History of the Florida Senior Games

The Senior Games movement first started in Florida when the Golden Age Games were created in Sanford in 1974.  Soon after, Local and State Senior Games events began appearing nationwide, especially throughout Florida.

In 1988, the State of Florida appointed a task force to study the Senior Games.  The purpose of the committee was to conduct an in-depth investigation on the status of the Senior Games movement in the state and determine what course to follow in the future.  The committee determined that the time was right to bring all of the existing Local Games together.

Combining the Games as a series would work to better serve the needs of the seniors regarding participation in local events and would also provide an opportunity to standardize all the Games, thus leading to a State Championship.

At last, Florida was ready for a State Championships.  In 1992, the first Florida Senior Games State Championships were held in Bradenton.  Over the years, the Florida Senior Games continues to grow, and together with the Local Games, provides fun, fellowship, fitness and competition for Florida’s fastest growing age group.  The focus of the Senior Games is not winning, but participating.  The Florida Senior Games is dedicated to:

• Encouraging and promoting healthy lifestyles for Florida’s Seniors

• Providing Florida’s Seniors with the opportunity to compete at the local, state and national levels

• Providing all Senior citizens of Florida with an affordable and quality multi-sport festival they can call their own Games 

Every year, the Florida Sports Foundation sanctions Local Games in Florida, which serve as a qualifier for the State Championships.  Every Olympic year, the Florida Senior Games State Championships serves as a qualifier for the National Senior Games held every non-Olympic year. 

Information on competing at the local, state and national levels can be found on this website or by contacting the Florida Sports Foundation.  For information on starting a Local Senior Games in your community, please CLICK HERE or contact the Florida Sports Foundation.

Host Communities (1992-2007)
1992      Bradenton
1993      Bradenton

1994      Bradenton

1995      Kissimmee / St. Cloud

1996      Kissimmee / St. Cloud

1997      Sarasota

1998      Sarasota

1999      Kissimmee / St. Cloud

2000      Kissimmee / St. Cloud

2001      Polk County

2002      Polk County

2003      The Villages

2004      The Villages

2005      The Villages

2006      Lee County & Cape Coral

2007      Lee County & Cape Coral