Jim Nielsen wasn’t planning to make an eighth trip to participate in the Huntsman World Senior Games.
Then he got a chance he thought was too good to pass up.
The Brush Prairie resident was invited to play with an Arizona-based basketball team at the annual sports festival for athletes 50 and older. The Sambucca Jazz, Nielsen noted, is an elite team.
With Nielsen’s help, the Sambucca Jazz had no trouble rolling to the gold medal in the 65-69 age division at the Games, which were held Oct. 9-17 in St. George, Utah.
Nielsen, who turns 66 on Friday, has participated in the Huntsman Senior Games four times as a softball player and four times in basketball. In 2006, he put together a team of players from this region that won the gold medal in the men’s basketball 60-64 age division at the Games.
This time, it was a call from the coach for the Jazz, who was looking for a proven post player to bolster his roster, that moved Nielsen to return to the Games.
“It was special just playing on this team. I didn’t know what to expect going down there,” he said.
Nielsen might have been unsure about playing alongside seven new teammates. But he knew from seven previous trips to the Huntsman World Senior Games that the experience would be both challenging and invigorating.
Established in 1987, the Games annually draw some 9,000 athletes 50 and older who participate in games ranging from lawn bowling to track and field.
Playing five full-court five-on-five basketball games in five days might sound like a bit too much for a guy Nielsen’s age. With only the eight players on the team, there was plenty of playing time for all of them.
But the competition proved less than taxing on the scoreboard.
None of the games, which consisted of four 10-minute quarters, was close as the Jazz went 5-0 to claim the gold and Nielsen said the team’s guard play simply wore down each opponent.
Nielsen’s role was to hang out around the basket.
“I play underneath, and I’m aggressive,” he said, explaining the role he was asked to play.
Nielsen said he was the team’s main rebounder. He also averaged more than 12 points a game.
He hopes to travel to Florida in May to play for the Jazz at a national senior basketball tournament. Between now and then, he will try to keep his game sharp and his body in game shape by playing basketball — with guys his own age — several times a week in Vancouver and Portland.
“I just feel privileged because I can still play at a competitive level, and I’ve still got the drive,” he said.
Crews succeed on the Willamette
Will Kalenius and David Pervere took first place in the men’s open double race during the Portland Fall Rowing Classic, held Sunday on the Willamette River.
Representing the Vancouver Lake Crew, Kalenius and Pervere covered the 5,000-meter course in 20 minutes and 37 seconds.
Vancouver Lake Crew had 27 high school rowers, two college men and 10 adults race on Sunday, and had several place. Those results can be found in the Community Sports Scoreboard on this page.
Vancouver Lake Crew members will compete again on Saturday in the Lake Oswego to Oaks Park distance race (known as the LOOP).
Rugby team struggles
The Vancouver Sharks Old Boys men’s rugby team lost to the Kitsap Renegades, 24-3, on Saturday. The team, which played for a division title in the spring, has dropped all five of its matches this fall.
The Sharks will travel to Redmond to take on the Seattle Quake on Saturday, then are slated to complete the autumn portion of their season with a Nov. 7 home game against Corvallis.
PAUL DANZER covers Community Sports for The Columbian. Contact him to suggest story ideas, report news and results, or submit listings for the online Community Sports Calendar. He can be reached at 360-735-4521 or paul.danzer@columbian.com.
