#342 – Don't Be Afraid To Try Something New

Wendy Holt is a multi-sport athlete at the Huntsman World Senior Games. She couldn’t wait to turn 50 so she could compete in the swimming and track and field events. Since then, she’s added archery, shooting and more to her list of sports. She’s got a fun approach to the Games and to life. You’ll like her as much as we do.

In addition, Kyle and Lil also give some background on archery at the Games. Give it a listen.

Transcript

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Kyle Case  0:02  
Hello and welcome to The Huntsman World Senior Games Active Life. My name is Kyle Case and I'll be your host on this amazing journey as we attempt to help you get the most out of your life. Joining me in our studio today is my co pilot Lil Baron.

Hi Kyle. How are you today, good. 

Beautiful day it is. Yes it is. Another thing that makes it beautiful, it's just registrations for games. I know the last several weeks we've talked about kind of these little milestones that we've hit. We hit another one this week, we have 8000, effectively, again, like, about 8100, registered athletes, which is several 100 ahead of where we were at this time in 2019 The last time we were able to hold the games. So we're looking for a great year. Early well we have 758 Total registered teams. Wow. And again, that's that's across the board, softball, basketball, volleyball, just across the board rugby but 758 Total teams, it seems like I keep saying that but it seems like people are excited, yeah. Right, yes. So the last few weeks, though we've been highlighting kind of various sports at the GSB. Today I want to talk a little bit about archery. archery. Yeah, so we've got two different styles of archery, and we have what we call target and we also call three Ds Yes, so let's start with somebody to intern, okay. And I thought we would start maybe with one that might be a little less familiar to people and that's gonna say 3D I was gonna ask you what do you know already about 3D archery. Not much. Not much, so 3D archery is actually really cool with glasses, I don't know, 3D glasses. 3D is targets animals. So, animals we have big animals in small animals. Folks are a badger. Each of the animals, there's a circuit, trying to target these animals are actually spread out on a course so it's a little bit like golf, so we have kind of a shot that star with your archers that are in their squads or in their groups that are assigned to each target and then everybody rotates through the target so just the same way that you would do that with golf except for your shooting bows and arrows, and each one of the stops. There's a little bit of an endurance element to it because you're tapping your key here Yeah. Moving on to the next target and you know there's whether there's when their son does all those things. It's really designed to kind of replicate. Walking through the room. A couple years ago the staff. Before you were as a staff to have an activity, and once it is first of all, it was really fun, really, everybody. I will also say this, I spent much more time than I want, I'll just leave it at that. That is like golf. The second style of archery, targert archery, is actually what they shoot in the Olympics. Again like we mentioned, coming up here just a few weeks , it's a large circular target with a traditional bull's eye on it. And so like what you would think the closer you get to the center, the higher your points are. The target, they seem pretty large, they seem like they're kind of big circles. And here's the kicker though, and that is the distance that you are from. So, so we do three different ways three different distances, one is 60, one is 50, and one is 40. We had a staff experience with target archery as well at a different time. Tons of fun. We all have a ball. But I'll tell you at least started out with our lessons at about 10 yards away from the target, Okay, and after a little bit of practice, I was getting pretty good. Kind of like Robin Hood. Hitting that center bulls eye, once in a while. Like, I'm pretty good. This is a sport maybe that I could do, but then one of our directors, Eddie Eliason is his name who, by the way, is a former Olympian and really pretty legendary. He backed up to where they actually shoot, and then went a little bit further, just because he can't. 

Lil Barron  5:00  
Yeah,

Kyle Case  5:02  
I'll tell you what, I was just eating a big piece of humble pie. I just, I'll just leave that right there as well. Anyway, we did have a ton of fun. It's worth mentioning, besides Ed who, like I said, as a former Olympian. We've also hosted Anne Abernethy that our archery event, who at 68 years of age, is trying to make her seventh Olympic team. Oh, wow. And she's actually going from the sport of archery. Before archery so she's got this great sword, and we've tested this with her something. Yeah, but good so of course there's space for folks who just want to do the show as well, people who are doing archery just want to give it a try and see what it looks like. Both styles of archery allow for various types of bows and sights and different apparatus that you can use for siding in your arrow just a variety of different options. You can get all the information that you need to know that suit your games.net Yes. Today's guests tie now. It's also one of our favorite multi sport athletes at the game. Yeah, she called Wendy has competed for eight years, that the Huntsman World Senior Games and has registered for her ninth year this year. Looking forward to competing there and we're excited to have you on the show. 

