10/05/2026
After swimming in his final competition at Bowling Green State University, about 60 years ago, Martin Schenk proclaimed, “I’m never doing this again.”
The Florida Senior Games is happy he didn’t keep his word.
While over 300 athletes are currently registered, Schenk was the first athlete to register for the 2026 Florida Senior Games when registration went live on September 10.
Now living in The Villages, Schenk has been swimming in the Florida Senior Games since 2010 when he was in the 65-69 age group. He’s registered to compete in the 80-84 age group on December 5-6 at the Temple Terrace Aquatic Center.
While visiting her father during The Villages Senior Games in April, his daughter, Betsy, entered the swimming competition and “caught the bug,” according to Martin. She won five gold and a silver medal in the 60-64 age group.
“She lives in California and has entered some Master’s Swimming meets,” he said.
He moved to The Villages in 2008 and was urged to join The Villages Swim Team after team members noticed him swimming in one of the pools.
“I just love to compete,” he said about his participation in Senior Games events. “You get to see the same places in different places. It’s fun going to the meets with teammates. We have a carload of people and we swim and go out for dinner afterwards.
He recently loaded up with a carload of fellow swimmers to compete in the Gainesville Senior Games.
As one of the more experienced members of The Villages Swim Team, Schenk has noticed the makeup of the team has changed to younger Senior Games age groups.
“I call them the teenagers,” he said.
Teenagers need a good mentor and The Villages Swim Team has a good one in Martin Schenk.
