Frady, middle of the front row, training with the Broward Heat (Photo By Joanne Frady)
By Bryan Boggiano
Tamarac residents are warming up and flexing their muscles ahead of the Senior Olympics.
In Fort Lauderdale, the Senior Olympics begin May 10 and continue through May 23.
The National Senior Games Association hosts the games every two years; however, they postponed the 2021 games due to COVID-19.
“We had to pivot and adapt,” said Sarah Henrikson, press account manager. “These games have been a challenge to navigate as everyone slowly adapted to new changes.”
Henrikson estimates that 12,000 athletes will compete in 22 teams and individual sports at the 2022 games.
Two of those athletes, Joanne Frady, 58, and Randolph Mayweather, 65, are from Tamarac.
A third athlete, Steve Wolfson, 78, said that he would withdraw due to an injury.
Ahead of the games, Tamarac Talk caught up with Frady, who will compete in the women’s 3-by-3 basketball for players between 55 and 59 years old. Since 2013, Frady has been a part of the Broward Heat team.
The Broward Heat also has teams in the 50-54 and 60+ age groups competing in the Senior Olympics.
Frady (farthest right) with The Broward Heat at a tournament in The Villages (Photo by Joanne Frady)
“Our mindset is to compete again in a game we grew up loving as young ladies,” she said.
Frady originally played basketball in high school, but she never thought about playing on a team as an adult.
That changed when Frady met the team’s coach, Ronnie Lakatos when the two played softball together. Lakatos convinced Frady to play.
Ahead of the 2022 games, Frady said that her training consisted of at-home workouts, training with teams at The Salvation Army Corps Community Center in Ft. Lauderdale, and practice with her team.
Frady said that recovery time and COVID were the most challenging parts of training despite the hard work. However, eating right and resting helped them tremendously.
“Stay active, healthy, eat right, and exercise,” Frady said. “You will be able to continue being active in whatever sport you choose for many years.”
Despite the obstacles they faced due to COVID, Frady said that her team persisted, and now they are closer than ever.
Ahead of the Senior Olympics, Frady hopes to win the gold, but she said that winning is not the most crucial part of the games.
“No matter the outcome, the friendships and memories made will last a lifetime,” she said. “Keep motivated. Lift up your opponents. It’s about competition, fellowship, friendships, and having fun both on and off the court.”
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