rainbowkinect

Becoming a quasi athlete in your 60’s can be viewed as admirable, enviable or just plain nuts! Sometimes I shake my head in disbelief wondering, “who is this person setting the alarm so that she can be on the pickleball court by 8 am?” Lacing up my sneakers as I grab my pickleball gear, I smile to myself realizing that person is me!

 
This baby boomer generation that we belong to is unlike any generation that predated us. I can assure you that I am not an anomaly as evidenced by my fellow “seenagers” I am fortunate to play with almost every day. Skiing, golf, tennis, swimming and yes pickleball are all being played and played well by boomers. In 2013, “walking basketball” was introduced in the U.K. The primary difference between basketball and “walking” basketball is minimal: no running allowed!! Players follow all of the rules and regulations of traditional basketball except they walk instead of run. Leave it to baby boomers to modify a sport in order to make it their own!

 
The benefits of staying active include the obvious and then the not so obvious. Participating in sports provides boomers with the means to maintain optimal health and weight, increase stamina, improve mood and sense of well-being, increase energy, improve sleep, build muscle, improve balance, prevent bone loss, reduce muscle and joint pain, and most of all encourage camaraderie, socialization and just plain fun.

A synopsis related to the attributes of a seenager has been widely posted on Facebook, AARP, and the internet in general.  I’ve searched for the name of the talented author of the piece without luck so I believe the author is unknown.

What sports do you participate in?  Please leave your comments in the reply section below, I’d love to hear all about it.