More than 1,500 athletes age 50 and older are coming from around the country to Lou Berliner Sports Park from May 3-7 for the 2023 National Senior Games Softball Championship presented by Humana. Admission is free for all competitions.
Male and female teams compete in five-year increments, with age divisions for 50+, 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, and 75+. A total of 95 teams, 73 female and 22 male, will compete for Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. Ohio is represented with 163 athletes and there are 13 Ohio-based teams and eight Columbus area athletes registered to play.
The event is tied to the biennial National Senior Games, one of the largest multisport events in the world since 1987. The 2023 Games are set for July 7-18 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Softball is one of 21 sports featured. However, when the organizers determined that there were not enough senior softball fields to accommodate the number of expected teams, Pittsburgh and the National Senior Games Association (NSGA) discussed moving the softball competition to the Berliner Sports Park in Columbus to ensure the athletes would have an excellent experience. The Greater Columbus Sports Commission and the City of Columbus agreed to partner to host the Championship.
“The National Senior Games hosts one of the largest senior softball tournaments in the country,” NSGA Interim CEO Sue Hlavacek said. “When Columbus agreed to partner with us to host our event at the nation’s largest softball complex, we knew we had the best solution for everyone.”
National Senior Games softball athletes will be recognized at the May 5 baseball game between the Columbus Clippers and the Iowa Cubs at Huntington Park. Softball participants will parade the field prior to the game and will participate in various in-game fun activities.
“We have dozens of great venues in Columbus and Berliner Sports Park is near the top of that list. As the largest ball diamond complex in the U.S., it’s perfectly suited to host the softball portion of the National Senior Games. We’re looking forward to welcoming the athletes to our community early next month,” said Linda Logan, Greater Columbus Sports Commission CEO & president.
Complete information about National Senior Games can be found at NSGA.com.
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ABOUT NSGA
The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) is a member of the U.S. Olympic Paralympic Committee Affiliate Organization Committee. NSGA is a nonprofit Florida corporation that promotes health and well-being for adults 50 and over through education, fitness and sport. NSGA governs the biennial National Senior Games, the largest multi-sport championship event in the world. The Association is comprised of 52 independent Member Games that conduct qualifying competition events, and the 2023 National Senior Games presented by Humana will be held July 7-18, 2023. For more information, please visit NSGA.com.