Sylvia Voakes (PDGA #3360) is the 1994 recipient of the Jim Olsen Sr. Award. Her husband, Dr. Rick Voakes (PDGA #2632) received the same honor in 1999. Both continue to compete and contribute to the game.

Each year the PDGA recognizes an active member, age 50 or older, as the Senior Player of the Year, awarding them the Jim Olsen Sr. Award. This individual is honored for his or her excellent play and/or contributions to the sport of disc golf. In either case, the Senior Player of the Year is a disc golf champion.

How It Started

The history of The Jim Olsen Sr. Award for Senior Player of the Year is itself a colorful look back at the community and culture of the early days of disc golf. Dan “Stork” Roddick (PDGA #3) founded the award in 1984, using a recommissioned PDGA World Championship trophy. It was named in honor of Jim Olsen Sr., a player well-known for both his skill and his joyful demeanor on the course.

“I dubbed it ‘The Jim Olsen Memorial Senior Award,'” recalls Roddick. “My joke from the podium was that we engraved it that way even though Jim was still in great health, but since he was old, we wanted to save on engraving.”

How It Grew

The Senior Player of the Year has been recognized every year since 1984, and is a “Who’s Who” of disc golf’s history and evolution as a sport.

In the award’s early years, an individual’s role in developing and growing the game and surrounding community were primary considerations for recognition. Players like Patti Kunkle (1987, PDGA #283), Dr. Stancil Johnson (1993, PDGA #9), and Dan “Stork” Roddick (1998) were pioneering characters in the origins of disc golf and the PDGA. 

Award winners like “Duster” Don Hoffman (1989, PDGA #1455), and Bob Harris (1992, PDGA #2552), were honored for introducing and growing the game in their respective regions of the world.

Several recipients of the award were recognized for their stellar play, including multi-time world champions like Red Whittington (1990, PDGA #1760), Peter Shive (2003, PDGA #7240), and Elaine King (2012, PDGA #3090).

Many Senior Player of the Year honorees continue in their passion for the game, adding victories and even more world titles to their careers. Additionally, a number have served on the PDGA Board of Directors or been a part of PDGA staff. 

And, a few are fondly remembered by those fortunate enough to witness their impacts on the disc golf community while they were with us.

How It’s Going

The Senior Player of the year is determined by vote of the PDGA Board of Directors. Nominees are discussed based on a few basic criteria:

• Overall points total
• Number of events played
• Earnings
• Direct contributions to the sport or the PDGA

An individual’s play during the most recent disc golf season as well as his or her “lifetime” contributions to the game are considered, and recognizing a single, annual winner is a significant challenge.

The most recent Jim Olsen Sr. Award winner, Andi Young (2020, PDGA #2094) was honored for a lifelong competitive career that began in the 1980s. “The Disc Golf Lady” is a Disc Golf Hall of Fame member and co-chairman, a recent U.S. Women’s champion in the 60+ masters division, and course designer and promoter of disc golf in Texas. Andi and her husband Don, own Spring Valley Golf and Disc Golf in Spring, Texas.

Next

The nominees for the 2021 Senior Player of the Year - Jim Olsen Sr. Award will be considered by the PDGA Board of Directors at the upcoming board meeting and the 2021 winner will join an honored and exclusive club of invaluable disc golf influencers.

This is the third article in a series of stories spotlighting PDGA annual awards.