Recreational therapist leads Veterans to gold at Golden Age Games

Often, the success of a coach can be determined by the success of their athletes. This was exhibited at the 37th National Veterans Golden Age Games when the recipients of the George Gangi Award and the Veterans Canteen Service Challenge Award both hailed from St. Louis VA.

Although both Veterans were recognized for their individual determination and willpower, the support they received from their coach and teammates drove them to exceed in their fitness goals.

Sally Goldsborough, recreation therapist with St. Louis VA, has been coaching her team for the Golden Age Games for the past eight years. The triumphs of her Veterans are a testament to her devotion and determination. 

“I absolutely love coaching the Golden Age Games. These Veterans are out there and work so hard and give every single thing they have to these games. They try hard not only to win but for their own personal best,” Goldsborough said.

Five Veterans on the team will be 87

This year, 15 St. Louis Veteran athletes are attending the Golden Age Games in person and another 10 are competing in the At-Home Games. The youngest team member is 60 and there are five athletes on the team who are going to be 87 years old. Every one of them gives it their all, but Goldsborough says the key is they have support.

“It’s amazing to watch. I only hope when we’re that age, we’re all just like them because we would have a better life,” she said.

Before Goldsborough became a coach, she was a lifetime athlete. This experience gave her personal insight into best practices for training and maintaining fitness levels.

“When I first took over the team they only trained for a brief time before the games. But I knew there was more value if our team trained all year round. It not only helps them get better at the event but also to learn the rules better and understand the fundamentals of the activities,” she added.

The team also spends time together outside of training which gives them a network of positive peer support as well. Goldsborough explained social interaction is also very important at this age because some of the Veterans on the team have lost friends or spouses, and loneliness can creep in. When someone in the group is sick, everyone rallies around them and supports them.

“They can call me when they need me.”

“We are like a family. We’re very cohesive and everybody has everybody’s back. All my Vets know they can call me whenever they need me and they know I’m accessible to them,” Goldsborough said.

Over the past few years, the team has almost doubled in size and Goldsborough has already started planning for the next steps in their evolution.

“I would like to take us to a higher level and start working with some of my senior-level athletes to start building on those fundamentals. The goal is to give them a little more challenge,” she said.

She stressed that Veterans can stay active and healthy without being an athlete.

“I’ve had Veterans come to me and tell me they’ve never been athletic a day in their life. It’s not about that. It’s about getting you moving and getting you involved in something that gives you a purpose. It changes your life.”

Don’t miss the opportunity to be a part of this life-changing experience. Eligible Veterans can find more information about participation at www.veteransgoldenagegames.va.gov or email goldenagegames@va.gov.