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BRADENTON, Fla. — For Janet Rumig of Sarasota, the bowling alley is a second home.
She is so comfortable walking up to the lane that it is hard to tell this is a competition, specifically the Gulf Coast Games for Life.
“I think I am the only person in my age group, so I should win,” said Rumig.
This is the qualifying match for the Florida Senior Games State Championships. Andrea King with Sarasota County Parks and Recreation says it has been a tradition for nearly 40 years, and the primary goal is not to necessarily come home with a medal.
“They get to be together with other people. There is a social component which is as important as the physical side,” King explained.
Whether it is bowling or another sport, the purpose of the Gulf Coast Games for Life is to incentivize seniors to train and exercise year-round.
Research from the National Institutes of Health reports that both men and women can add at least a decade to their life expectancy by prioritizing a healthy lifestyle.
For Rumig, bowling has always been a part of her routine.
“As kids, we could go bowling, one game for a quarter. But if we were willing to set pins for somebody else, then we could bowl for free,” Rumig added.
Competing, however, Rumig did not start until her golden years.
“I would have done more competitive bowling, except we had kids,” she mentioned.
She does not hide her age or her secret to staying in shape.
“Just did it for fun. Being healthier is just a benefit,” said Rumig.
Her true motivation for bowling multiple times a week is sharing the lane with her friends and husband, Mike.
Bowling better than the boys is something her husband says she has done for the past 42 years of marriage.
Just like getting a strike again and again, bowling is like taking her daily medication for life — a daily dose of life.
The Gulf Coast Games for Life are far from over. Now through February 21, seniors will compete in sixteen different sports. Those who come home with a medal will qualify for the Florida Senior Games state championships, competing again against other amateur and aging athletes across the state this December.
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