Masters Sports
“Challenge Yourself” He Wants to be the Best — and He Usually Is.
O
by Bill Shafer
Sandy admits that he’s “incredibly competitive — I def the many things Sandy Scott has done in his mand of myself to not just be the best that I can be at life, he has never built a brick wall. The knowlsomething. I will work at it until I can be the best at that edge might have come in handy. His whole life endeavor, period.” has been about breaking through them. He’s just about to His competitive hunger has kept him jumping from one break through another. challenge to the next. He’s been a chess champion, an Sandy is one of the fastest 74-year-old cyclists in the airline pilot, a software designer, an author, a pitchman world. After wiping out and breaking his neck in his first and has tried nearly every race eight years ago, he’s hobby imaginable. Now, at won nearly every event he’s 74, he’s ready to try someentered and set numerous thing new. all-time records — often “Currently, I have imfinishing with the fastest mersed myself in photogtime of all age groups. raphy and I am about to He’s riding faster now enter a very large contest than he did when he was in sponsored by Canon,” he his 60s. Which is why it was says. “My entry is being such a surprise when he anreviewed by a jury and I’ve nounced this month that he been told by three different wouldn’t race again. pros that the shot I sent is But if you know Sandy, the best they’ve ever seen. it’s really no surprise at all. To me, that’s life — a brand “I find it boring that I know new adventure. ” when I show up that I’m goAnd that’s not all. He also ing to win.” he says. has his sights set on a new The challenge was gone physical challenge. Lanky — and Sandy thrives on at 5-foot-11 and weighchallenge. He has all his ing 155 pounds, Sandy is life. As a young police officonsidering competing in cer, he applied for the much more dangerous motorcycle Sandy Scott is always looking for a new adventure — and strives weightlifting. to excel at everything he tries. “I think it would be an patrol. interesting challenge try When he took up skydivto win a state championship at such an unlikely activity ing, he insisted on only non-tethered, non-tandem jumps. for my natural talents,” he says. “Danger actually attracts me,” he says. “It makes me feel To keep himself motivated, Sandy is even blogging about even more alive.” The danger doesn’t have to be physical. For years Sandy was driven by financial danger. GB EXTRA “I was incredibly irresponsible in saving for retirement,” Want to see how fast Sandy really does ride? Head he says. “So I taught myself stock trading, spending all day to GrowingBolderMagazine.com to watch videos of Sandy in action and to read his blog, sandyin front of three screens from morning to night. To this day, scott.growingbolder.com. I manage three trading accounts and beat the hell out of my one ‘professionally’ managed account.” 26
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MARCH/APRIL 2014
2/17/14 5:05:29 PM