Kenai’s Herman Brad Snead, 75, won five gold medals and a bronze medal at the Alaska International Senior Games from Aug. 2 to 11 in Fairbanks.
According to the event’s website, the games were founded in 2003 to offer adults age 50 and above the opportunity to compete in about 20 sports. The games also are meant to enhance health, fitness and the quality of life.
A retiree from Alabama, Snead has lived in Kenai for about 14 years.
He said he learned about the games while bouncing around the internet.
“Basically, I moved up here to fish,” Snead said. “I’ve been trying to get to those games for three years, but I just couldn’t put that fishing rod down.
“It’s so addicting.”
The event that caught Snead’s interest was the free-throw competition. Snead graduated from Piedmont High School in Alabama in 1967. He said he was about the third best player on a squad that went 25-5.
“That’s really why I went up there,” Snead said of the free throws. “The rest of them, I just entered for the heck of it.”
Snead also joked he was interested in the games because they gave him an excuse to give his wife, Theresa Snead, to get out of chores around the house.
“I told my wife every time she would tell me to do something around the house, ‘You know, that’s not in my training,’” he said.
Snead hit 10 of 10 foul shots to win. According to the games website, only one other participant — Ken Stewart in 2015 also competing in the 75 to 79 age group — hit all 10.
Snead also won table tennis men’s singles 75 to 79 and was third in pickleball men’s singles 75 to 79.
He played with Matt Kato of Fairbanks in pickleball men’s doubles 75 to 79 and won first.
He also played with Fumi Asami, 84 from Tokyo, and won table tennis mixed doubles 75 to 79.
Snead’s final gold medal came in men’s mini golf 75 to 79.
Snead said the cycling event also interested him, because Snead has ridden a bicycle for the last 20 or 25 years. Cycling was on the same day as the free throws.
“I thought, I’m not going to do that because I don’t want to go in there tired,” he said. “After all, I’m pretty old.
“I could do one big event a day, then I’m pretty much shot out the rest of the day.”
Snead said it was a big sacrifice to go to Fairbanks for the games. He doesn’t think he’d do it again, but would recommend it.
“I tried to talk several folks into doing it,” he said. “It’s hard to find people in your age group that will break away and do that.
“If you’re athletic and you like to compete, it’s a fun thing to do.”
Snead is considering the National Senior Games in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2024. There, participants take 25 free throws. There also is a 3-point shooting contest, with three shots from five different locations.
There also is an billiards 8-ball tournament at nationals that interests Snead.
