St. Johns seniors can register for Florida Senior Games by Nov. 16

St. Johns County residents 50 and older can register through Nov. 16 for the 35th annual Florida Senior Games, a nine-day competition running Dec. 5-13 in Pasco County and nearby communities.

Entry fees vary by sport, according to the Ponte Vedra Recorder. Competition details and sign-up links are posted at floridaseniorgames.com under the "Sports" tab. Pickleball registration opened separately Sept. 21.

The games cover archery, bowling, cycling, golf, horseshoes, pickleball, shuffleboard, swimming, tennis and track and field, among other events.

Seven sports require a qualifying finish

Seven sports require a top-five finish in the athlete's age group at one of 21 local senior games qualifiers statewide: bowling, golf, pickleball, swimming, table tennis, tennis and track and field. All other sports are open entry.

No St. Johns County qualifier appears on the statewide schedule. The nearest qualifiers with open registration include Palm Coast (Sept. 12-Oct. 5, covering pickleball, table tennis and a 5K road race), Martin County (Oct. 16-24) and Ormond Beach (Oct. 23-31). A full list is available at floridaseniorgames.com/all-sports-schedule.

Athletes who do not need a qualifying result can skip the local events and register directly for the state games by the Nov. 16 deadline.

Top finishers can advance to 2027 nationals

The Florida Senior Games doubles as a qualifier for the 2027 National Senior Games, set for June 30-July 11, 2027, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. That event is expected to draw more than 12,500 athletes competing in 28 sports, according to the National Senior Games Association.

Susan Hlavacek, president and CEO of the National Senior Games Association, said in a March 11 news release that the organization values Humana's continued sponsorship for its role in supporting competitive opportunities for older adults. New sports at the 2027 national event include bocce, climbing, dance, flag football and shooting.

Venues span Pasco County and surrounding area

Swimming opens the schedule Dec. 5-6 at Temple Terrace Aquatic Center. Golf runs Dec. 7 at Saddlebrook Resort in Wesley Chapel. Pickleball closes the games Dec. 11-13 at Wiregrass Ranch Sports Campus, also in Wesley Chapel.

The 2026 games mark the second year of a four-year commitment to hold the event in Pasco County through 2028. The Florida Sports Foundation runs the program.

Residents with questions can contact the Florida Sports Foundation at [email protected] or 850-577-7200.

Upcoming dates