Rare Open Registration Available for 2023 National Senior Games

The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) announces it will allow athletes over 50 years old to enter to compete in this year’s National Senior Games without requiring qualification. The 2023 National Senior Games presented by Humana will be hosted in Pittsburgh, PA from July 7-18, 2023.

The National Senior Games, held every other odd-numbered year since 1987, has always required senior athletes to first qualify at one of its Member Games held around the country during the previous year. When the pandemic caused the cancellation or postponement of most of the qualifying games prior to the 2022 Games, NSGA needed to offer open registration to fairly accommodate athletes who did not have qualifying events near them.

Some states continued to have challenges in 2022 and could not stage all of their qualifying events for the 2023 Games, so the NSGA Board of Directors approved an “open entry parameter” for the final month of registration, and after qualified athletes had ample time to register. It also opens a rare window for any senior athlete curious about Senior Games to participate.

Under this adjustment, anyone age 50+ as of December 31, 2022, is eligible to enter any of the 20 sports being offered. The open entry parameter begins March 30 and ends with the close of all registration on May 2. The maximum number of registrants will be limited for certain sports and could reach capacity at any point during the process. Complete registration information and online registration is available at NSGA.com/National Games/Registration.

“Required qualification is a unique and important aspect of our Games, but as with all other events, our entire network of 52 state and affiliate member games was deeply impacted by these circumstances,” said NSGA Interim CEO Sue Hlavacek. “Offering open registration ensures that none of our past athletes will be left out, and it’s also a new opportunity for athletes to compete who may not have heard about us, particularly people who live in close proximity of The Games.”

“Pittsburgh is situated within one day’s driving range of several states,” Hlavacek added. “This is an opportunity for new athletes to come and experience competition, camaraderie and fun! Once they do, they will likely come back.”

The National Senior Games established itself as the world’s largest qualified multisport competition in 2019 when nearly 14,000 competed in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Athletes compete for medals and place ribbons in five-year age divisions from 50 to 100+.

Complete information about National Senior Games can be found at NSGA.com.