Did you know that our new Keyser Senior Center will be equipped with an outside recreational facility? It’s true, and we are so excited to see it come to fruition. Our recreational facility will include pickleball, shuffleboard, bocce ball, and a walking trail. With those great options and the addition of our walking trail, we are sure that our senior citizens will find something to enjoy. This also gives our less active seniors a place to move freely instead of being stationary. In the future, we will be adding benches around our walking trail and a pavilion for our seniors to sit and enjoy lunch. These additions will be made as funding allows. As a private non-profit organization, we depend on donations and local resources. Aging & Family Services and the senior citizens in our community appreciate all the contributions made by the individuals and businesses. Without them, our new Keyser Senior Center and future projects would not be successful.
BOCCE: Bocce ball is also a versatile game in which the rules may be changed according to the players, but it is a game for all ages and athletic abilities! Bocce has seen many changes through the ages since first documented in 5200 B.C. It has evolved from being a sport played with rounded rocks and coconuts to a modern game with composite or metal balls. Bocce for the average player is very simple. There can be anywhere from two to eight players on a team as they work to gain points by getting closest to their opponent’s balls. It is a game of thought and strategy that brings families and friends together with the enjoyment of a game that everyone can play.
SHUFFLEBOARD: Shuffleboard has been around since the 15th century but hit its greatest heights in the 1950s. Then, most major shuffleboard manufacturers sponsored nationwide tournaments. These were the biggest tournaments ever held; one had 576 teams participating. Although there are many different game rules, very few games can match up to the pleasure of playing a good shuffleboard game. The thought and strategy needed to overcome an opponent and achieve victory make this game an easy favorite.
PICKLEBALL: Pickleball is a paddle sport that over the last 50-plus years has drawn in nearly 3 million enthusiast across the country and now has an international following. In fact, efforts are underway to make it an Olympic sport. The game was invented in Washington State in 1965. Pickleball utilizes a combination of components used in other sports. It’s basically ping pong meets tennis on a badminton court. The game is played on a surface the size of a badminton court with a tennis-style net, and the balls are similar to those used in Wiffle ball. When invented, the originators used ping pong paddles, but the regulation paddles used today are much larger. Pickleball offers health benefits because it keeps players physically active. However, people play the game because it’s fun! Competitors of all ages play it, and there is a social aspect to it that keeps people coming back for more.
And while the sport has an element of highly sought after spirited competition, the best players are more focused on strategy than they are on strength and speed. People of all ages and skill level play pickleball. The rules are easy to understand, which means beginners can get up to speed quickly. It’s not uncommon for first-time players to get bitten by the pickleball bug and become instant enthusiast who keep coming back for more. While the game is less physically taxing than more intense sports, it is fast paced and stimulates the brain, which is another reason people have become so drawn to the sport.
The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) reported in 2018 that core participants, those who play eight or more times per year, were 73 percent male compared to 27 percent female. The numbers are slightly more equal among casual players, which are those playing one to seven times per year. As for the age groups, around 75 percent of core participants are 55 and older.
Pickleball can be played with one person on each side of the net (singles) or two people on each side of the net (doubles). When playing singles, you’ll probably resort to a more offensive strategy because you’re relying more on speed and power to win points. And because you’re covering more of the court in singles, you’ll find it more physically demanding than playing doubles. In doubles, it’s not unusual to see longer rallies. But since you’ve got a partner covering have the court, it’s definitely less of a workout than you’ll have in singles. Regardless of whether you’re playing singles or doubles, you’ll have a great time, and by the looks of numbers from the USAPA, there are around 2.8 million pickleball players in the U.S. who can attest to the fun.
