An 85-Year-Old Meets PickleBall

Who Could Have Guessed?

Photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash

Last November, my daughter and I flew to Salt Lake City to celebrate my 85th birthday with my son and his family. They are ardent pickleball fans and took us to a court while they played.

I’m not a sports person by any stretch of the imagination - running and ping-pong were my sports of choice during my younger years - and in November, it was pretty much stretching, stair climbing, and walking.

So when my son handed me a pickleball paddle and said, “Mom, give it a try,” I immediately said, “No way,” and followed up with half a dozen reasons why not. And he said, “Just give it a try.” So, I did and was exhilarated. Yes, my form needs improvement - but I was having fun.

I ordered two paddles and balls while they were still playing. Since then, my daughter and I have played a light version of the sport - once or twice weekly, which means that I practice moving safely, let certain shots go when they seem risky, and don’t overdo it. I’ve also noticed improvements.

• Stamina - When I started, I could play for about half an hour - now I can play for an hour.

• Exercise is fun, and time flies.

• Better hand-eye coordination. I’ve had eye surgery - this helps.

• Total focus - my mind is on hitting the ball properly, not worrying about other things.

• I’m more relaxed after playing.

• I have fewer aches and pains.

• Because I want to improve my pickleball playing, I have begun exercising more to be in better shape.

I don’t know how long it will last, and my point isn’t to encourage anyone to play pickleball - but it is to highlight the value of exercise if your goal is to age well. Yes, checking with your doctor before you begin would be wise.

As Peter Attila said in his book Outlive: the Science and Art of Longevity, which I talked about a couple of weeks ago, “But I now consider exercise the most potent longevity “drug” in our arsenal.” I shared some of his ideas in the article It’s More Than Living To Be 100.

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