Ninety-three-year old Alease Brooks, wearing one of her signature pickleball outfits, readies her serve at 4-4. She has already competed in five Northern Virginia Senior Olympics (NVSO) events and is headed for rock climbing for ages 70-99 on Thursday, Oct. 1. 

Brooks says every year her children give her a new pickleball outfit to wear during the competition. Today she is wearing last year’s fluorescent green, having initiated this year’s dual pink ensemble last Friday. 

The pickleball courts at Lubber Run Community Center are full on Monday, Sept. 28. One of the volunteers points to the sign up sheet on the registration table. 

“This is extremely popular, especially the 60s category which has almost 20 enrolled between the two categories. And it will continue to grow.”

Herb Levitan, NVSO Registrar says, “Do I have to tell how long I have been involved with NVSO?” He says he began competing in the swimming categories nearly 20 years ago. “Then I moved to softball and basketball. But now I’m too busy with the administration to compete anymore.”

He remembers when he first got involved there were just a couple of hundred participants but it has been growing every year and in 2026 it is the largest ever with more than 1,300 enrolled. “I think we are getting more exposure, and we continue to add new events. This year, darts and rock climbing are new events, and weightlifting has returned.” He says 38 percent of the participants are new this year.

NVSO now offers 96 events ranging from track, swimming, golf, horseshoes and croquet to line dancing, orienteering, jigsaw puzzles and scrabble. Participants over 50 were eligible to sign up for as many events as they could fit in the 22-day schedule.