By Sally Brock
Guest Writer
The 2025 Cherokee/Clay Senior Games continued last week as competition in multiple sports was completed at various venues throughout Clay And Cherokee counties. The local Senior Games are a part of the N.C. Senior Games and Silver Arts which coordinates competition throughout the state for senior participants.
Area athletes age 50 and above who are residents of Cherokee, Clay and Graham counties are eligible to compete in more than 20 sports which include a mix of team and individual events.
Competitors in each sports event are bracketed by age and winners are awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. All local winners are eligible to advance on to the N.C. Senior Games scheduled for later in the year. State winners can advance to national competition in most of the sports during alternating years.
All local pickleball events were completed on Wednesday, May 14, after a multi-day period of competition played on both the Hayesville and Murphy outdoor courts. Competition included men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles.
The pickleball competition was completed over a three day period. Pickleball brings out one of the largest groups of competitors in the local Senior Games event schedule.
The Cherokee/Clay Senior Games and Silver Arts organization will host the closing ceremony and dinner at Tri-County Community College on Saturday, May 31 where all participants will be recognized from each of the sports, artisan and literary competitive events held over an approximate six week period.
A complete list of medal winners for all sports and arts events can be found on the Cherokee/Clay Senior Games and Silver Arts web page.