Mark Ivie grew up as one of 11 children, loving any sport with a ball and a group, but especially basketball, volleyball, and baseball. He loved to play church ball and Little League. Though small in stature, now at 5’6”, he built his athleticism through relentless practice. Later in life, after realizing he could barely run around the block on a work trip, he set a goal to complete a half marathon. That single goal sparked a passion for distance running that would ultimately lead him to complete marathons in all 50 states, finishing his milestone race in Maui in 2017 surrounded by his children and grandchildren.

Now retired and living in St. George, Mark is halfway through his 2nd time around the country and has completed more than 75 marathons total! He trains in the early morning hours and stays active through volunteer work in his community. Known for his trademark white sweatband and gold shirt, Mark believes consistency, purpose, and enjoying the process are the keys to staying active and energized through every stage of life.

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Evelyn Cook was raised in a bustling, multigenerational household in Indianapolis, Indiana, where her grandparents raised 13 children and helped raise 14 grandchildren. As a child, she was a competitive and active tomboy, running, biking, and finding her stride on the track. Known as “Super Cricket” for her long legs, she was encouraged by her coach to take on hurdles. Evelyn attended the University of Utah, where she worked as an athletic trainer for the football team and practiced sports massage.

Later, Evelyn became a mother of five and devoted herself to raising her family, stepping away from her athletic identity for more than two decades. Over time, she lost both confidence and physical health, eventually reaching a point where even stepping off her front porch was painful. When her son was scouted as a runner late in high school, Evelyn made a quiet but powerful decision: to support him, she needed to move too. What began as a short walk to the bottom of her front stairs grew into neighborhood walks, then running again after a 24-year break. At 50, Evelyn set a goal to compete in track and field at the Huntsman World Senior Games. She is now a passionate advocate for movement and credits the Games with saving her life. Her motto: “Successful people do what others won’t.”

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Ronnie Figueroa has not had an easy life full of confidence. However, in his fifties, after hitting rock-bottom, he made the conscious choice to break through his insecurities and challenges and transformed his life from the inside out. At 69, Ronnie stepped into the world of DEKA Strong, a high-intensity, 10-event fitness challenge under Spartan, and placed third in the world in his age group, all after years away from athletic competition. Now at 72, he is no longer on any medications and channels his energy into indoor rowing and senior athletics while dedicating his life to helping others heal through a four-fold way of life as a holistic therapist. After overcoming addiction, serious health challenges, and a near-death experience, Ronnie now teaches a powerful message: it’s never too late to believe in yourself, rebuild your life, and thrive.

Learn more about Ronnie on his website at ronniefigueroa.com.

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Mike Kelley has played basketball his entire life, and his passion for the game has only grown stronger with age. A former college athlete at Fort Lewis College, he now competes at the highest level of senior athletics, helping lead Geezer Nation to multiple 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 championships at the Florida Senior Games, the Huntsman World Senior Games, and the National Senior Games. He has also played with and against elite NBA talent and represented the U.S. internationally through Federation of International Maxibasketball in Greece.

After a hip replacement and a period of personal struggle, Mike rebuilt his health and is now six years sober, using basketball as both motivation and outlet. Off the court, he spent 15 years as an elementary teacher and 5 as an assistant principal, and now works in senior care with his wife, helping older adults maintain independence and setting an example for his two kids.

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Linda Sappington has spent a lifetime building her community through service, leadership, and storytelling. A past Utah Rotary District Governor, she was the first female member of Rotary in Southern Utah when she joined St. George Rotary in 1993. In the workplace, she served for 16 years as Director of the Southern Utah Volunteer Center Network, overseeing six impactful programs involving seniors, youth, and families across the five-county region.

A gifted writer and communicator, Linda worked as a public relations consultant, co-authored *The Insider’s Guide to Southern Utah*, and edited multiple personal histories for family members and friends. She has been a dedicated volunteer with the Huntsman World Senior Games for over a decade, overseeing Welcome Bag assembly, managing volleyball refreshments at the Dixie Center, and recruiting home hosts for an average of 65 BYU health science students performing health screenings at the Games. Today, she continues service as a grant writer and active Rotarian, while most proudly embracing her role as a wife, mother of eight, grandmother to 23, and “great” to 11.

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Terry Monda grew up on a quiet street where days were spent playing every sport imaginable. This passion for athletics earned him a basketball scholarship at a local college in Washington. As an adult, Terry played city league basketball and softball, even while having multiple knee surgeries to fix cartilage, but he abstained from most racquet sports to avoid ACL reconstruction. From picking up golf at 50 to owning a CrossFit gym in his 60s, he built the strength and stability that now allow him to compete in, and truly enjoy, pickleball. Terry continues to push his limits and plans to register for a wide variety of events at this year’s Huntsman World Senior Games. Driven by a desire to inspire his five children and ten grandchildren, he loves the connection, resilience, and fun that comes with an active life.

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Kim Washington built a successful career in public and higher education, including serving on President Barack Obama’s Presidential Inaugural Committee and supervising White House interns during President Obama’s administration. Her life later took a dramatic turn when she developed an autoimmune disease, gained significant weight, and faced serious health challenges, including liver fibrosis, diabetes, and mobility limitations that at one point required her to use a wheelchair. At her lowest point, 380 pounds and on multiple medications, Kim began rebuilding through water aerobics, cardio, and strength training, eventually leading to weight loss surgery. When progress stalled, she dug deeper, learning to address metabolism, hormones, and inflammation through nutrition counseling and management, intermittent fasting, hormone replacement therapy, and later using GLP-1 medication as a supportive tool rather than a shortcut. Today, Kim has maintained her goal weight since 2022, eliminated major health conditions, and competes in various senior games, earning two silver medals and a gold in cycling at the Louisiana State Games (all in one day) and placing fifth in the 20K time trial race at her first Huntsman World Senior Games.

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From an upbringing in Central California to life now in northern Utah, Bill Baker has spent decades chasing adventure outdoors: road and mountain biking, climbing iconic spots like Yosemite National Park and Joshua Tree National Park, and living all-in on movement. In addition to his career in pharmaceuticals most of his life, he was a private pilot for 35 years. However, in early 2025, everything changed. After a spinal complication left him unable to walk, Bill didn’t back down. He set bold goals that he has already surpassed, defied expectations, and fought his way back onto a bike, eventually competing at the Huntsman World Senior Games in a 25-mile gravel biking race at just a fraction of his strength. Bill continues to rebuild, push, and chase new goals along with his wife, three sons, and four grandsons.

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