Ken Bennett, Judy Sandbo and Lindsay Major all enjoy tennis as a
form of exercise.
you active, not only physically but mentally,” he said.
“You have these cognitive skills you use – thinking of
how to beat somebody you have to have concentration
and focus. It can also help to keep you happy because
it’s a good social outlet. When someone is
unable to play anymore they tend to lose that circle
of friends. You might come to watch every once in a
while, but it’s hard to fit in.”
The average age of a tennis player at his club, he
approximated, is about 72 years of age. Many players
are more than 80 years old, and some of them are
often found playing tennis with their teenage grandchildren.
It is a sport that is a bridge across the ages,
you might say. He said just recently he took a lesson
with a large group that included players from almost
every decade. It is more a game of ability, he said, than
of youthfulness.
“Their ages ranged from 16 to 87,” he said, “and
they all had fun.”
If you are now inspired
to dig that old, dusty 20-
year-old racket out from
storage, think again. H
said now the equipment
is even more technologically
advanced, and includes
game-enhancing
rackets that make it much
easier to play a very
efficient game.
“They are lighter now,
March/April 2019 GASPARILLA ISLAND 41
H Wetzel, the Director of Tennis at the
Boca Bay Pass Club, has a range of
players on the court from children to
octogenarians. While athletic ability is
most certainly a bonus, the most
important thing you need is good
balance and a will to play.
“As long as you have a basic balance
and you’re not afraid you’re going to fall
over, tennis is a great way to interact with
people in a positive environment,” H said,
“and it’s very good for your overall
health. “It can be strenuous and physical,
but if you learn the right technique it
doesn’t have to be. You’re going through
a good range of motion with all of your
body parts.”
In fact, according to the National Center for
Biotechnology Information many people
construe aging with decreased aerobic function,
increased vascular resistance that contributes to
hypertension and atherosclerosis. Other
symptoms of aging include a reduction in muscle
mass and an increase in body fat, not to mention
bone mass loss and stiffer connective tissue in the
joints. All of these things sound contradictive to
playing a sport like tennis, but studies show
evidence that many of these problems are more
about physical inactivity, not aging.
Bob Fletcher (turns 87 May '19) and Philip Tierney
(age 85) are avid tennis players.
The National Institute of Health has found that
playing tennis at a more mature age in a
controlled environment can actually lead to
decreased mortality rates, and that there is a
large amount of evidence that shows greater
“physiological fitness and improved mental
health” in tennis players across all age groups.
H agrees.
“I think one of the benefits is that tennis keeps
George Lynch still plays
competitive tennis at 80+
years old.