title: Going for the gusto: competing for the first time at age 65.
abstract: Older adults are often viewed by society more for what they cannot do than for what they are capable of achieving. This intrinsic case study examined the formation of a women's 65+ volleyball team at a university for the purpose of better understanding what it was like for older women to learn a new sport and what meaning participating in competitive sport had for those who had not previously been considered athletic. Qualitative methods explored each participant's experiences through a focus group, individual interviews, observational notes, and written reflections. Resulting team member themes included going for the gusto, belonging to a team, and support from the university. This program is a potential model to engage nonathletic older adults in sport, while forging a new and positive aging framework for aging athletes.
authors.affiliation: Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica Brooke
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Kirby
authors.forename: Mary Ann
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Kluge
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003163:Competitive Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D014495:Universities; D054798:Volleyball / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*