Here is how I know it is important to for old guys to find a sport to continue to play. When we started in the Over-40 basketball league, we shared the gym with the Over-50 teams.  They had a strange rule – no fast breaks.  What?  We were all young pups who had just qualified for our league, hooted privately at the restriction, and licked our chops at the prospects awaiting us in a decade.  Sadly, I don’t think any of us were still playing at age 50 – some combination of knees, hamstrings, backs, and interest failed each one. Despite our noise, those guys on the other court were the real stamina stars.  (It also makes sense now why they had so few teams!)

So what can we play?  First, remember that everyone says walking is less punishing on the knees than running but walking by yourself is still punishing.  And know that tennis looks easy but the court is hard, you have to chase the ball a lot, and Diane broke her foot one time while playing.  You can ride around in a cart while golfing, but it can be expensive.  My friend Hank was disappointed when Parkinson’s was ruled out as a diagnosis for his tremors and balance issues.  Evidently Parkinson’s patients could get free golf at his local course.

Watch the crowds at retirement centers like my Dad’s, and on Senior Mornings at the Mall.  They all sit in chairs and do exercises – light weights and leg lifts and arm rotations, all in a safe environment.  The more aquatic crowd does water aerobics, although my friend Tom tells me to be careful because you get a lot more tired than you realize because of buoyancy.

If you want to play a game, consider bocce ball.  Roll the balls and go get them.  Repeat.   For more variety, play ultimate Frisbee at the IM East intramural fields on Sundays in the summer after the evening service.  The grass is soft and cushioning when you fall. The sun sets after 9 PM, allowing a good hour and a half of playtime before the mosquitos come out.  The crowd includes young kids and college stars as well as older, more “experienced” players.  The stars run a lot; fast breaks are allowed.  The old guys with basketball or soccer memories know where to stand and how to play defense.

So the best advice for those seeking a continuing sport is to paraphrase Dory from the Finding Nemo movie: “Just keep swimming, just keep walking, just keep exercising, and play Frisbee as long as you can.”