When the members of the Lightning were growing up, they did not have the opportunity to play competitive sports in school, as that was a boys only activity.
Next week though, the team, comprised of eight women, is competing in the volleyball tournament at the 2009 Summer National Senior Games, or the Senior Olympics, which takes place every two years.
"We're late bloomers," said team captain Blaze Carlsen, age 65, of Des Plaines.
The tournament is being held Monday through Saturday at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. To qualify, the team had to win a tournament in Wisconsin this year.
"This is just a fabulous byproduct of all the work they've put in over the years," said Laura Nolan, whose mom, Sylvia is on the team.
Carlsen was playing volleyball at the Arlington Heights Evangelical Free Church about seven years ago when Des Plaines resident Sharan Wagner, 66, showed up after reading an article in the Daily Herald about an 80-year-old woman who also was playing.
Wagner invited Carlsen to join her on a Senior Olympic team. Two years ago, their team came in 7th out of 15 teams in the senior games.
After that tournament, Carlsen began organizing a group for next week's games.
Through another volleyball league, Blaze Carlsen met and recruited Glenview resident Ellen Sypura, 65. The group then sought out 70-year-olds Marty Landorf and Nancy Thomson, Jan Pihl, 68, and Sylvia Nolan, 75, all from Arlington Heights.
"We have so many friends that are crippled up with arthritis," Carlsen said. "We've just been blessed, plus we work at it."
The team has had to overcome a number of physical challenges, however.
In the last year, Landorf broke a foot and had knee surgery. Despite the injuries, Landorf will be playing libero, a defensive specialist, at the tournament because of her speed. Thomson broke a wrist playing volleyball and was hospitalized with pneumonia. Neither player has stopped working hard.
"It gives them a wheel to get better and stay younger," Carlsen said.
The team motto is: "You don't stop playing because you grow old - you grow old because you stop playing."
For Carlsen, taking on a leadership role is nothing new. While working as a physical education teacher, she started the first women's sports programs in the schools in Tunkhannock, Pa., where she and her husband, Ray, were living.
"When she sees something that needs to be done, she goes ahead and does it," said Ray Carlsen, who also will be at the Senior Olympics, playing in the men's 70+ division this year.
Blaze Carlsen has had coaching help from Carol Ward, who plays on the Heat, a team in the 50-55 age division that won gold at the last Senior Olympics. Ward said Lightning team members are dedicated and enthusiastic.
"It's an inspiration to us youngsters," she said.
The team practices every Monday and Wednesday morning for two hours each and also plays every Wednesday night. For 65-year-old Mickey Smith, the team's youngest player by a few months, that means she must make two round-trips each Wednesday from her home in Chicago. For her though, the Senior Olympics is old hat; this is her seventh since becoming eligible when she turned 50.
For team member Sylvia Nolan, the team's departure Saturday, Aug. 8, for Stanford University will be special in another way. She and her husband will celebrate their 55th anniversary.
"Whoever thought 55 years ago that this is where we'd be?" Sylvia Nolan said.
Her daughter Laura Nolan said it's the friendships forged by the team that are the most important piece.
"I know that everybody really looks forward to our Wednesdays," Sylvia Nolan agreed.
Next week though, the team, comprised of eight women, is competing in the volleyball tournament at the 2009 Summer National Senior Games, or the Senior Olympics, which takes place every two years.
"We're late bloomers," said team captain Blaze Carlsen, age 65, of Des Plaines.
The tournament is being held Monday through Saturday at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif. To qualify, the team had to win a tournament in Wisconsin this year.
"This is just a fabulous byproduct of all the work they've put in over the years," said Laura Nolan, whose mom, Sylvia is on the team.
Carlsen was playing volleyball at the Arlington Heights Evangelical Free Church about seven years ago when Des Plaines resident Sharan Wagner, 66, showed up after reading an article in the Daily Herald about an 80-year-old woman who also was playing.
Wagner invited Carlsen to join her on a Senior Olympic team. Two years ago, their team came in 7th out of 15 teams in the senior games.
After that tournament, Carlsen began organizing a group for next week's games.
Through another volleyball league, Blaze Carlsen met and recruited Glenview resident Ellen Sypura, 65. The group then sought out 70-year-olds Marty Landorf and Nancy Thomson, Jan Pihl, 68, and Sylvia Nolan, 75, all from Arlington Heights.
"We have so many friends that are crippled up with arthritis," Carlsen said. "We've just been blessed, plus we work at it."
The team has had to overcome a number of physical challenges, however.
In the last year, Landorf broke a foot and had knee surgery. Despite the injuries, Landorf will be playing libero, a defensive specialist, at the tournament because of her speed. Thomson broke a wrist playing volleyball and was hospitalized with pneumonia. Neither player has stopped working hard.
"It gives them a wheel to get better and stay younger," Carlsen said.
The team motto is: "You don't stop playing because you grow old - you grow old because you stop playing."
For Carlsen, taking on a leadership role is nothing new. While working as a physical education teacher, she started the first women's sports programs in the schools in Tunkhannock, Pa., where she and her husband, Ray, were living.
"When she sees something that needs to be done, she goes ahead and does it," said Ray Carlsen, who also will be at the Senior Olympics, playing in the men's 70+ division this year.
Blaze Carlsen has had coaching help from Carol Ward, who plays on the Heat, a team in the 50-55 age division that won gold at the last Senior Olympics. Ward said Lightning team members are dedicated and enthusiastic.
"It's an inspiration to us youngsters," she said.
The team practices every Monday and Wednesday morning for two hours each and also plays every Wednesday night. For 65-year-old Mickey Smith, the team's youngest player by a few months, that means she must make two round-trips each Wednesday from her home in Chicago. For her though, the Senior Olympics is old hat; this is her seventh since becoming eligible when she turned 50.
For team member Sylvia Nolan, the team's departure Saturday, Aug. 8, for Stanford University will be special in another way. She and her husband will celebrate their 55th anniversary.
"Whoever thought 55 years ago that this is where we'd be?" Sylvia Nolan said.
Her daughter Laura Nolan said it's the friendships forged by the team that are the most important piece.
"I know that everybody really looks forward to our Wednesdays," Sylvia Nolan agreed.