Practice Makes Perfect
Dr. James Oglesby, CLA ’55, is proving it’s never too late to go for the gold. At 75, he’s setting state, national and even world records as a track and field athlete — and he’s just getting started.
Oglesby, a member of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, threw the javelin for Mercer for one season. “One of my fraternity brothers threw the javelin on the track team. He wanted to go out and practice one day and asked me to throw it back to him,” Oglesby said. “As we kept practicing, I kept throwing it back to him farther than he could throw it himself, so he said ‘You need to join the track team!’”
Oglesby stopped throwing the javelin after graduating and moving onto to the Medical College of Georgia. Years later, he served as a coach for his son’s high school track and field team, where he learned the ins and outs of shot putting. Much to his disappointment, the small team disbanded, and a friend suggested Oglesby try competing in the Florida Senior Games. At age 70, Oglesby picked up the shot put.
Now, 55 years after he graduated from Mercer, Oglesby is at the top of his game. In 2007, he set the Florida state record in outdoor shot put for his age group and went on to compete in the National Senior Games, where he placed second in both the shot put and discus.
In December 2009, he set new state records for the shot put, discus and javelin at the Florida state championships, where his shot put throw broke the all-time American record, and ensured his title as the 2009 top shot put thrower for his age group in not only the country, but also the world. To top it off, on Jan. 16, Oglesby broke his own record. All of his accolades place him fourth in the all-time world rankings for outdoor shot put for his age group.
Oglesby, who spent 40 years in the Army, offered advice to those who want to get back in the game. “If you’re going to do something and do it well, you’ve got to love it,” he said. “You’ve got to spend the time thinking about it and doing it and living it.”
The father of nine and grandfather of 12 lives in Kissimmee, Fla., where he practices general surgery. He is proud that his family has been able to see him compete on several occasions and said that his wife, Jeanie, is his biggest fan. “Sometimes I think she’s happier about it than I am,” he said, laughing. “She’s a big supporter.”
He said anyone can improve their fitness level if they stick to it. “I’m a living example that you can get better no matter how old you are,” he said. “It’s not because I’m so great, it’s because I’ve been practicing.”