Meet the most senior players

PICKLEBALL PLAYER CLUB

By Pegge Best

LW contributor

Staying active is an important element to healthy aging, and playing pickleball is one of the popular ways to do that in Leisure World.

According to the USA Pickleball Association, 64 percent of regular players are 55 or older, and LW’s Pickleball Players Club proves there’s no age limit.

The players older than 80 on the pickleball courts at Mission Park include John Cullen, 88; Myrna Losquadro, 81; Sandra deDubovay, 83; and Joe DiDonato, 86.

Cullen and Losquadro moved to Leisure World in September from Alaska, where they were avid players indoors in Ketchikan. DiDonato and deDubovay started playing in Clubhouse 1 when the club formed in 2016.

The foursome met in Mutual 12, where Cullen, Losquadro and DiDonato live, and soon discovered they all love to play pickleball.

“Pickleball is an addictive game,” says Losquadro. “The first time we played was in Florida, and we’ve also played in Texas with our grandkids.”

Thegroupnowplaystogether several days a week. “It’s a great game for seniors for the exercise and fellowship,” says deDubovay, “and even in our 80s, we can play a stimulating game.”

The Pickleball Players Club meets on the first Sunday of each month in Clubhouse 2 at 5 p.m. For more information, contact President Linda Evenson at lwsbpickleball@ gmail. com or (561) 577-3283.

John Cullen (l-r), Myrna Losquardro, Sandra deDubovay and Joe DiDonato on the court.