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Shelley Osterloh ReportingThe Huntsman Senior Games officially open tonight, but the competition has already started. The city of St. George swells by about 10-thousand people for the two week event.
Members of one team we met say, you are only as old as you feel. The Tiggerettes from Louisiana range in age from 59 to 70.
"I dont feel my age of 68, I feel like I could be in my 40's."
They are sponsored by a drug called celledrin, a medication for joint pain. They have plenty of joint pain, but it doesn't stop them from playing basketball.
"A lot of people would like to do sports like we do, but they just don't know where to start. It's hard to get up off the couch. Well the excuses are the big danger."
No excuses here. They won four Senior Olympic gold medals and 54 state and regional titles, earning them the title: Worlds Best Grandma Basketball team
"A lot of seniors say they like to come out for the fun, but any athlete knows it's more fun when you win."
Nicki Leader is the youngest at 59; she plays along side her older sister Wanda. Mavis Albin is the team captain and the oldest member of the team, at 70. She says they don't act old.
Mavis Albin: "We are just like a bunch of kids, we hide their shoes and if someone is late coming out of restaurant we move the car and they cant find it."
The team is preparing for the next World Senior Olympics in 2007 in Kentucky. They took the last year off to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, which destroyed much of their city, including Kitty's home.
"We are very very close-knit team and when someone has pain, we all have pain. And if someone has joy we share in their joy."
This week they plan to share the joy of competition with good friends, and that's good fun at any age.
