Tulsa Gaming Seniors stage as much as Nationals

TULSA, Okla. — They may not strike you as players, however the University Village Retirement Community seniors will let you know Nintendo is correct up their alley.

“Now we can beat them young kids!” mentioned resident Cecelia Basarich.

A number of occasions per week, the University Village Wii bowling group, referred to as the UV Okies, gathers for some pleasant and fierce competitors.

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“If you can use one arm, you can Wii bowl!” mentioned Wayne Wall, University Village Life Enrichment Coordinator.

“It’s great exercise. Do you know how many times you get up and down from that chair to bowl? It’s good exercise,” mentioned Basarich.

With their gameday gear and recreation faces on, this group is on a roll! “We are currently 5 years in a row the champions of the Tulsa city-wide league,” mentioned Wall. And they inform 2 News they’re undefeated for the final three years.

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They all have nicknames. Like their chief, Coach Salty Cecelia Basarich. She mentioned she’s watched the group develop. “When I moved here 9 years ago, we had 8 bowlers; now we have close to 40!”

Dangerous Dorothy Salen is among the founding members and one in all two 100-year-olds on the group. She mentioned, “I love the challenge. I’ve always liked challenges; I’ve had a few in my life. But trying to get a really good game is one thing I like; the highest I’ve gotten so far is 298.”

More than half a dozen have rolled good video games, however nobody has finished it extra occasions than Davis Joyce. “My nickname? Auto because they like to say it’s automatic for me to roll a perfect 300 score, but it’s really not.”

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Like most at University Village, Joyce by no means performed earlier than shifting in. “Never even heard of it. I thought, What’s Wii bowling?” Joyce mentioned.

The recreation has given him one thing to look ahead to and lots of associates. Joyce mentioned, “That’s one of the best things about it!”

The sensational seniors are so proficient, they’ve leveled up. “To Nationals! I am so excited. I am so excited,” mentioned Basarich.

Up subsequent, the UV Okies will tackle the National Senior Wii Bowling League. That contains 24 states, 44 retirement communities, AND 140 groups. And the very best half: the seniors can compete from their residence theater.

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Wall mentioned, “We won’t meet the National League people face to face, uh, we’ll get to see them, but we won’t be in person.”

The league kicks off in September. Until then, the UV Okies will probably be turning up the warmth, hoots, and hollers.

The UV Okies additionally play for charity and have crushed the University Village employees and a group from Oral Roberts University. We’ll observe their progress as they compete this fall.

You can study extra about University Village Retirement Community here.

This shouldn’t be the primary group we have featured from this Retirement Community. You might recall one other group there that spreads pleasure by means of the group with their Encouraging Cuff Jewelry. Here’s their Positively Oklahoma Story.

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