Steven B Peterson, Oct 15, 2009

[ Return to Stories index ]

TRC's Steve Peterson Competes at 2009 Summer National Senior Games

By: IDS Communications 16-Sep-09

(Copyright © 2003-2009 Raytheon Company)

Steve Peterson of the Torpedo & Readiness Center's Fleet Readiness Support
Services competed at the 2009 Summer National Senior Games swimming competition
held at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., Aug. 1­ 5. Peterson qualified
in six events by finishing in the top 3 in his age group at the state-level meet
in Olympia, Wash., in 2008. In Stanford's Avery Aquatics Stadium pool, he
medaled in the 200 yard Individual Medley (bronze), 50 and 100 Breaststrokes
(silvers) and 200 Breaststroke (gold) in his 60-64 age group, plus 7th and 9th
places in the 100 and 50 Freestyles, respectively.

The Summer National Senior Games hosted nearly 10,000 athletes aged 50 and up
from every state and the District of Columbia competing in 18 medal sports
(including 660 swimmers) plus six "demonstration" sports added this year. The
Games have been held every odd year since 1987; Peterson attended his first in
Louisville, KY in 2007. The games are governed by the National Senior Games
Association, a non-profit member of the United States Olympic Committee, founded
in 1985 to promote active lifestyles for adults 50 and over.

"Palo Alto and Stanford University hosted a spectacular Summer Games -- I wish I
could have stayed the entire two weeks. It's quite an inspiration to see older
athletes competing and having a great healthy time! The medals are larger than
we get at Masters national meets, too," says Peterson. "Our state's oldest
female swimmer is 91; the oldest games' male was a tennis and bowling competitor
from Florida at age 100."

Peterson joined Raytheon in 1999 and has served as an individual contributor
supporting the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Keyport, and Raytheon's
TRC on site in Keyport, Wash. Peterson has enjoyed competitive swimming for 25
years. He currently serves as president of the 1,500-member Pacific Northwest
Association of Masters Swimmers, one of 52 Local Masters Swim Committees that
comprise U.S. Masters Swimming, a 50,000-member organization headquartered in
Sarasota, Fla.