May 26, 2026

PICKLEBALL MADNESS … Hundreds of athletes will rally at Mitchell Park over the Memorial Day weekend for a three-day pickleball extravaganza with national implications. The 2026 Bay Area Senior Games Pickleball Tournament will take over the park between May 23 and May 25, marking the 12th year in a row that Palo Alto has hosted the event. This year, 345 registered athletes across multiple age groups and skill divisions will participate in the event, according to organizers, which include the city of Palo Alto, the Palo Alto Pickleball Club, the Bay Area Senior Games and the organization Pickleball is Great. The top four finishers in each division will qualify for the 2027 Summer National Senior Games in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In recent years, the south Palo Alto park has become a regional destination for pickleball, with the city adding courts and facing a continuous stream of demands for more playing space. In some cases, pickleball’s conquest has encountered resistance from local tennis players and from nearby residents who are peeved by the “thwack… thwack… thwack” soundtrack that accompanies Palo Alto’s fastest growing sport. But city leaders and proponents of the game are enthusiastic about the sport’s growth. Dave Claudino, who is organizing the Bay Area tournament, said his group is excited to welcome players back to Palo Alto. ““Pickleball continues to grow rapidly among senior athletes, and this tournament combines high-level competition, friendship, and community spirit while giving players the opportunity to qualify for the 2027 National Senior Games in Tulsa,” he said in a statement. “Senior Games are about far more than medals,” added Anne Cribbs, a Palo Alto resident and chair of the Bay Area Senior Games. “They inspire healthy lifestyles, social connection, purpose, and lifelong activity. The friendships and energy you see on these courts are a reminder that competition truly never grows old. The Bay Area Senior Games is grateful for this 12-year collaboration to produce activities for senior athletes.” Spectators are welcome throughout the weekend, with no admission fee.

May 21, 2026

Bay Area Senior Games Official Photographer John Todd focus article about ISI Photography and Soccer

May 18, 2025

July 18, 2025

Bay Area Senior Games athletes featured at the Thursday Night CAL Avenue Festival at the Senior Games Booth. Athletes from Track & Field, Pickleball, Archery, Power Walk, and Swimming shared their Senior Games sport experiences with the public. They also showed off some of their award medals.

May 24, 2024

The Bay Area Senior Games continues with pickleball in Palo Alto

March 19, 2024

National Senior Games Week Celebration

March 18, 2024

California celebrating National Senior Games Week March 18 – 24, 2024 with Statewide Activities

National Senior Games Week & Palo Alto City Proclamation

CA Senior Games Qualifier Sports and Locations for 2025 National Senior Games

California Senior Games Launches New Logo

We are excited to introduce our new California Senior Games logo….at the left of this web site. After 30 years of use, we felt it was time for a change. The new Games logo retains key elements from our previous logo: the shape of California and the name embracing the state in a circular band. The state shape has been brought into a closer alignment with the actual shape. The circular band has been opened to create the letter C. Most significantly, we have added warmth, strength, energy, and movement with the addition of the sun. The rays of light extend across our state and convey our connection to the regional member organizations. Working closely with key CSGA board members, veteran designer Jerry Kuyper explored a wide range of design directions before the team settled on a direction. The final logo was strengthened with improvements from Kuyper’s design colleagues – Bill Chiaravalle and Ben Kuyper. California athletes can look forward to a range of special California logo gear – including hats, tee and polo shirts, to be available this summer.