After the Cherokee/Clay Senior Games hosted its final event on May 28, the 2026 games have officially come to a close.
Terence Faries, coordinator of the Cherokee/Clay Senior Games, spoke with the Cherokee Scout about the 2026 games.
He gave his overall thoughts on this year’s local games, some of the popular events and this year’s State Games coming up in September.
Faries said that this year’s local games went well, with about the same number of participants as last year.
He said that he has learned that each year, you lose people and you gain people.
“It’s constant losing and gaining,” Faries said. “We’ll gain anywhere between 60 to 70 people a year and lose 60 to 70 people a year.”
This year they lost a few more than they gained, but they got 46 brand new participants. He also said that participation was up with more people playing more games.
In terms of popular games amongst the athletes, Faries said that pickleball is always popular.
He also said that games played as singles – non team-based games – were more popular.
Along with pickleball, he said that bocce ball increased in popularity this year. Cornhole, air rifle target shooting and mini golf were way up compared to past years.
Horseshoes registration was up too, but the event had to be canceled due to rain.
Faries said that they will discuss possibly adding or taking away games based on interest and participation.
He said that they could add darts or even card games. While not State Games events, if the interest is there they could be played at the local level.
The Cherokee/Clay Senior Games offer most of the games that are played at the state level, with the exception of games like tennis and softball.
They do not offer cycling locally, but they have sign-ups for those that want to do it. Those that want to do it can go and compete at Charlotte Motor Speedway and their results will be reported back to the local games.
Faries said that Senior Games closer to big cities offer those games because the interest is there and the amount of people are there as well.
For example, big cities like Charlotte regularly have softball leagues. Through that, they can field a Senior Games softball team for competition.
Despite being in a rural area, Faries said that the Cherokee/Clay Senior Games are in the top half of Senior Games participation in the state, as they average over 200 people per year.
Talking about the State Games, Cherokee/Clay Senior Games co-coordinator Chris Faries said, “It’s a great experience. I wish more people would go because once they go, they absolutely love it.”
For the State Games, everyone who finishes in the top three in an event in their age group qualifies for state, with a few exceptions.
For golf, qualification is score based, not where you place at local games.
For events like football and softball throw, anyone who competes qualifies for the State Games.
State qualifying for SilverArts is different as well. Those who finish in the top two in each category qualify for state. Performing arts is similar where only the winner of best in show qualifies for the state level competition.
Faries said that about 30 people from the local games will go and compete at the State Games, with half being from the games and half being SilverArts.
For SilverArtists who do not want to actually go to the state level competition, Terence and Chris will load up their art and take it to the State Games to be entered for those who qualified but don't want to go.
From the local games, Terence said that athletes from swimming, basketball, track & field and billiards will likely compete at the State Games.
Terence said that one of the downsides of the State Games is that registration is much higher than the local games.
For the local games, it is $15 to compete in almost all the games. At the State Games, registration is $50 plus an additional $5 or $10 per event.
This year is also a National Games qualifying year, meaning competitors at the State Games will be competing for a spot in next year’s National Games.
Terence said that the Senior Games is more for the fun of it than anything else. It’s not an extreme competition, but a fun competition between local people.