'Tremendous opportunity:' Senior Bucks basketball team is proud to represent Milwaukee
Senior Bucks team
MILWAUKEE -- One Milwaukee basketball team is proving that you are never too old to get better, and that you are never too old to teach. The Senior Bucks basketball team practices at and represents Milwaukee's Northside YMCA. The team hails from Milwaukee, but recently represented the whole state of Wisconsin.
"We're set, we're ready, we want to carry on the Bucks, man," said Walt Love. "We are the senior Bucks, so we are going to do our thing. It's going to be great."
They have won the last two state titles in the 55 to 60 age group, and recently competed in the National Senior Olympics in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Senior Bucks team
Senior Bucks team
Walt Love
"We are having a ton of fun," said Riley Dotson.
"The young Bucks are gone, so all you have left now is us, the senior guys," said Love. "We are going to try and bring the gold home for the city of Milwaukee and the state of Wisconsin."
Representing the city of Milwaukee and their people isn't something Walt Love and the other players take lightly.
"This ZIP code is 53206 which is one of the worst ZIP codes in city," said Love. "What we are trying to do is bring some positive to the kids that are here, some positive to the people that live in this area."
Senior Bucks team
Senior Bucks team
Riley Dotson
"It's also a way to connect with young people because the same skills you use in basketball you use in the game of life," said Dotson. You have to set goals you have to have determination, you have to have discipline and those are the things you need to succeed in the biggest of all the game of life."
"The fact that we are positive, mature men that are trying to do something positive through our city, through our Y for the kids and give them some hope as well."
The team is also proving that age can be just a number.
"It's a tremendous opportunity for us to showcase our abilities, but also to encourage others that there is life after 60," said Dotson.
Senior Bucks team