GAMES OFFER SENIORS A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY : ANNUAL GOLD COAST COMPETITION TO ATTRACT HUNDREDS OF ATHLETES.

Byline: Bryan Winchell Special to the Daily News

Not one to go for a walk, 63-year-old Arlene Desko would rather get a workout by doing something competitive and fun.

That's why she's one of more than 600 people age 50 and up who will compete in the Gold Coast Senior Games, which will begin Saturday and run through Oct. 20. The games, scheduled at a host of venues from Santa Maria to Thousand Oaks, will feature 16 events.

``I love to compete,'' said Desko, who will participate in the table tennis competition at the Goebel Senior Center in Thousand Oaks. ``I have a lot of fun meeting all of these new people from all over the place.''

Desko of Camarillo has won her share of gold medals competing in Sacramento and San Antonio, in state and national senior games, and she has met folks from as far away as New York.

While the winning is nice, above all Desko values the friendships she has made.

``I have made good friends from Sacramento, San Diego, Hemet and Utah,'' she said.

When the competition kicks off Saturday with aquatics at the Ojai Valley Racquet Club and softball at three sites in Ventura, the games will feature just over 50 more participants than last fall.

Softball, which has more than 300 participants, is the biggest sport and lasts four days, while the majority of the 15 other events last only one day.

And while the stereotype would suggest that seniors would shy away from active events, men's and women's golf is the second most popular event at the competition, while beach volleyball will be introduced next season.

``The main thing is to keep people active,'' said Richard Newsham, public relations specialist for the city of Ventura, which is coordinating the games. ``We want to recognize the older athlete, whether they are competing in swimming or softball or whatever.''

Betty Hartman, who has been a board member for the games for 10 years, said the games have changed a lot since first started 12 years ago.

``In the beginning, we had low-key events like an art show and dancing,'' Hartman said. ``People like to dance, just not competitively. So as we've progressed, we've turned to more active sports.''

The sports include: swimming, lawn bowling, slowpitch softball, bridge, shuffleboard, table tennis, eight-ball pool, bowling, sportfishing, basketball, golf, tennis, a 5K run and a 5K walk.

Skip Robinson, a coordinator of senior services for the city of Ventura who has worked with the games for the past four years, sees the level of competition improving, especially among the younger participants.

``We're starting to get the baby boomer element and that's adding to the quality of competition,'' Robinson said.

This year will be the first year that athletes from outside of the Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo county areas can compete in these events, and Robinson said that some out-of-state athletes are scheduling vacation time to come out and compete.

Participants automatically qualify for the state games and also receive a T-shirt, while winners are awarded Olympic-style gold, silver and bronze medals.

And while the social element of the games plays a big part in drawing competitors, Robinson says the competition is equally as important.

``It is a big social event, but one of the big attractions is the competition,'' Robinson said. ``It's a way for them to test themselves. It's almost an enlightening process because they feel real good if they win and if they don't, they feel good because they competed in a positive environment with friends of similar interests.''

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Photo: (ran in CONEJO only) Arlene Desko, 63, who will comp ete in table tennis, says the best thing about the Gold Coast Senior Games is meeting people from all over.

Andy Holzman/Special to the Daily News