Lil Barron  6:31  
She's only 29.

Wendy Holt  6:37  
Thank you for having me. Yeah, I couldn't wait until I turned 50 So I could do the Senior Games I volunteer for years and that was before and I can't wait to in

Kyle Case  6:49  
the summer. We really have kind of two camps you know we have athletes that are just like you Wendy that just can't wait to turn 15 Yeah. Where are the kids, they've volunteered or they have a spouse or a family member, whatever it is they're just excited to finally reset 50 year old age group to come into the into the forest we have other people who are a little hesitant to reach 50 and struggle with it a little bit. Both of us for sure but I always love to hear it when people are excited. Yeah, like you need to jump in and be a part of the games and it's it's amazing it's a ton of fun. Yeah, it is. So you couldn't wait to turn 50 turned 50 What was the first sport that you competed in

Wendy Holt  7:31  
that the first year, I competed in swimming because I, when I was young, I always was a swimmer but hadn't swam at all. So I'm going like, oh my gosh, even going off the blocks was scary, but I competed and swimming. In fact, I haven't told anybody this but the first time I went off the blocks there is no fault starting in the Senior Games which means, and I that was always my your my mental thing is I would have felt start when to get back on the blocks and then be the first one. Well, they said you're disqualified. And so I learned really quickly you don't try to, you know, it's not a psyche you out, kinda thing. So I did swimming my first year, and I also did track and field, and so I did some sprints and I did shotput, I mean this is all the way from high school than any of this but it was so much fun, and you'd see the same people, year after year. So that was my first year.

Kyle Case  8:42  
Yeah, and that's one of the great things about the Games, immediate so many great things right so the camaraderie and the friendship and everything that goes with that it. We hear so often from our athletes that it just feels like a family reunion. Every year you come back you see some of the sample you renew and strengthen those friendships, and that's why you want to start when you're 50 or older. And when you're 50 you have more time to spend with some amazing people from all around the world, that that feel the same way that you do without your sport of choice.

Wendy Holt  9:18  
I agree. And one thing I did the shotput like I mentioned that I hadn't done that and what what 30 years ago when I was 50, and I couldn't remember how to do it and they were going no, this girl is going okay you go like this and so they're all so, so helpful. And, you know, everybody's helping everybody if you can't remember how to do it right, and they get out of the way. I think that's what's so cool about the Senior Games, is it you know yeah you want to win a medal, but you want your, Your teammates to win a medal to so I think that's great.

Kyle Case  9:57  
There's no question. It's just It's a different feeling is a different vibe you see it across the board and Master's in sports, and senior sports settings. There really is like a legitimate desire to help each other, help each other be the best that they could be. And of course we want to win, win, but this whole, you know, cutthroat negativity are my enemy because yeah, in my opinion, it just, it doesn't seem to really exist right, I don't think it is here just all lucky that you can even beyond your religious just this great feeling of work together and we're all just here to have fun and just enjoy yourselves do the best that we can right is that best as a metal that's fantastic and if it's not, but it's maybe a personal best or personal right and yourself. That's also fantastic. I love it how you, you started back into the senior sports with sports that you had done as a youth, and you know your story is, of course, your story is yours and it's unique, but it's not a typical that many of our athletes have that experience. They competed in high school and maybe even a little bit in college but many of them do, but then for whatever reason life comes along, you've got family you've got work you've got all these things that you have to focus your energy and your time on and it's difficult to carve out time for everything you want to do so you set those things aside for just a little while, but here comes an event like the words in your games and there are lots of masters and senior events out there that allow this to happen but here comes an event like ours where you can jump right back in, and just enjoy all those, all those all that excitement about competing and being part of a team and all the great stuff that you felt as a duty to continue to do it. 

Wendy Holt  11:51  
Yeah, yeah, they don't look it's been really really fun 

Lil Barron  11:58  
Well need to have hopscotch for me. 

Wendy Holt  12:02  
It's okay. Almost every event that I did, there was some kind of a tragedy that made it better. Like I get the triathlon one year and my husband goes, Okay, I will take care of your bike, don't worry about anything. And I got on my bike to thinking, why can't I go downhill. Well, I didn't have the air in my back. So I did the whole triumph along with, with a flat tire and 'm thinking, Man, that girl is good, but who cares. It was just fun to compete.

