Direct questions to 23 Meadow Creek Drive, Bossier City, LA, 71111, ATTN Coordinator Doyle Blasingame, or telephone Doyle at (318) 742-3602) or Bette Turner at (318) 752-8067 or (318) 470-6264. Email: Doyle at djblas@bellsouth.net or Bette at tetteb20@aol.com

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH: Louisiana Senior Olympic Games Inc., the sanctioning agency of our competition, strongly urges all participants to consult their physicians regarding their practice for and participation in this program.

FEES: Entry fee is $15.00 for any three sports or games. Northwest Louisiana Senior Athletes Association members are allowed unlimited sports or games. Track and field, bowling and table tennis each are considered one event, regardless of the number of activities you choose within them. A $6.00 facility fee is required for each event (singles, doubles and mixed doubles) in bowling. Miniature golf ($3.50) and golf ($30.00) also require additional fees in addition to basic entry fee. The Celebration of Athletes requires a $5.00 ticket for each individual who wishes to attend (reservations must be made by May 10).

REGISTRATION: Return the enclosed entry blank, all fees and the signed release of liability by the entry deadline of April 21 (late entries will be considered subject to availability in sport or game). Team competition requires team captains to send team roster for his or her team. ADDRESS ENTRY FORM TO: NW LA District Senior Olympics, 23 Meadow Creek Drive, Bossier City, LA 71111.

CHECK-IN: Participant packets and any changes or updates will be available on Senior Health Fair May 7 at Bossier Civic Center from 9 a.m. to 4 pm. You are asked to pick up your packet at that time. Packets will be delivered to event sites before May 7.

ELIGIBILITY: This is an OPEN competition. Out-of-district and out-of-state entries are welcomed and encouraged. Anyone who will be 50 years of age as of December 31, 2008, is eligible. District competitors are those from Caddo, Bossier, Bienville, Claiborne, Webster, Desoto and Red River parishes. AGE GROUPS: Age groups are 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85 and above. Whenever possible, we conform to these groups, but we reserve the right to combine age brackets to ensure medals are won through competition or to meet scheduling demands. Age group is determined by contestant’s age as of December 31, 2008. In team competition, including doubles events, age is determined by age of the youngest player. WELCOME 40-49 AGE COMPETITORS. Track will have a special 40-49 age bracket and competitors falling in that age bracket are encouraged to take part. Use this entry form. Entry fee is $15 and signed liability waiver must accompany entry form. Ribbons will be awarded in the 40-49 age groups. This special age bracket applies only to running events (not field events). Track is the ONLY sport with this special 40-49 age bracket.

QUALIFYING EVENTS: Athletes must qualify for state competition in Bowling Singles (top three scratch scores or age qualifying scores), Advanced Horseshoes (top 3 places), and Table Tennis (top three places). Top two finishers in Discus, Shot Put, Javelin and Advanced Shuffleboard qualify for state competition. Golfers qualify by meeting minimum scores (men 50-69 100 or below, 70-79 105 or less, 80-plus must complete round in four hours. Women 50-69 105, 70-79 110, 80-plus must complete round in four hours).

IMPORTANT NOTE ON GOLF COMPETITION: This year the district will offer two divisions of golf-qualifying, for those who wish to qualify for the state competition, and 4-man scramble, for those not interested in qualifying for state. You have option of playing 4 man scramble (best ball) or medal play. (Specify on entry form what you want to play). Scramble: Medals awarded to teams, not age category. Members of teams ages 50 and above. Teams may be all male, all female or mixed. Ladies will play from ladies tees. Medal Play: Medals awarded to top three individuals in each age category. The qualifying players must hole out each hole to post a qualifying score. Those choosing team scramble will be paired with team and do not have to hole out. Only best ball needs to be holed out.

MEDALS: In qualifying events, the top three district athletes in each event and age group will be awarded medals and out-of-state or out-of-district athletes will be awarded duplicate medals based on their actual placement. Both district and out-of-district athletes may qualify for the state games. Out of state competitors should check with your state association to determine if this holds true for your state.

EQUIPMENT: Participants must supply own equipment in bowling (rentals okay), shooting (.22 pistols and .22 rifles). Do not wear white shirts in table tennis. You may bring your own paddle, subject to judges’ acceptance.

TRACK AND FIELD: Implements will be provided according to age groups as determined by the state. Shot Put and Discus will begin at 8:30 a.m. Javelin will start at 9:30 a.m. or when discus ends. Running begins at 8:30 a.m. and order is 50 meters, 800 meters, 100 meters, 400 meters, 1,500 meters and 200 meters.

TEAM SPORTS: Bean Bag Baseball teams must have a minimum of nine players (the maximum is 15).

TIME OF EVENTS: The Games schedule lists starting times for the various events. Participants should be ready for play at a minimum of 15 minutes before the listed start time or at the specific time of registration if one is listed for an event. Game officials reserve the right to cancel or postpone any event due to inclement or threatening weather or unusual circumstances and to change an event to multiple days if registration warrants. Events may be cancelled if number of entries does not warrant their conduct.

STATE GAMES: For information about the state games to be held September through November in Baton Rouge, go to www.lsog.net or write the LOUISIANA SENIOR OLYMPIC GAMES, P.O. Box 14748, Baton Rouge, LA 70898-4748. The LSOG telephone is 1-225-925-1748 or 1-800-799-8309. The Northwest Louisiana Senior Athletes Association encourages you to consider participation in the state competition.