Missouri Valley

National Senior Games bring 500+ tennis players to Iowa

Josh Sellmeyer | August 11, 2025

USTA Missouri Valley competitors who qualified for the 2025 National Senior Games include: (From left to right) Duane Pomeroy, Doreen Sheen, Rick Ewald, Sharon Taysi, Orion Whitney and Peg Schlacks.

The world’s largest multisport championship event for adults 50 and older recently took place within USTA Missouri Valley. The 2025 National Senior Games ran from July 24 to Aug. 4 in Des Moines, Iowa, gathering some of the country’s top senior athletes for competition and camaraderie.

Tennis was one of the 30-plus individual and team sports offered at the National Senior Games. More than 500 tennis players competed in Des Moines, with individuals earning their spot at the Games by placing in the top four of a qualifying State Senior Games in 2024. Several USTA Missouri Valley tennis players partook in the Games this summer, and you can read their stories here.

“Our host city, Des Moines, is an unexpected sports mecca, and we know players will be pleasantly surprised by all the area has to offer,” said Susan Hlavacek, National Senior Games Association president & CEO, prior to the start of the Games. “We are grateful to USTA Missouri Valley for welcoming the National Senior Games with open arms and invite anyone in the area to watch the competition or get involved as a volunteer.”

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Tennis Across the Ages

Tennis participants at the National Senior Games ranged in age from 51 to 94. Singles, doubles and mixed doubles action was spread across three venues: Northwest High School in Waukee, Life Time Fitness in Urbandale and Roger Knapp Tennis Center in Des Moines.

Michael Martin, USTA Nebraska chair of officials, wore multiple hats at the Games as both a competitor in men’s/mixed doubles and a tournament official. Martin made his second appearance at the National Senior Games, previously competing in Minneapolis a decade ago.

“It’s fun. When I played in 2015, I played mixed doubles with a lady from the upper peninsula of Michigan,” he said. “That is one aspect of it that is interesting—you meet people from all over. In 2015, I played teams from Hawaii. That is part of the fun or challenge of doing this kind of event.”

Martin is one of 100,000-plus individuals across the U.S. who yearly engage in a local, state or national event affiliated with the National Senior Games. The National Senior Games take place every two years, with a USTA Missouri Valley city again set to host in 2027 in Tulsa. The 2023 event occurred in Pittsburgh.

“People still enjoy competing. Even if it’s not as serious as maybe the college level, etcetera, they like to compete,” Martin said. “The National Senior Games have also latched onto this is a population base that probably can travel. If you think 50+, 60+, 70+, there are a lot of people that are retired or partially retired that have potentially expendable dollars and are willing and able to take a trip, spend four or five days in a different location.”

The National Senior Games served as a homecoming for Martin, who previously lived in West Des Moines for three years. He said there was a nice variety of players who participated in the Games, from longtime competitors to newer entrants to tennis. While many players are avid USTA members, others aren’t involved in leagues or tournaments but enjoy State Senior Games and the national competition.

“People seem to have the spirit of while it’s competitive, most people are there for the occasion,” Martin said. “‘It’s the National Senior Games. I qualified. I’m going to play.’ Most people, including certainly myself, don’t have any aspirations of winning a gold medal at the event. It’s just the overall event—you get an opportunity to be with a lot of people.”

USTA Missouri Valley Pride

Scott Howes, USTA Missouri Valley manager, adult play, said the section was excited for the National Senior Games to be occurring in Des Moines. The National Senior Games originated within USTA Missouri Valley in 1987 in St. Louis. The 1989 event likewise took place in St. Louis and returned to USTA Missouri Valley for the first time in 36 years.

“It’s great to have a national event like this in our section,” Howes said. “Being part of that demographic/age group, it’s just important to keep opportunities available at all sporting levels—not just tennis.

“There are millions of people that still participate in athletics, want to compete and want to get to know more people who are doing the same thing within their community and throughout the country. It’s important, and it’s an extremely unique opportunity we sure are glad to have here in Missouri Valley.”

Learn about the National Senior Games here. View USTA Missouri Valley feature stories about National Senior Games participants here.

Top-3 Finishers

The following individuals from USTA Missouri Valley placed in the top three of their respective divisions at the National Senior Games.

Men's 85 Singles: Ted Hollembeak / Emporia, Kan. (1st place)

Men's 55 Doubles: Malcolm Gilreath / Urbandale, Iowa & Daniel Gong / Elk Grove, Calif. (1st place)

Men's 75 Doubles: Robin Mayo / Omaha, Neb. & James Lang / Omaha, Neb. (1st place)

Men's 85 Doubles: Ronald Perdue / Tulsa, Okla. & Ted Hollembeak / Emporia, Kan. (1st place)

Men's 75 Singles: Richard Leake / Decorah, Iowa (2nd place)

Women's 55 Doubles: Tami Bourland / Omaha, Neb. & Debra Adams / Omaha, Neb. (2nd place)

Men's 65 Doubles: Chris Leonard / Hannibal, Mo. & David Bowman / Highlands Ranch, Colo. (2nd place)

Men's 75 Doubles: Richard Perry / Enid, Okla. & Dave Spilseth / Wayzata, Minn. (2nd place)

Men's 85 Doubles: James Johnson / Fremont, Neb. & Dennis Irwin / Sun City West, Ariz. (2nd place)

Men's 80 Singles: Roderick Harley / Lincoln, Neb. (3rd place)

Men's 75 Doubles: Roderick Harley / Lincoln, Neb. & John Crook / Omaha, Neb. (3rd place)

Men's 80 Doubles: Dean Scheffert / Indianola, Iowa & Paul Russ / Johnston, Iowa (3rd place)

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