SLIPPERY ROCK — We’re off our rockers.

That’s the theme of the Senior Olympics of Western Pa., based out of the Butler Cubs of McKean Street in Butler. The organization promotes physical fitness of seniors through athletic competition.

That message will be in motion Saturday at the Aebersold Recreation Center at Slippery Rock University, where the annual “Rivalry at The Rock” takes place. The senior women’s 3-on-3 basketball tournament runs from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Winners gain entrance into the National Senior Games, slated for 2017 in Birmingham, Ala.

“There will be 15 teams (at Slippery Rock), including the national champion 75-under Michigan team,” tournament director Carol McCollough said. “There will be players from Connecticut, New York, West Virginia, Virginia and Pennsylvania participating.”

McCollough, 72, and Kathy Blair are the only 70-over basketball players in the Western Pa. group right now. Marilyn Hilliard is the lone Western Pa. player over 80.

“It’s just hard to get players to participate in that age group,” McCollough admitted. “It’s frustrating because I know there are women out there who would love to do this. I don’t know how to get the word out.”

The Western Pa. senior volleyball and basketball teams practice each Saturday at the Cubs Hall. Volleyball practice begins at 8 a.m., basketball at 10 a.m.

“We’ll get 20 to 30 women in for volleyball, then only six for basketball,” McCollough said. “But most of our volleyball players are from around here.

“We have basketball players on our team from Morgantown, Mechanicsburg, York, Delaware ... The only time we’re together is at tournaments. We can’t get together for practices. Meanwhile, all of the Michigan players are from Detroit, the San Diego team is from San Diego ... They practice together twice a week, all the time. That makes a big difference.”

Regardless, the Senior Olympics of Western Pa. will have five teams — ranging in age from 45 to 70 — on the floor competing Saturday at SRU.

The Western Pa. 60’s team won a gold medal at the 2013 national games. Some of the other Western Pa. basketball teams have won silver and bronze medals.

“I’ve probably been on seven teams at nationals,” McCollough said. “This event serves as our state qualifier. I was able to convince the state to let us host it — the qualifier used to be at the Keystone Games — because most of our players are from this region.”

SRU professor Robertha Abney’s sports marketing class puts on the Rivalry at The Rock and has been doing so for three years.

“Carol contacted SRU looking for help in running it and this class took it on a few years ago,” SRU sophomore Christopher Papp said. “It’s been a good relationship.”

“It’s good for them because it shows those kids how it works,” McCollough said. “It’s good for me because it takes a lot of the workload off my shoulders the day of the event.”

All that is missing for the Senior Olympics Western Pa. group now is numbers.

“Other women our age probably figure it’s basketball, running up and down the court, that they can’t do that,” McCollough said. “What they don’t realize is that it’s people their own age out there playing and it’s not like that at all.

“We’re all about staying healthy and having fun doing it.”

Call McCollough at 724-445-9997 for more information on the Senior Olympics of Western Pa.

Saturday’s Rivalry at The Rock is open to the public. There is no admission charge.