TWIM at the 2025 National Senior Games!

by Dan Underbrink

National Senior Games is a multi-day, multi-sport event, held every two years, in a different city each time. The 2025 NSGs were held in Des Moines, Iowa from July 23 – August 4, with the swimming from July 24-28.

Upon arrival in the Des Moines area, athletes needed to make a trip out to West Des Moines to pick up Athlete Credentials. The afternoon of July 28 gave athletes an opportunity to find the pool and swim a bit, as a warm-up for the competition days.

On July 25-27, the competition had the older seniors (age 70+) in the mornings and the younger seniors (age 50-69) in the afternoons. On July 28, all ages joined to swim the 500 Freestyle event in the morning and relays in the afternoon.

Four TWIM members made their way to Des Moines, Iowa, and these were Carl Haynie, Candace Jacobs, Dan Underbrink, and Mary Underbrink.

How can one attend the NSGs? Well, the NSGs are held in odd-numbered years. The qualifier for Nationals is to swim at your state’s Senior Games in the even numbered year prior. Placing first, second, or third in an event at the state games qualifies you for that event in the National Senior Games. A “Senior” is any athlete 50 or older.

Attention, all TWIM Members, 50 years and older. If National Senior Games interests you, you will want to sign up and swim at the Washington State Senior Games, in July of 2026. Even if you don’t plan to go to Nationals, this State Senior Games meet (held annually) is a lot of fun! The next National Senior Games will be held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the Summer of 2027!

Missing your state senior games is not necessarily a stopper for going to NSGs. One can qualify at ANY state’s Senior Games, the Huntsman World Senior Games, or the Veteran’s Games!

The following TWIM members swam at Washington State Senior Games, just one week before the Des Moines National Senior Games: Valerie Thompson, Steve Schwartz, Bill Maibauer, Brent Barnes, Carl Haynie, Mary Underbrink, and Dan Underbrink. This year’s WSSGs was just a fun swim meet (not a qualifying year for the NSGs).

Back to the National Senior Games. The TWIM squad arrived ready to swim! The four of us swam in 21 events! At NSGs, medals are earned for first, second, and third place finishes, and some very nice ribbons are awarded for fourth place through eighth place, in all events.

In the Women’s 70-74 races, Candace Jacobs received ribbons in four of her five events! Fifth in the 100 IM, seventh in the 50 Freestyle, eighth in the 100 Freestyle, and seventh in the 50 Butterfly! Candace also swam the 50 Backstroke. Congratulations, Candace!

Mary Underbrink swam in the Women’s 65-69 age group. Mary received a seventh-place ribbon in the 100 Freestyle, and eighth-place ribbons in the 200 Freestyle and the 500 Freestyle. She also swam in the 50 Freestyle. On the final day of the meet, she medalled! She received Third-place medals in both the 200 Mixed Medley Relay and the 200 Mixed Free Relay! Nice showing out there, Mary!

Carl Haynie and Dan Underbrink swam in the Men’s 65-69 age group.

Carl received First-place medals in 100 Backstroke, 200 Backstroke and the 200 IM! He earned a Second-place medal in the 50 Backstroke, and Third-place medals in the 50 Breaststroke, the 100 IM, the Mixed 200 Medley Relay, and the Mixed 200 Free Relay! What a Powerhouse!

Dan ribboned sixth in the 200 Breaststroke and eighth in the 100 Backstroke. Dan also swam in the 100 Breaststroke, the 200 Backstroke, the 200 Freestyle, and the 500 Freestyle. Dan also received Third-place medals in the Mixed 200 Medley Relay and the Mixed 200 Free Relay.

About those Relays. Mary was the team captain for those Third-place “Washington” Relays. The relays included Dan, Mary, and Carl, and our fourth was our friend Debbie Pederson, from Texas. Debbie loves relays and always asks if she can join us. She has swum with TWIM in relays at three National Senior Games now!

The pool for these games was a first-class facility, 50 meters by 25 yards, all deep water. It was set up in the 25-yard direction, with ten competition lanes and ten warm-up/cool-down lanes for the entire meet. This fantastic pool was at a YMCA! It truly puts Pacific NW YMCAs to shame!

The following Washington swimmers also attended these games: Rick Howell, Christian Tujo, Charlotte Davis, Mike McColly, Kirby Schaufler, Becky Blanche, Carrie Richardson, and Barbara Young.

Whenever we travel to National Senior Games, we always take time to explore the host city and surrounding areas. Here are just a few of the sightseeing opportunities our group took advantage of.