Kyle Case  12:43  
It's so fun. So let's get a list here. So you've done a variety of different sports and that's one of the things that I also really admire about your sporting career here with the game so you've mentioned swimming. You've been sure track and field. These are the

Wendy Holt  12:58  
what are the things that he does, the games I did our tree, which was funny listening to you guys because that's another one where I had kind of an experience to target, like you said, it's 4050 6060 I first I never thought I would could shoot that far accurately and I had hit right in the bull's eye in the x and the girl, right after me, I'm saying girl because we're not old. She Robin Hood, my air. So she's lit my arrow see and also hit the X and so I still have that arrow. Oh, because I had never seen that happen especially, You know. Yeah. So then I done rifle, it's called rimfire rifle, and so I've done that one, and this year I'm going to add one that I haven't done, I'm going to be doing rimfire and handgun. Oh, so, and I'm going to try to go back to the triathlon with Aaron might get a gold medal but

Kyle Case  14:20  
I want to get into some of the specifics of some of these sports but before that, I'm just curious, like, Where does your motivation come from, like, because it takes some courage to try something new in front of people to be animated before like where does that come from.

Wendy Holt  14:36  
Well luckily I have a gift that I don't get embarrassed very easy to share and it's all about enjoying it, rather than being good at it, and I just always been that way to go. Have you even practice no tomorrow. And so it doesn't bother me to fail, I guess. And so, and by competing, you're not failing right you're just moving ahead and meeting fun people and, and so it's, that's why I like a variety. 

Kyle Case  15:11  
Yeah, you can see that that's what great advice, not only for sports. 

Lil Barron  15:19  
Because I think there's a lot of people out there that think, Okay, I'm one of them, I can't do that because I have to be good at it. Well I don't think that's true. You're making that seem 

Wendy Holt  15:30  
No, you don't have to be good, you just have to get involved, right.

Kyle Case  15:37  
That gives us great advice, just for life. Yeah, you always wanted to learn French well it's not to try it now your tongue doesn't quite make those sound practice I love that approach to love your writing. So you've got this long list of supports that you've already done it sounds like you have plans to continue, expand your repertoire rugby's coming up right now. Second to consider for God, there you go so it stands out to me.

Wendy Holt  16:29  
Oh, favorite, I think, archery, was one of my favorite because it. You know my husband can do it with me and he hunts, and so it was 3d, which is really fun, like you were talking about 3d Where you're shooting at the animals, and we might be down. We are trying to get underneath this bush. It's, it's really fun because you got to figure things out.

Kyle Case  16:59  
So it sounds like you have shot. As well as, do you, so you obviously have a ton of experience do you continue to shoot archery or experience but

Wendy Holt  17:22  
I still do it. Well, I did it the other day, and they asked me to. And, but I I'm not consistent with anything. 

Lil Barron  17:33  
Yeah, what they asked, what does that mean?

Wendy Holt  17:39  
they asked me to do a commercial balance of nature, and the Huntsman World Senior Games have kind of have a partnership, I guess. And so they asked me to do a commercial for that. And I said as long as I don't have to get into swimming, and they put me. 

Lil Barron  18:02  
So not only is she an athlete as well so 

Kyle Case  18:07  
she's world class actress, she's a model, she's a spokesperson.

Lil Barron  18:14  
All of the above. 

Wendy Holt  18:16  
Well those are two things that I really love, and I just love the game so I always have. I love seeing people that aren't sitting behind their TV with their remote control that are out doing something physical, and they may walk up to the register registration booth and they can barely walk up to what are they going to do, and they've signed up for high jumping, you know, it's just fun to see and it's fun to support all the participants, 

Kyle Case  18:48  
Well it is and you've you've expressed eloquently, how fun it is to be involved. Yeah, so I want to focus in on this commercial for just a second light, like you mentioned about balance and nature has come on board as a world champion sponsor for the games we're so grateful to them so excited to be working with him moving forward and we think there's a lot of good things that we'll be able to do together, you know, kind of this, you know, it's kind of a buzzword but a symbiotic relationship if you will work together and make a difference in people's lives. But yeah, we've we've extended this invitation to you to come and do a television. Not everybody gets an opportunity to go through that process, talk just for a second about what that what that feels like like.

