Today on “Growing Bolder at the National Senior Games,” presented by Uber: A pickleball story you need to see to believe! 71-year-old Edwin Smith shows us the 7 pound device hooked into his chest he wears 24/7 that is keeping him alive. Despite not having a pulse without it, he’s still competing for a medal in pickleball! Plus , a story of resilience and determination from the swimming pool, a softball start who became an author later in life, and the Shades of Gray Volleyball team who have taken family and friendship to a new level at the games.
“Growing Bolder at the National Senior Games,” presented by Uber | July 30th, 2025
By 
Growing Bolder
Related Stories 12 of 17
Related Stories 12 of 17
5 Keys to Resilience | Bounce Back from Setbacks as You Age
Health
Learn to bounce back from setbacks as you age with Growing Bolder’s 5 keys to resilience, and improve your physical and mental health.
Life Lessons from The Toothpick Man
Sports
Willie Spruill is a senior athlete known for his signature toothpick while he runs. He shares wisdom from a life fueled by track and field.
Athlete, Actor, Activist. Damien Leake is a Triple Threat Breaking Barriers
Sports
Damien Leake is making his mark on the world as an actor, a civil rights activist, and the fastest man over 70 who has ever lived.
Water Wizards Learn to Swim Program Breaks Barriers at the National Senior Games
Masters Sports
The DC Water Wizards are an adult swimming program in the nation’s capital that is smashing stereotypes and breaking barriers at the National Senior Games. This diverse team of swimmers are now diving headfirst into life, in and out of the pool.
Watch 90-Year-Old Janet Rushmere set a National Senior Games Swimming Record
Sports
Watch as 90-year-old Janet Rushmere sets a National Senior Games swimming record! She shares keys to her healthy life we can all learn from.
Madonna Hanna: Honoring the Past, Sprinting Into the Future
Masters Sports
Madonna Hanna has achieved all her life, as an award-winning teacher, author, and fashion industry executive. In 2011 she added sprinter to her list when, at 57, her late husband began coaching her and she entered the Washington Senior Games. After his death, Madonna kept her promise to him to keep running. She found a new coach in nationally-ranked track athlete Marcus Chambers, and their work together helped Madonna achieve gold at the 2023 National Senior Games.
Pole Vaulting Legend Kay Glynn Raises The Bar On What 70-Year-Olds Can Achieve
Sports
Kay Glynn is a 70-year-old grandmother and a pole vaulting legend who defies age, expectations, and gravity, inspiring adults of all ages to get off the couch.
Playbook for Life – 6 Life Lessons from Masters Athletes
Sports
Older adults have so much wisdom to share from their experience in masters sports. Here are 6 life lessons learned from senior athletes.
Veterans, Are You Accessing All Your Benefits?
Veterans
Elder law attorney Vanessa J. Skinner outlines the key benefits offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Looking For Your “What’s Next?” Consider a Career That Cares
Entrepreneurship
Are you eager to find your own “what’s next?” There are countless ways to make a professional pivot. Here’s one that’s great for people who love helping others.
Add Some Green to Your Holidays: Winter Kale Salad
Food & Nutrition
Nationally-known sports dietitian Tara Collingwood shares her recipe for the perfect winter kale salad.
Astronaut-Athlete Shares Life Experience That’s Out of This World
National Senior Games
Larry DeLucas is the only man who can say he’s dunked a basketball in outer space. He was a NASA special astronaut who flew to outer space for scientific research in 1992, and now in his 70’s, competes in bowling and cornhole at the National Senior Games.
