Senior beach volleyball offers chance for exercise, fun - Dayton Daily News
On Wednesday and Friday mornings, the basketball gym at the West Carrollton YMCA fills with the sounds of shouts, friendly jibes and the smack of inflatable beach balls against powerful palms.
"Set!" "Come on!" "It's out!"
No one dives to the floor in these volleyball games. But the 60-somethings and near-80-year-olds perform plenty of jumps, dashes and all-around hustle.
"I was walking the track (around the gymnasium) and watching them play, thinking, 'Well, this is a sissy game!'" said John Randolph, 69, of Miamisburg. "And then I joined and found out — it's not."
Beach ball volleyball teams for ages 55 and older began at the Miami Valley YMCA network's sites in 2009.
"We started doing it as part of the Senior Showcase, which is our version of the Senior Olympics," said Nicole Agnew, health and wellness director at the site. About half the region's YMCAs now have teams that practice year-round. And practice they do. The men and women on West Carrollton's team hit the court twice each week to hit beach balls and enjoy the camaraderie.
"They're a hoot," Agnew said. "You can hear them all the way up from the front desk."
Randolph said that's because it's great exercise with great friends. "Sitting there and working out is not near as much fun as playing a game," he said.
The team plays South YMCA every month, and a volleyball tournament held at the University of Dayton is a highlight of spring.
"The camaraderie is just fantastic," says Nancy Gray, the oldest player at age 79 and the unofficial social ringleader of the team.
"We have a lot of seniors that come into the Y who are living alone or don't have family close by," Agnew said.
"Seeing the connections they make here and take home with them is encouraging. They're making plans to go out to lunch, or if somebody's sick, everybody's calling to see how they are and going to visit them."
More players are always welcome. But player be warned: team members say the game can be addictive. Gray, who never played volleyball as a youth because the non-beach-ball version hurt her hands, now gets those hands on the ball every game.
"You're never too old," she said.
Contact life and events contributing writer Ria Megnin with story ideas at ria@riamegnin.com.
20 Sep, 2011--
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