“Swimming is a sport for life.”
Introducing Steve Wright. Steve is just one of the 25 competitors traveling to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to compete in the National Senior Games. The National Senior Games, a 25-sport biennial competition for men and women 50 and over, is the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors. Steve will be swimming in several races including freestyle, backstroke, and team relays.
Although this is Steve’s first year competing in the National Senior Games he isn’t new to swimming. Steve’s swimming journey started about 70 years ago with swimming lessons at Lake Michigan. Flash forward a few years, Steve started swimming competitively in high school and continued throughout college. Once he graduated college he took a break swimming competitively but, he never stopped getting in the water.
It wasn’t until about eight years ago he started competing again with a US Masters Swimming Team in Maryland. “So I did pretty well. It was exciting and encouraging being successful like that — I’ve kept up with it ever since.”
In 2019, Steve moved to Willow Valley Communities where he continues to pursue his passion for swimming. “Being here at Willow Valley Communities I’ve been very fortunate that we have this regulation 25-yard pool with lane markers.” The breathtaking facilities aren’t the only thing that helps Steve prepare for the National Senior Games. He mentions how swimming with fellow Willow Valley Communities residents has helped him perfect his stroke, complete-time trials, and enjoy a team aspect of swimming.
Steve may have years of experience but, he encourages all levels of swimmers at Willow Valley Communities to think about competing. “You might be better than you realize.”