Wendy Holt  19:36  
Naturally, yeah. Well, remember, I'm not afraid to fail. And so I thought okay I'll go for it. But it was really fun, they just came into my home and did a lot of the commercial there that we went out to shoot archery, which I hadn't shot in a long time. And so

Kyle Case  20:03  
honestly I'm not in those instances so you would never have no like he's right.

Wendy Holt  20:08  
Yeah. Did you see well no I probably should. When I went to get my arrows, out of the target, they were not that was fun, and then we went to the University. Cool. Do the swimming portion. And what a facility that is really nice, but they had. I was really embarrassing going just don't show my boss. When you get older, you know, things just don't stay in the same way. So that was really fun and they even had a little.

Lil Barron  20:51  
What's it called drew, I drowned yeah inside the bill yeah so that was a deadtime well he was just reiterating just because it's so such great news and that is our swimming event will take place for the first time ever in the Dixie State University natatorium and it is a beautiful facility. First Class tool we're going to still swim the short course, but it is just set up to be phenomenal for a D1 school. The Dixie State is now competing in that division. It's a beautiful, beautiful place, and I just, I'm so excited introduce it to our swimmers, from all around the nation around the world and be able to showcase this facility, and help them have the experience that they're looking for. In other words in your games and then hopefully use smaller events.

Wendy Holt  21:46  
When not all the people watching are elevated so you can see it's no lane is blocked, He'll be able to see every one of your friends or family that are swimming.

Lil Barron  21:58  
It's a beautiful place is really my staff who can read Yeah. Awesome. 

Kyle Case  22:04  
Well, Wendy are you, you are just a great example of just how to live life and how to do this and how to move forward in I think the way that most of us want to do. But if there's so in this listen to the show that's out there, questioning themselves you know maybe it's enough for me. What would you say to that person.

Wendy Holt  22:26  
Well if they don't want to compete, volunteer, because you will still get the same experiences by helping people. There's people from other countries that you're listening to a different language and you're trying to help them get to the right location. So just get involved, whether it's as an athlete or as a volunteer or you'll have just as much fund

Kyle Case  22:50  
 I love that idea that's how you were introduced to the game yes as a volunteer. We've been talking a lot about the sports and yeah, that's amazing but Thank you Wendy for years, years and years of volunteering and helping out the games. It's also just worth mentioning that we just recently opened up Volunteer. Volunteer sites so if you're interested in having that experience like Wendy has had for years. You can go to Senior Games dotnet, and click on the volunteer tab, and we've had it organized by day and by sport, and so there's, regardless of what your interest is regardless of what your expertise is there's something for you if you know all about sports and that's the thing that you do, there's a place for you to help us out there, if you know anything about school, plenty of rooms to do to jump in and get involved. Excellent, thank you for joining us. 

Wendy Holt  23:39  
Thank you for having me. 

Kyle Case  23:40  
I can't wait to see you shooting this year. Yes. First, awesome little good Scott how it's great stuff. Amazing. Now, I'm gonna say this again I keep it in the beginning of the show but just a reminder registration is open if you want to get back to the sport of your youth or is something new like when you can register for the games at Senior Games dotnet, if you go to the website there and you can check out all the schedules and rules. The dates as well as when our COVID-19 plan is going to be for this year so lots of information there. In addition to things about the sports that are coming up, we've got a bunch of great content there as well about active aging we have regular health and wellness blog posts you can access to our living your best life webinar series, just a ton of information that's there and again sr games.net We want to remind you to tune in live next and every Thursday at 5:30pm Mountain Time on AM 1450 arithmetic 3.1 for the Huntsman World Senior Games active life. We take this live show and turn it into a podcast, and you can of course subscribe to the podcast anywhere that they are found real your favorite player is if you are listening by Podcast Take a moment and give us a really, really quick review as one of the best and easiest ways to help us spread the word and you can do that in a variety of different ways and easy way is a pod chaser.com slash the active life. You can also find this in previous shows right on our website once again, and the Senior Games Doug NASA check that out. Today's inspiration is from American journalists in Sydney. And he says, Whenever I hear someone say life is hard. I'm almost tempted to ask if it was true. Stay active.

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