Senior Olympics, held at Stanford University.
"(Playing basketball) helps you stay in shape, keeps you healthy and keeps you going," Larsen said during an interview this week at the Encinitas Senior Center. "We laugh all the time ---- it's really a lot of fun."
The Splash play three-on-three half-court basketball, and outside of competition, they practice once a week, on Sundays. The Splash has teams for players in their 70s, 60s and 50s, but the 80-plus group is unique because so few continue playing into their 80s. Both Scott and Larsen said playing basketball at their age is merely a continuation of their lifelong love of sports.
Scott played high school basketball in Pennsylvania, and after she was done raising her kids, got into soccer ---- which she played for 35 years ---- as well as field hockey and track. Larsen said there weren't opportunities for girls to play organized sports when she was growing up in Long Beach, so she has relished the chance to be an athlete as an adult.
"Most of us were never able to play because we grew up before Title IX, and basketball wasn't offered for girls in school," said Larsen, who picked up basketball about seven years ago after having played volleyball and softball as an adult. "I've always wanted to play, so I jumped at the chance to play with a team in Encinitas, and from there, I went to the team in San Diego to compete at a higher level."
The Splash's 80-plus team qualified for the National Senior Olympics last summer, and played against some of the club's younger teams to prepare for last month's event. Facing players as many as 30 years younger helped them succeed when they got on the court with players their same age.
Both women said playing basketball and other sports helps keep them young and healthy. They also said they hope to continue playing as long as their bodies will allow.
"It's fun; it's social," Scott said, adding that she still plays horseshoes and competes in track as well. "Everybody gets a birthday card when they turn 80. Everybody has their own personalities. The people are great."
Posted in Community on Wednesday, September 9, 2009 8:00 pm Updated: 8:04 pm. |
