From left: Don Koopman, Ray Carol, John Hunt, Bob Sansone, and Gordon Gibson. (Courtesy photo)
Basketball is an inherently intense sport, requiring a rare combination of athleticism, quick thinking, and talent. To be competing in such a game at an advanced age is an accomplishment in itself. But it is simply amazing to be a member of the best team in America, which is exactly what 72-year-old Gordon Gibson did when his team won the men’s age 70–74 gold medal at the 2009 Senior Games in San Francisco on Aug. 4.
Gibson, a Mettacomett Path resident, started playing basketball in high school, but not solely due to his desire to compete. “My height, well over six feet, propelled me to play more than anything,” he says. In fact, Gibson went to college on a football scholarship because that was his primary interest. He did continue to play basketball, but only on an intramural level.
Once his university days were over, football became a distant memory because of the chance of injury. Gibson realized that basketball remained a sensible option. He says, “I continued to play throughout my life, even pick-up. You get to stay active, meet new people, and have some fun.”
One day in May of 1992, when Gibson was 55, he came across an advertisement for the first-ever Senior Games, then known as the Senior Olympics, and the related qualifying tournament in Springfield. “It almost happened by accident,” Gibson recalls. “I just registered, showed up, and joined a team.”
He remained with this team for a number of years, but he says the team was “rather unorganized” and didn’t have much success. Soon, the tournament became “more sophisticated and professional,” Gibson says, and he was drafted by a team that was more serious. “Most of the team had played some college ball,” Gibson explains. “We were also allowed to recruit these two guys from Rhode Island, and they really helped us out.”
The Senior Games takes place every two years and the event is similar to the Olympics, with 18 sports ranging from archery to volleyball for ages 50 and older. Teams from across the nation can register for the state-qualifying tournaments, and the two top basketball teams in each age bracket advance to the Senior Games.
Says Gibson, “This past year there were only 24 teams in our bracket. Interest definitely plays a role.”
There should be no skepticism about the energy and excitement of Senior Games basketball. As Gibson looks at a post-game team photo he observes, “I think there’s blood on every one of our uniforms. The effort and heart are there. These games are the real deal.”
There may not be the slam-dunks of younger stars, but there is an exceptional amount of experience, teamwork, and proper technique on the floor. “What old guys do is shoot,” Gibson says. “Give them an open shot and it’s two points.”
The teams played in a double-elimination tournament. No games were more thrilling than the finals. Gibson’s team had no losses while its opponent, from Virginia, had one. In the first game, the Virginia team pulled ahead early and Gibson’s team had no answer, eventually falling by 10 points.
This set up a winner-take-all championship game only 20 minutes later.
“We needed to make adjustments. In the second game we used our speed to shut down their key three-pointers,” Gibson says. And these changes paid off, as Gibson’s team triumphed by four points. Gibson says, “I’m not going to understate it. It was an absolute thrill.”
Another reason why Gibson enjoys the Senior Games so much is the people are friendly and kind. “I had a lot of fun traveling around the country,” he says, adding, “I turn the games into a vacation.” In fact, Gibson has attended every Senior Games since 1999, even playing on the bronze medal-winning team in Orlando that first year.
One thing is for certain for Gibson: “I definitely want to stay with my team and defend our gold medal in 2011,” he says.
