June 13, 2024

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In this issue:

• Important State Finals Reminders
• Event Information
• FAQ's
• Athlete Check-in Information
• Hall of Fame
• Where to send your digital photos for Facebook
• Volunteers
• Sustained Athlete Fitness Exam - It's FREE and appointments are available



** NOTE **



This email is going to all 2024 registered State Finals athletes. Pickleball and cycling participants will receive more information prior to their events as well.

IMPORTANT STATE FINALS REMINDERS

Let the Games begin - kicking off with Field Events Friday, June 21!

We are looking forward to a fantastic time of competition as well as the chance for athletes to rekindle old friendships and develop new connections. 



Please read on for important information:

EVENT INFORMATION - Your SPORTS INFO Resource

Note: There have been a few minor adjustments to some schedules, please double-check your sports page.

To view information for your sport such as athlete lists, start times, venue location, rules, and other information please click this link and select your sport:

 http://www.tnseniorolympics.com/sports-information

Note- we are still working on brackets, schedules, and starting times for some sports with the goal of posting that information one week out from competition. So please check back if your sport page does not include those details.

NOTE: June 13, 2024 

The individual sports participant lists above are NOT working (team and doubles lists are working). However, we have posted those athlete lists to their respective sports pages.

The programmers are aware, and we expect an update soon. Please check back.

Frequently asked questions regarding schedules:

Q. What if I am running late for my sport? Is there a grace period for forfeits?

A. Game time is forfeit time. We encourage all athletes to check-in 10 minutes prior to your start time.  Please allow extra time for traffic! If your sport includes a round robin or double elimination format, and you miss the first round, a loss will be recorded but you may join in.

Q. What if I need to withdraw from an event?

A. We are so hopeful that each of you will be able to attend each event for which you registered. However, we know that situations arise and that may not be possible. Because there are 200+ schedules to manage with all sports and age groups combined, it simply isn’t possible for us to keep up with your withdrawal e-mails and phone messages in order to update those brackets, heats, draws, flights, etc. For the vast majority of sports, we will note the scratch on-site and keep moving.  So please do not worry if this is the case for you. EXCEPTION: TENNIS.

For tennis, sometimes only one match per day is scheduled. If you must withdraw from a tennis match, PLEASE do let us know. It is frustrating for opponents to drive in and show up with no one to play. Thank you for your consideration.

ATHLETE CHECK-IN

(T-Shirt Pick-Up / ID Check)

All athletes are required to check-in either before or after your events at the central location below:  

Where:  

Franklin High School

810 Hillsboro Road

Franklin, TN 37064

(Follow the signs to Athlete Check-In)

When:

Friday, June 21        1:30 pm- 6:00 pm

(doors will NOT open until 1:30pm)

Saturday, June 22        7:15 am- 5:00 pm

Sunday, June 23         7:15 am- 5:00 pm

Monday, June 24         7:15 am- 4:00 pm

Tuesday, June 25         7:15 am- 4:00 pm

Wednesday, June 26      7:15 am- 4:00 pm

Thursday, June 27         7:15 am- 10:00 am

Why: To verify ages, distribute shirts, answer questions, and provide other state finals information. Please bring proof of age. With over 1,200 athletes in various sports, it is necessary to have a central check-in location, as we do not have the ability to sort and transport check-in materials to every venue.

Exceptions: The sports listed below may report directly to their respective venue to check in.

Golf - Henry Horton Golf Course

Pickleball (August in Chattanooga)

Cycling (September in Strawberry Plains)

ATHLETE CHECK-IN FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. Must I check-in before my event starts?

A. No. However, you must check-in sometime before you leave town or your results will be voided. Please check the Athlete Check-In hours before driving over to make sure it is open.

Q. Do I have to go to FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL? Can someone bring my packet and T-shirt to my venue?

A. No. With over 1,200 athletes in 70 events and multiple venues, this is an impossibility for staff and volunteers to manage. Thank you for your understanding. See exceptions above.

Q. Can someone else check-in for me?

A. Unfortunately not. We need to check the ID of the

actual athlete to make sure it is the same person

Why Should I Visit Franklin?

If you’re looking to slow down and enjoy a true Southern experience, Franklin is just the place for you! Below are a few suggestions.



