Dan Shroyer, 85, and Dr. John Eichelberger, 76, medaled in their respective age brackets.
NVGAG is a qualifying event for the National Senior Games. Areas of competition for the NVGAG include air pistol, air rifle, badminton, basketball, bocce ball, bowling, cornhole, cycling, disc golf, golf, horseshoes, nine ball, pickleball, power walking, shuffleboard, swimming, table tennis, and track and field events.
A veteran is encouraged to participate in four events. Organizers say: “It’s for the health of it.”
Both Shroyer, a retired insurance agent, and Eichelberger, a retired dentist, agreed the first step of the event is one of the most competitive.
For Shroyer, it was his first successful attempt to enter the games in four tries. His efforts were thwarted by COVID shutdowns in two previous efforts to compete, and last year he had a personal commitment on the date registration opened that prevented him from entering. For Eichelberger, this year marked his second successful enrollment and participation in the annual event. His won numerous medals in the 2022 games.
The two men are both avid pickleball players who learned about the national competition through the Dayton Veterans Administration. Both are Marine Corps veterans and are active in the Springfield Marine Corps League, providing military honors for veteran burial services and life celebrations in Clark County.
Shroyer served 22+ years in the military, beginning with the Marine Corps reserve in high school, then full-time in the Marine Corps, the Air National Guard and then the Army Reserve. At age 55, with the Army Reserve, he was sent overseas and served with the Third Army during Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
Eichelberger joined the Marine Corps and served most of his enlistment in Vietnam, from 1966 to 1969.
Eichelberger claimed a gold medal in the Men’s Doubles pickleball event, and a silver in the pickleball mixed doubles. His male partner was a vet from North Carolina, and the female vet resides in California.
“I’d never met or played with either before then,” Eichelberger said. “It turned out great in both competitions.”
Eichelberger also placed fourth in two other events - power walking, and cornhole.
In addition to pickleball, Shroyer had his eye on the track and field competition, specifically the discus throw.
“I’d never thrown a discus before,” Shroyer confessed. “However, my granddaughter, Abby, had been an outstanding high school discus competitor, so I asked her to coach me, and it really paid off.”
Shroyer had also done his homework and knew that in his age group he would need to exceed an 11-meter throw in his 85-89 age group.
“I far outpaced that,” Shroyer said.
His winning throw of 15.81 meters easily enabled him to collect the gold medal. He also earned a bronze medal in his age group in nine-ball billiards.
Following a loss in the cornhole contest in his age group, one of the officials asked Shroyer if he would want to play against a 92-year-old.
“Bring it on,” Shroyer said. “I beat him two out of three games, but he was still all smiles at the end of the game, because he earned the gold medal since he was the only one in that over 90-year-old age group to compete.”
Eichelberger and Shroyer brought along their own cheering section to the games.
Eichelberger was joined, as he was in his previous competition in the games, by his wife Diane.
“We turned it into a road trip,” Eichelberger said. “And we are lucky because the Dayton VA helps pay for the trip, providing a food and hotel allowance for competitors. Not every VA does that for its veterans.”
Shroyer was accompanied by his wife, Maxine, his son, Matt, and daughter-in-law Kristin. Two members of Shroyer’s bible study group also joined as spectators. Unfortunately, granddaughter Abby was unable to attend, but she’s extremely proud of the role she got to play in her grandfather’s successful discus debut.
In 2024 the games will be held August 25-29 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Both men say they will consider a return to the games if they can qualify and have the opportunity to do so again.
In the meantime, you’ll be able to find them on the pickleball courts at United Senior Services, Clark State Community College, Snyder Park, or Fellowship Christian Church. They frequent them all.
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