It wasn’t so very long ago that older Americans, those at or near retirement age, were expected to sit back, relax, and enjoy the precious years they had left.

Elderly people were supposed to settle comfortably into retirement and grow old gracefully, with a dignified gentleness befitting their station in life.

No more.

In fact, the term “elderly” is hardly used to describe those today of this demographic grouping. Instead, people who have arrived at this stage in life like to call themselves seniors.

And while they might enjoy sitting back and knitting, or lounging on the couch reading or watching televison, more often than not you will find them “Going for the Gold” with a relish and fervor equal to that of their much-younger peers.

Golf, tennis, swimming, bowling, horseshoes, track events, bike racing, hotshot basketball, table tennis and threading the needle with a softball or football are on the agenda for 180 athletes from all over the state in the Greater Bangor area this weekend competing in the Seventh Annual Maine Senior Games.

Billed as competition for those age 55 and older, the Games are coordinated through efforts of the Eastern Agency on Aging and Casco Northern Bank.

Friday morning the eager seniors were up and at ’em at the Bangor-Brewer Bowling Lanes in Brewer where 56-year-old Fred Badger was working to defend his age-group championship. He had warmed up the day before by rolling a 398 in the Senior League. Badger took last year’s title with a 360.

Badger, a relative newcomer to the Games, is an active participant in the local senior’s league which participates in the Senior Can-Am tournament.

A cross country runneras a high school student in the early 50’s, Badger is typical of the senior athletes who are willing to give it all they’ve got not only for their own enjoyment, but to test themselves against others.

He fondly recalls last year returning home with two gold medals, a silver and a bronze. Included in his repetoire is track, the football and softball throw, basketball and horseshoes.

In another lane was a former state seniors champ, Olive Benton of Bangor, cheering on her friend Leo “Donnie” Goodin of Eddington. Now a perky 66, Benton is a committed bowler, but another who demonstrates that seniors are doing things today their predecessors never would have considered, much less attempted.

For example, one of Benton’s favorite competitions is the football throw. Now that’s an event one would not normally expect a woman to participate in, especially the grandmotherly type.

Later in the day, 63-year-old Philip Wolley of Bangor had doned his trunks to compete in the swimming events at the Husson College pool.

One thing you discover, watching these fun-loving seniors, is that they don’t give a darn what their form looks like as long as it gets them where they’re going.

That said, you must also keep in mind that there are some top-notch swimmers in these Games, and some who are truly outstanding.

Wolley is one of those who sees the competition as a chance to swim against himself, “just to see if I make it or not.”

And he makes no bones about the fact that his freestyle form is a fancy term for doing anything he wants, maybe even the good old reliable dog paddle.

George Sealy of Ellsworth recently retired from the postal service. For 28 years, he officiated basketball in Washington and Hancock County. He had just won his heat in the 65-69 breaststroke competition, and Friday’s competition was just the third time he had been in the water all year.

Characteristically, he saw his success as a beginning rather than an ending, and he resolved to take a closer look at his local YMCA and make an effort to swim there regularly.

Training and conditioning now becomes more of a concern than winning.

Back when he was a student at Gardiner High School, 59-year-old Harvey Mason of Augusta ran a 4:27 mile. He is a track and field masters medalist who also proves that seniors horizons are ever-widening.

Today, he specializes in weight events like the shot and discus, but he also competes in running events.

Mason’s immediate goal, of course, is to do well in the Games this weekend. But his long-range plans include competing throughout New England where more gentlemen of his age group participate in the weight events.