The Franklin Hop Trolley

• The Franklin Hop is a hop-on, hop-off tour with live narration that takes you through the historic town’s most iconic sites. From Downtown Franklin to the quaint village of Leiper’s Fork. Hop-off to explore Carnton and other historic sites along the tour. Enjoy popular local eateries, unique shopping, charming downtown Franklin, and much more!

• The Factory at Franklin
• Leiper's Fork Distillery
• Carnton/ Carter Historic Houses
• Historic Downtown Main Street

For a look into more unique experiences visit https://visitfranklin.com/

HALL OF FAME

We are excited to announce the names of our 2024 Hall of Fame Class! These individuals will be inducted into the Tennessee Senior Olympics Hall of Fame on Monday, June 24^th.

Dan Ball

Charlotte Myers

Lisa Wright

Ken Rice (posthumously)

If you reserved a ticket for the Hall of Fame dinner you will be receiving additional information closer to the event.

We look forward to sharing additional details about their accomplishments soon!

PICTURES

Please send your best photos to [email protected]

You may also text pictures to 615-200-8760. Pictures only please. We do not have the ability to reply to text messages.

We will be posting them on our Facebook page.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are still in need of volunteers. If you have time or days in between events please consider volunteering! Your fellow athletes will appreciate you so much. 



VOLUNTEER NOW

Please consider sharing with your family and friends and on social media. Our event is a great way for students to earn service hours.

NOTE: If in the event, we are not able to fill all volunteer shifts, please be aware that your Sports Chair in charge of your competition may assign athletes to help (while not playing) if needed. Thank you for your cooperation!

The Sustainable Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE) will once again be offered this year for all of the athletes!

This free screening takes about 20-30 minutes, and you learn about YOUR cardiovascular fitness, muscular fitness, flexibility fitness and balance fitness as compared to your athletic peers. 

This testing is the same SAFE as seen at the National Senior Games and provided by the Geriatric Chapter of APTA (American Physical Therapy Association).

Stop by and see how fit you are!

Where: Near the Athlete Check-in tables inside Franklin High School, 810 Hillboro Rd, Franklin, TN

When:

Friday, June 21, 2:00 - 5:00 PM

Saturday, June 22, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Sunday, June 23, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

How: Make an appointment with following link. Walk ups welcome!

Here is the link for appointments.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E45A9AD22A1FDCE9-49993101-tnsafe

Gretchen Jackson, PT, DPT

APTA Geriatrics Eastern Regional State Advocate Coordinator (2024-2026)

Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy

APTA Tennessee Legislative Chair (2022-2025)

APTA Tennessee Delegate-at-Large (2024)

Owner and Physical Therapist, Keep Active Therapy

Tennessee Senior Olympics Board (2021-2024)

NATIONAL QUALIFICATION INFORMATION

The 2024 Tennessee Senior Olympics State Finals events will serve as qualifying opportunities for the 2025 Nationals.

 Top finalists at our state finals events will qualify for the 2025 National Senior Games scheduled for Des Moines, Iowa from July 24- August 4, 2025

After many years, the qualifying and hosting cycle has returned to the National Senior Games being held on odd years, with qualifying taking place on even years.

Basic qualifying info:

The top four places qualify in each age group in all sports with these exceptions:

Basketball, Softball, and Volleyball: 3 teams per age group qualify.

Golf, only the first place qualifies. Minimum performance scores may also qualify.

The 5K and 10K road races require that an athlete PARTICIPATE in the event, not place.

There will be many “OPEN” sports at Nationals that do not require state qualification. These include: free throw, 3-point, beach volleyball, billiards, cornhole, disc golf, golf scramble, one mile run at the road race, power lifting, power walk and soccer.

In addition, athletes meeting minimum performance scores in several sports involving time and score will be eligible as well as “bonus events” in swimming and running events.

The clearest way to study the qualification standard for your sport is to view your sport page within the National Senior Games Rulebook. Click here: National Senior Games Rules and Regulation Manual



NOTE regarding in-state qualifying for Tennessee residents:

Per National rules : "Each event allows for a specific number of qualifiers. If out-of-state residents qualify, they will NOT take away a qualifying spot from an in-state resident.



Here in Tennessee we may qualify the number of state residents specified for each event in addition to the out-of-state qualifiers.

For example, if a Tennessean places 5th in archery with 4th place going to a KY resident, BOTH would qualify- the Tennessean would be moved up.

For FORTY-FOUR years, BlueCross BlueShield has been our constant partner. Words cannot express our appreciation for this marvelous staff and organization. Thank you!