Debra Brown has won 24 state championships, nine New England titles and a world championship, and she does it at a clay pit in Bristol, Vermont. Before she throws, she rakes the clay and waters the pits alongside everyone else at the Sod Busters Horseshoe Club. It’s about as far from a stadium as a sport gets.
That’s exactly why gerontologist Sam Cradduck says horseshoes works so well for older adults. The game asks for balance and coordination on every throw, plus focus and strategy as you read the pit and plan your shot. There’s no running and no pounding on the joints, but your brain and body are both working the whole time. It’s the kind of activity that fits easily into a Suncoast afternoon, whether it’s a park in Sarasota or a shaded pit near the water.
The game also travels between generations. Brown’s niece, Brianna McCormick, learned to throw in her aunt’s backyard. Today she’s a junior world champion. That’s a family tradition passed down the same way so many of us learned to fish, or grill, or play dominoes. If there’s a horseshoe pit in your neighborhood, there may be someone there who’d gladly teach you the basics.
Is there a game or hobby you picked up from an older relative that’s still part of your life? Tell us about it in the comments.
