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On top of her game
By TERRY JONES © St. Petersburg Times, published September 26, 2000 TAMPA -- For the past five years, 74-year-old Marilyn Parinello has won top honors as the Most Outstanding Female Athlete for her age group in the annual Senior Games sponsored by the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department. Last year, she won the 50- and 100-yard dashes, the standing and running long jump, the mile run and mile walk, billiards, group dancing and individual dancing. She also placed in the top three in the basketball throw, bowling, baking, golf and putt-putt golf. "The games are just a lot of fun for most of us," she said. "We go to the various sites and compete, and I have been quite fortunate the past few years to win many events in my age group. I never train, though. I practice on a regular basis only with the dance group I am part of, but when the games start, I just sign up and show up to compete." "The games are just a lot of fun for most of us," she said. "We go to the various sites and compete, and I have been quite fortunate the past few years to win many events in my age group. I never train, though. I practice on a regular basis only with the dance group I am part of, but when the games start, I just sign up and show up to compete." "Can you believe at 74 she does cartwheels in her dance routines?" asked Mary Marnotes, a county recreation department representative in Town N' Country, near the Forrest Hills community where Parinello lives and signs up. "I can't do them, and she makes them look so easy. It is amazing." Parinello and her husband, Paul, originally are from Stamford, Conn. "Paul moved to Tampa to work, and our long-distance phone calls became so expensive, I suppose it was cheaper for us to get married," she said. "We settled in here and have been here all 53 years. Paul doesn't compete in the games, but he is active in golf and used to teach his sport. Our children and grandchildren are all active, though." Their daughter, Janet, lives in Tampa; son Charles in St. Petersburg. Granddaughter Lauren Parinello recently graduated from the University of Florida, where she was captain of the cheerleading squad, and granddaughter Jaclyn Parinello is a cheerleader at the University of South Florida. "Everyone in the family is involved in either music, dancing or sports of some kind," Parinello said. Every day, she walks between 2 and 4 miles. In the mornings she usually walks a couple of miles with a neighbor and friend. She and her husband walk in the evenings, when both feel up to it. "There is always plenty of housework and plenty of yard work on a daily basis to help fill in the gaps," she said. "Paul and I have always tried to stay active. Children, grandchildren and the games all help make it fun." Parinello rehearses each week with the Happy Hoofers, a nine-woman dance troupe for which she is choreographer. They participate in the group competition of the senior games and perform throughout the year for groups such as the VFW, nursing homes and private clubs. This year's games will take place Oct. 3-13 at nine sites throughout the county, after the Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Nearly 200 men and women age 50 and older from Naples to Hernando County have applied to participate in the games. The registration fee is $12 per person, until Friday. Afterward, a late fee of $3 is added. The registration fee pays for entrants to compete, a ticket for the awards banquet and opening luncheon, plus a senior games T-shirt. Dinner tickets for non-participants are $10 each. For information, please call (813) 903-3469.
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From the Times Seniority pages |
