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General Rules These pages state the rules of the National Veterans Golden Age Games. These rules will be used at all National and Local Veterans Golden Age Games competitions. Modifications and variances of these rules and regulations may be made as outlined in the rules or by the National Veterans Golden Age Games Program Director. I. Competitor Eligibility To be eligible, competitors must be 55 years of age or over and currently receiving care through the Department of Veterans Affairs. Competitors may be inpatients of a VA facility or receiving care/services on an outpatient basis. II. Registration for Events Competitors must register prior to the start of the events. Each competitor may be entered in up to a maximum of four and a minimum of two National Veterans Golden Age Games events. There are 32 events and categories from which individuals may choose to enter. Competitors may enter no more than two swimming events. The two swimming events will count toward two of the maximum of four events that a competitor may enter. Name of Event Breakout Event Rules Bicycle 1/4 Mile Dash Age & Gender RULES Bicycle 1/2 Mile Dash Age & Gender RULES Bowling Age & Gender RULES Adaptive Bowling-Wheelchair Age & Gender RULES Adaptive Bowling-Wheelchair Adaptive Adaptive Bowling-Visually Impaired Checkers Age RULES Croquet Age RULES Dominoes Age RULES Golf Age RULES Horseshoes Age & Gender RULES Wheelchair Horseshoes Age & Gender RULES Visually Impaired Horseshoes Nine-Ball Age RULES Wheelchair Nine-Ball Age RULES Pentathlon Age & Gender RULES Wheelchair Pentathlon Age & Gender RULES Shuffleboard Age RULES Wheelchair Shuffleboard Age RULES Visually Impaired Shuffleboard Swimming-25 Yards or Meters:      Free-Style      Non-Ambulatory Free-Style      Backstroke      Non-Ambulatory Backstroke Age & Gender RULES Swimming-50 Yards or Meters:      Free-Style      Non-Ambulatory Free-Style      Backstroke      Non-Ambulatory Backstroke RULES Swimming-100 Yards or Meters:      Free-Style      Non-Ambulatory Free-Style RULES Table Tennis Age RULES Wheelchair Table Tennis Age RULES Each event will have six age categories for participation: 55-59 60-64 65-69 70-74 75-79 80-Up Competitors may request assignment to a younger age category in order to compete. At the discretion of the National Meet Director, age categories with one entry may be assigned to participate in a younger age category, but will be awarded medals in their original age category. In most events, men and women will compete together; but in others, they will compete in separate categories. Events in which men and women will compete in separate categories include: Bicycle 1/4 Mile Dash Bicycle 1/2 Mile Dash Bowling Wheelchair Bowling Pentathlon Wheelchair Pentathlon Horseshoes Wheelchair Horseshoes Swimming Events III. Awards National Games — The National Program Director will select the medals to be awarded at the national level. Medals for First, Second, and Third place will be awarded in each event (age/gender category). The National Games will also award certificates or similar awards to each competitor in recognition of their involvement in the National Veterans Golden Age Games. The George Gangi Inspirational Award — will be determined by vote of the National Program Director, National Meet Director, National Public Affairs Coordinator, and Sponsoring Organization Representative (if appropriate). IV. Modification of Rules and Adapting of Events Events in which rules modification and special adaptations may be made are outlined within the rules printed in this Rule Book. The National Meet Director may modify and adapt event rules with concurrence of the National Program Director and Local Site Coordinator. National Officials may modify and adapt rules regarding facilities and equipment when modification is necessary because of the availability of facilities or weather factors with the concurrence of the National Meet Director and the National Program Director. When possible, National Officials will allow competitors to become familiar with the event areas and equipment to be used. The opportunity to warm up prior to event will be given at the discretion of the National Officials. National Officials may make adaptations and modifications for a competitors disability. The only time this may occur is when the adaptation or modification would not give a competitor an unfair advantage over other competitors. (Examples: In Table Tennis, a competitor who has had a stroke may need to move closer to the table to serve, or in Checkers, a competitor with a hand disability may need someone to move the playing pieces for him/her). In 1996, the National Veterans Golden Age Games incorporated a separate category for visually impaired veterans. These veterans will compete in separate divisions for bowling, horseshoes and shuffleboard. Note: Veteran competitors with a corrected vision of 20/200 or less will be allowed to enter the Visually Impaired events. This must be verified and documented at the time of registration by a qualified VA Visual Impairment Services Team Coordinator. V. Spectator Coaching Coaches and spectators on the sidelines will not be allowed to advise or coach any player during competition. If, after asking a coach/spectator not to coach a player and he/she continues to do so, the official will ask the coach/spectator to leave the tournament area. VI. Disqualifications The National Official has the right to disqualify any player from competition and the player forfeits the right to any awards for unsportsmanlike conduct OR tactics detrimental to the competition. VII. Appeals All appeals of event rules must be made at the time the action being appealed occurs. The appeal will be made to the National Official, and in all cases, the Official's decision shall be final. VIII. Protests All official protests must be received in writing on the appropriate form, and will be reviewed by the National Meet Director and attending National Officials and a final decision will be rendered. IX. Tie Rule Ties during the Bicycling, Swimming, and Pentathlon will not be broken. Competitors who tie during these events will be awarded the same number of points or awarded duplicate medals.

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National Veterans Golden Age Games Program Director: Dewayne Vaughan National Veterans Golden Age Games Meet Director: David Krueger This page maintained by Jeffrey F. Grandon.