Written by Guy DeWeese

Elbow pads are strapped on, knee pads are adjusted and you can hear neck braces being velcroed. This is just a typical day at the Hamilton Family YMCA basketball court. Most young hoopers don’t even bother playing against the seasoned vets.. For these senior hoopers, this is their lifestyle. 

John Hendrickson recently moved to Chattanooga from Illinois and the 78-year-old man is one of the many seniors actively playing basketball every Monday at the YMCA. 

“Many of us have a good background in basketball, just a group of guys wanting to do something together,” Hendrickson said.

A winning legacy continues at the Hamilton Recreation Center. The seniors showcase a more traditional style of basketball These ballers are bringing a whole new level of excitement to the courts.

This shows that the game is about skill, heart, and hustle, no matter your age. Instead of watching on Saturday night for a big game, you can watch the real big game every Monday and Wednesday evening at the YMCA. 

In professional basketball, the sad truth is that most players and teams are relying more on a three-point shot rather than a two-point shot. Power forwards and centers are expanding their game beyond the paint and free throws, and trying to display their guard-like skills. This is not the case for this group of talented ball players. 

Hendrickson, one of the “older” gentlemen, finds peace while playing basketball. He was also a member of the Senior Olympics team in 2012 when the games were hosted at McCallie High School. The first Senior Games event was held in Los Angeles, California, in 1969, after Warren Blaney, a Los Angeles businessman and former track and field athlete, founded a non-profit organization and secured support from the Helms Athletic Foundation and the Los Angeles Times.

Soon after, in 1981, the state of Tennessee began a mission to promote healthy lifestyles for seniors through fitness, sports, and active involvement in life. A few years later, the first National Senior Games championship took place in St. Louis, with 2,500 athletes competing in 15 different sports.

These games are officially known as the National Senior Games (NSG). They are multi-sport events for adults 50 and older, organized by the National Senior Games Association (NSGA). They feature regional and state competitions that serve as qualifiers for the biennial national games. The NSG is a large-scale, Olympic-style competition for seniors that promote physical fitness, active aging and the benefits of competitive sports.

For many elderly people still physically active, the NSGA is a great opportunity to showcase skills and talents and prove the doubters wrong. This is why Ken Herrick, who is 76, keeps playing with the same core group together for 15 years. 

“I do not plan anything for Monday because I don’t want to miss a game,” Herrick said. 

Herrick and Keith Johnston, another member of the team, are now teammates after a long history dating back to 1969. They faced each other when Freed Hardmen played and beat Langston University, now Oklahoma University. From rivals back in the day to teammates in the Senior Olympics, the team bonded over small talk about basketball’s greats. 

 Julius Erving, Dr. J, Hall of Fame high-flying superstar who redefined the game, gave them an uplifting pep talk when they played in Ohio for the NSG in the early 2000s. They ultimately took home a bronze medal. 

The dedication of these superstar athletes is unique. It is very rare that Herrick misses a game day on Monday because they’ve been playing together for almost a whole decade. “I try not to schedule anything on Mondays. I do not want to miss these games with all my friends,” explained Herrick.

Normally, at recreation centers, you see some younger people fixing their shots, reenacting game-like scenarios or trying to better their game. Every week, around the same time, the regular group of older gentlemen play competitive basketball.

“We really just want to have fun and have a good time being with each other,” Hendrickson said. 

These gentlemen play a more traditional game of pick-up basketball at the YMCA, playing the right way, being good teammates on and off the court, building true friendships, having no official referees, small crowds, and quality basketball.

 “Really, we just want to win,” explained Ernest Harris, a 76-year-old retired veteran who served in the U.S. Army. Despite only joining about six months ago, these hoopers still take winning seriously and love to have bragging rights about their close friends. 

“I truly see many of them as my friends now,” Harris shared, reflecting on how he found himself at the gym just in time to join their pick-up games. Although he hasn’t been part of the organization for long, he feels embraced by this large family. 

Senior basketball and the Senior Olympics celebrate not only the athleticism of older adults but also their resilience, camaraderie and lifestyle. These events provide a vibrant platform for seniors to showcase their skills, foster friendships and inspire others to embrace an active lifestyle. The passion for the sport will always provide a community to those who love the game, regardless of age.

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Keeping the Clock Running

Written by Emily Petitt Dwyer

When Keith Johnston steps onto the basketball court each week, he does so with the confidence of a lifelong athlete. At 77, thirty-seven years after a life-changing heart attack, he shares the court with men ranging from their 60s to 80s—men who once ran faster, jumped higher, and eagerly competed in their younger years. Today, the game has changed, but the passion remains as powerful as ever.

Johnston had a successful career as a mechanical contractor, managing large-scale projects, but he decided to leave that stress behind after his heart attack to look after his health.

“Made a lot of money doing [mechanical contracting], but it about killed me,” he said. “I had a heart attack, and I only got three-quarters of my heart pumping oxygen. So I get out of breath real easy.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Americans 65 years and above, resulting in almost 700,000 deaths every year. Physical activity, on the other hand, can help to lower the chances of developing heart disease and enhance the well-being of older people. For Johnston, basketball was both his rescue and his love.

Johnston began playing basketball, football, and track in high school, and he was one of the best, he said.. Johnston received scholarship offers in all three sports, but decided to focus on basketball, playing at a junior college in Tennessee and then at Abilene Christian University in Texas.

Johnston started playing Senior Olympics basketball at age 50 with friends who liked to compete. His team has won 11 consecutive Georgia Senior Olympics championships and six Tennessee titles. Many of his former teammates have passed, which only goes to show how much every game means to those still playing.

“It’s double-edged,” Johnston said. “It’s something that we love. We’re passionate about it, and I don’t think I’d be alive [without it]. I’d just be laying at home moping.”

At 68 years old, Johnston retired from his second profession of teaching plumbing at East Ridge High School and enjoys the sense of community that this weekly basketball pick-up creates. The camaraderie among the players is obvious; players connect with one another in a lighthearted way, joking around and competing lightly.

“We hardly ever fight. No fights breaking out here,” Johnston said. “We are all here for the fun of it. When someone comes in and they begin taking it too serious, we tell them, ‘Hey, we’re not out here to get hurt.'”

This lively team is made up of different age groups and skill levels, and sometimes, there are younger players in their 40s who will keep all the players on their toes. For Johnston and his teammates, basketball is not just physical exertion; it is a very important social interaction. 

“Every single one of us here is grateful to still be playing,” Johnston said. “We’re passionate about basketball, but we’re even more passionate about living. As long as we can lace up our shoes, we’ll keep stepping onto the court.”

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