The new chair of the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics anticipates an expansive, inclusive, record-setting 2025 for the organization.
“We certainly have the opportunity to expose more local seniors to the challenges and pleasures of competing in the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics program,” Rod Hupp told FFXnow.
Hupp, a resident of the Falls Church area of Fairfax County, has taken the helm of the nonprofit organization this year. He succeeded Riley Geary.
Hull is happy to proselytize all the good that comes to Senior Olympians, and can draw from his own experience.
“I have participated in the last three Northern Virginia Senior Olympics,” he told FFXnow. “I first heard about the event in 2022 when a female softball teammate asked me to teach her how to throw a football and Frisbee for the Senior Olympics. I eventually checked out their website, then signed up for 12 events that year — winning five gold, two silver and a bronze.”
At 72, Hupp is in the middle of the pack, age-wise, of local Senior Olympians. Individuals can start competing at 50, and some who participated in recent years have been more than 100 years old.
Planning is already underway for the 2025 Northern Virginia competition, which is slated to start on Sept. 13 and run through at least Sept. 30.
The end date could be extended to accommodate additional participants and new events. Last year’s competition drew 1,040 competitors, a new record, participating in more than 70 events spanning eight localities.
As with everything in Northern Virginia, growth never comes without the occasional difficulty, Hupp acknowledged.
“Without extending the overall dates of the Senior Olympics, there could be some limitations required on certain popular events,” he said.
Hupp pointed to the popular sport of pickleball as an example.
“[That] creates a major logistics challenge, especially if there are any rainouts,” he said. “With over 225 participants spread across numerous age brackets — with singles, doubles and mixed doubles — there are hundreds of matches that have to be scheduled and monitored. At some point you can max out the availability of courts.”
But more people and more events also bring more opportunities to experience the camaraderie that the competition provides.
“Participants in the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics events find it to be both competitive and supportive,” Hupp said. “While trying to excel at each of the events, the participants cheer for each competitor.”
“It is quite rewarding when a senior competes in events against their peers and earns a medal for their accomplishments,” he said, recalling:
“I saw this first-hand last year when a longtime friend asked me to be his partner in men’s doubles in cornhole toss. We got together and practiced numerous times in a local park, and were shocked to end up in the finals of the event. When the silver medal was draped around his neck, he was glowing with pride, and was elated to show it to his wife and kids.”
Registration for this year’s games opens July 7 and will run through Aug. 29. One registration fee of $20 includes as many events as a competitor wishes to participate in. A few specialized events have slight surcharges.
Participating jurisdictions are Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun and Prince William counties and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax and Falls Church.
The Senior Olympics can trace its roots to a competition held in 1970 in Los Angeles. Northern Virginia held its first regional competition in 1982.
