Nearly 400 Seniors Compete in Greater Greensboro Games Across Guilford County

Nearly 400 older adults registered for this year’s Greater Greensboro Senior Games, filling a schedule that stretches across more than 35 athletic competitions in Guilford County and puts seniors age 50 and over front and center in Greensboro’s recreation calendar.

The events range from cycling to badminton and give participants a structured way to test strength, balance and endurance while staying connected to neighbors and friends. City officials say the games are designed to promote healthy lifestyles, both mentally and physically, by pushing seniors to practice and compete throughout the year. Jennie Matkins serves as the local coordinator through Greensboro Parks & Recreation.

That mix of health and competition gives the games a broader reach than a typical community event. Nearly 400 registrants mean more than a small club meet-up; it creates a regional gathering that draws families, supporters and attention to the venues and volunteers that help keep senior programming visible across Greensboro. For Guilford County, the turnout also reflects the size of the older population that wants active, age-appropriate competition rather than a quiet retirement model.

The stakes are not only local. Greensboro says first-, second- and third-place finishers in each age group qualify for the NC Senior Games State Finals each fall. This year is also a qualifying year for the National Senior Games, with the next summer games set for 2027, giving local athletes a path from Greensboro to statewide and national competition.

The city’s Senior Games and SilverArts program is sanctioned by NC Senior Games Inc. and sponsored statewide by the North Carolina Division of Aging. The 2026 Greensboro games were scheduled from March 31 through May 2, with SilverArts events set for May 5-6 and a registration deadline of February 27.

Greensboro is part of a much larger network. North Carolina Senior Games says there are 54 local games spread across all 100 counties, underscoring that Guilford County’s event is one stop in a statewide system built around active aging, competition and community. In Greensboro, that system was on full display as seniors took the field, the court and the road in one of the county’s most visible celebrations of later-life fitness.