Eastbayri.com

The goal of the Rhode Island Ocean Tides Senior Games (RIOTSG), said Nancy Dobie, is simple.

“We don’t want to go to nursing homes,” said the 68-year-old Bristol resident, who along with Julie Baldwin founded the multi-sport competition for 40-plus people four years ago.

Not to be confused with the Rhode Island Senior Olympics, the nonprofit RIOTSG is primarily based in the East Bay, although it attracts competitors from all over New England and holds some of its contests in Cranston, Providence and Manville. This year 184 competitors took part in the games, which began in early May and wrapped up last week with golf at the Swansea Country Club.

Participants compete in separate age groups (50-54, 75-79, etc.) to level out the playing field and they range widely in ability. Take swimming, for example. There’s Ms. Dobie, who acknowledged she’s “built for comfort, not speed,” and “hotshot” Diann Uustal, who summers in Jamestown.

“She’s won all kinds of national titles,” said Ms. Dobie. “We were recognized by the U.S. Masters Swimming, so that put us on their schedule.”

Ms. Dobie taught physical education in Seekonk for 34 years before retiring and Ms. Baldwin is the former athletic director at Wheeler School in Providence. Ms. Dobie said they started the games as a continuation of what they had been doing previously.

“Now we’re just working with the older groups, including ourselves,” said Ms. Dobie, who said the games give seniors an important outlet to stay active in both body and mind. “In today’s society, 68 is young in spirit if you keep active, keep involved — and don’t look at the calendar. It’s also a wonderful social outlet.”

Winning medals — they feature an image of Hog Island Lighthouse, designed by Ms. Dobie herself — aren’t as important as participating, she said.

“We’re not obviously as skilled as we used to be because the body changes. I have two new hips and a re-attached rotator cuff, so I’ve had to re-adjust my lifestyle,” said Ms. Dobie, who prefers to swim backstroke for distance swimming because it puts less stress on her shoulders.

Many of the participants, like Ms. Dobie, have backgrounds in teaching. One of the more competitive RIOTSG athletes is 75-year-old Tony DaPonte of Warren, who taught special education for 40 years and adult education for another 10 before retiring. He started as a sprinter at LaSalle Academy (Class of 1954) and hasn’t stopped running since.

Mr. DaPonte participates in about four “masters” track and field meets annually and at RIOTSG took home first-place medals in his age group in both the 400- and 800-meter running events. He’s quick to point out, however, that he doesn’t compete for medals but rather against his “personal bests.”

Despite his age, he said there are more opportunities for him to compete today than in the past.

“When I ran in the ’60s and ’70s, there weren’t any meets,” said Mr. DaPonte, one of the few local athletes who competed at last year’s USA Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships in Boston. “We need to be motivated. If you have a meet, you work harder.”

Mr. DaPonte is already self-disciplined when it comes to exercise, however. He runs regularly and joined some other seniors during a workout last week at Brown University, where they received guidance from a track coach. “I’m hard on myself. I time myself,” he said. “I also cross-train. I live near the Kickemuit River and I might want to take a swim.”

However, Mr. DaPonte said he knows his limitations. “I purposely run one day and rest the next. I don’t want to get injured; I’d rather last,” he said, adding with a laugh, “When I’m 90, I figure I’ll be the only one left, so maybe I’ll get a medal.”

Running helps with depression

Besides personal bests, another factor motivates him to run: Mr. DaPonte has had clinical depression since high school. He sees a psychiatrist once a year and said “it’s under control,” which he partly attributes to running.

“You can’t change your feelings, but you can change your environment,” said Mr. DaPonte while working out at the Kickemuit Middle School track last week. “Coming out here, I can change who I am.”

Beth Penkala of Warren, Mt. Hope High School’s athletic director, won three throwing events — discus, javelin and shot put — in the 50-54 age range. The retired teacher was encouraged to compete in RIOTSG by her former track coach, Ann Morris, 79, who also takes part in the games. Ms. Morris coached track for 20-plus years at Warren High School and also taught cross-country and gymnastics.

Ms. Penkala, a former high school all-stater in shot put and discuss, said she’s always been physically active. “I go three times a week to a strength and conditioning group and I also golf and go to Zumba classes and take long walks and bike and things like that,” she said. “I have arthritis, so for me to stop would be really debilitating. I feel better when I’m active.”

Still, she said it felt strange to be back on the field and competing again in the throwing events. “It was déjà vu — like I was back in high school as far as the competing portion of it. I was doing things I hadn’t done in years,” she said.

One of the things that impressed her the most about RIOTSG was the support from the other athletes. “A group of throwers came out and the oldest was in his mid-’80s. They encouraged me and pushed me to do more,” said Ms. Penkala, noting that she first started with just the shot put before also competing in discus and javelin.

Help all around

The games couldn’t exist without that spirit of support and cooperation — and hard work, said Ms. Dobie, who put in $10,000 of her own money to help get the games going four years ago. (Ms. Baldwin did the same.)

“Being retired from teaching, I’m more busy than ever,” she said.

The games are endorsed by R.I. Department of Elderly Affairs and also receives support from state and local officials, the R.I. Senior Agenda Coalition, the Gray Panthers of Rhode Island and others. “Since we’re a nonprofit and many of us are retired school teachers, we needed guidance.”

The organizers are also appreciative for the young folks who pitch in with photography, website development and more, as well as the venues that host their events. “Roger Williams University has given us their pool and their basketball court for our games — no fee. This year we had track and field at Brown University, which is a real gem,” said Ms. Dobie.

Cycling and the four-mile road race were held near Nonquit Pond in Tiverton and duckpin bowling was at Dudek Bowling Lanes in Warren. Perhaps the most magnificent venue is Bristol Harbor, reserved for 50-plus sailing.

RIOTSG needs more help, however, in the form of volunteers and sponsors (sponsorship levels run from $250 to $2,500). “We really need to find a corporation,” said Ms. Dobie, adding that she was pleased to have received sponsorship from MetLife this year.

Stress-reducer

Ms. Dobie said one of RIOTSG’s main goals is to show senior citizens how physical fitness can also do wonders for your mind.

“Mentally, it gets rid of the stress. If you’re busy and you’re laughing, you’re not feeling any of your pains. If you’re away from yourself, then you’re happy and can relax,” said Ms. Dobie. “When I get in that water, everything is off my shoulders. I do my best thinking in the water. I don’t swim fast, so I have plenty of time to think!”

Shortly after saying this, she jumped into the waters off Wally’s Beach in Bristol for a relaxing swim with friend and fellow competitor Dave Roscoe, 79, from Bristol.

Mr. Roscoe, a U.S. Navy veteran, competed in duckpin bowling, cycling and — his real love — sailing. He’s also a corresponding secretary for the games, which Mr. Roscoe said amounts to “licking the stamps.”

“It’s really inspiring to see,” Mr. Roscoe said of RIOTSG. “Over at Brown, there were people in their 80s and one in his 90s chugging along, doing the 50-yard dash.

“I like the spirit of it: ‘I’m not going to roll over now. I’m going to continue to taste life.”

How to get involved

The nonprofit Rhode Island Ocean Tides Senior Games’ (RIOTSG) mission is to “promote, encourage, organize and conduct programs, activities and sports events for senior men and women 40 years and over in Rhode Island and surrounding states.”

Now in its fourth year, RIOTSG offers competition in bowling (both 10-pin and duckpin), table tennis, cycling, road racing, track and field, basketball, swimming, sailing and golf. Events are held from May to August.

For more information about RIOTSG or if you’re interested in competing next year, visit www.riotsg.com.