Background/Purpose Research on the aspects of leisure at advanced ages (Stathi, Fox, & McKenna, 2002) shows a host of encouraging personal and social benefits (Siegenthaler & O'Dell, 2003). According to Stebbins' (1992) serious leisure model, depth of commitment to leisure activities produce various benefits such as self-actualization, regeneration, personal enrichment, group accomplishment, and development of an emerging group. Despite the recent participatory surge of older adults in competitive athletic contests, scant attention focuses on what participation means to these groups. The purpose of this qualitative study sought to understand participants' serious leisure experiences in Senior Olympic Games competition and the subsequent impact on their quality of life.
Method A purposive sampling strategy guided the collection of data for the study. Ten participants in the National Senior Olympic games ranging from 52 to 71 years of age took part in a series of semi-structured interviews. Open-ended questions utilized to examine issues of influence regarding the event, with constant comparison guiding the coding and analysis of data.
Analysis/Results Data analysis uncovered three central themes relevant to the senior athlete experience: cost versus benefit of participation, intrinsic factors of involvement, and external factors of involvement.
Conclusions Participants reported various benefits (e.g., social interaction, improved self-image) associated with their athletic competition. Issues of influence central to this group included social belongingness and interaction. Findings substantiate Stebbins' (2007) serious leisure framework, which showed a relationship between older adults' depth of involvement and emotional well-being. Future research calls for additional inquiries into serious leisure for older physical activity populations.