Twenty four competitors were clearly having a ball in more ways than one at Cornwall’s first ever Senior Club Games.
The day-long event for those aged sixty plus took place at Better Bodmin Leisure Centre. Split into three teams, participants represented east, west and mid Cornwall and competed round robin style in pickleball, walking cricket, walking netball and walking football.
Kathy Bray, from Bodmin, hadn’t played any of the sports before.
“I used to swim here and when I got an email about these games, I thought why not give it a go,” she said. “Taking part was a first for me but it’s good to try new things and I’ve had a lot of fun.”
Kathryn Pearn, 68, from Lanivet, was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2012. A keen netballer who plays with her local club, she now comes to weekly pickleball sessions.
“Keeping active is an out and out lifeline for me,” she said. “You lose muscle and social confidence on chemo, so walking into the leisure centre for the first time was a massive deal for me.
“The exercise gets me out of bed and is therapeutic – both physically and mentally. I can’t recommend it enough.”
Eddie Symonds, 76, from Newquay, has been playing walking football at Bodmin for the last eighteen months and has recently taken up pickleball. Despite being treated for bowel cancer and living with a stoma, he still attends sessions at least three times a week.
“When I told the hospital what I was doing, they said I must keep it up because being active helps tremendously,” he said. “I love coming and have made some great friends.”
The games were organised by not-for-profit social enterprise GLL in partnership with Cornwall FA, Cornwall Cricket, Lanivet Pandas Netball Club, and Cornwall Walking Football Referees.
Nationally, GLL has been running senior club games in London for almost twenty years.
“The games are a popular annual fixture in London boroughs, and we’re delighted to have now held our first event in Cornwall,” said Karen Edmond, GLL Community Sports Manager.
“The idea is to challenge our senior club members and form centre teams that can then compete against others – both locally and nationwide.
“I’m really pleased with the way the day went and congratulate everyone involved for taking part. A big thank you must go to the 41 students from Callywith College who provided amazing help throughout and to The Shoe Boy, Wovina and Barnecutts, Bodmin-based businesses who supplied our trophies, t-shirts and pasties.”
East Cornwall were declared overall winners of the Senior Club Games, with Mid Cornwall second and West Cornwall third.
Guests attending included international triathlete Theresa Frost; Councillor Leigh Frost, Leader of Cornwall Council; Melanie Brain, Service Director of Communities; Heath Brandwood, Service Manager Leisure; Danielle Peel, CEO Cornwall FA and Karen Scott, Chair of Lanivet Pandas.
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