The sport of pickleball is rapidly growing in many parts of the world. Millions of older players are reaping the health and social benefits of the sport, including several Sequim Picklers Club “super seniors” I recently had the pleasure of meeting for coffee and lively conversation.

Retired teacher Beverly Hoffman, 81, is the matriarch of a local multi-generational pickleball family. When she (and many of us women) was growing up there weren’t many opportunities for girls to play organized sports before high school. Beverly took up playing tennis at that time “to get out of gym class.”

Beverly met and married Marty Hoffman in her hometown of Seguin, Texas. A couple of years later they moved to Panama to teach. During a visit to see friends in Minnesota a fellow guest mentioned that Sequim, Washington was, of anywhere he had traveled, the place he would retire; the Hoffmans checked it out and moved here in 1996.

As the popularity of pickleball began to increase, Beverly’s tennis-playing daughter Allison and her husband Doug began watching videos and playing at the ‘original’ Third and Fir Streets pickleball court. They taught their parents and children and, after eight years of going back and forth between tennis and pickleball, Beverly chose to stick with pickleball, becoming one of the original donors who contributed toward building the courts at Carrie Blake Park.

Beverly currently plays three to four times a week and also practices yoga. Healing after several serious health challenges gives her a greater appreciation of being able to play a game that gives one the chance to celebrate life and friendship. She points out that pickleball is great for both families and individuals wanting to become more active.

Bill Taylor, 84, also from Texas, grew up in the small town of Harleton (high school graduation class size: 12). After his subsequent graduation from Texas A&M, Bill joined the Bureau of Land Management and also volunteered for the draft. Upon discharge from the U.S. Army in 1967, he moved to Los Angeles where he met his future wife Vicky. Bill later moved to Houston for a career in commercial real estate. He and Vicky stayed in touch and were married several years later. The Taylors lived in Houston until 2014 when they retired to Sequim.

Friends Steve Jones and Phil Milliman introduced the Taylors to pickleball in January 2020, and they were immediately hooked, playing daily until the pandemic ground things to a halt. Some months later, they were back on the courts wearing masks, playing with friends and doing some informal drilling with Phil.

Bill typically played pickleball three times a week until he became ill in 2024, undergoing complex open-heart surgery in September. His recovery took many months, starting with slow walking, gradually getting back onto the pickleball courts to do light dinking and informal light play. I am happy to report that Bill is back to playing at least twice a week as a competitive doubles partner and opponent. His advice: “Don’t run backwards!”

The life of Jane Gray, 86, (nicknamed “Lady Jane” in childhood) is worthy of a novel. She was born in Shanghai, one of four children of British ex-pats. The family escaped just before the beginning of World War II, immigrating to Australia where their lives were full of sport: swimming, softball, tennis, and lacrosse.

At age 19, Jane sailed on a six-week cruise to London during which she met her future husband. They were married in Africa, staying for several years along with a lively pet monkey. Next, after deciding to start a family, they traveled to the U.S. starting with a cross-country road trip to visit a friend in Beverly Hills. After years living in Los Angeles, the family (which included two boys) decided to return to Australia; however, a few weeks of surfing in Hawaii on the way turned into years of a happy home in paradise.

About 10 years ago, Jane followed her son and daughter-in-law to Sequim, and she is happily living in a cozy annex in their house. Always an active person (Jane did triathlons in Hawaii and was a “gym rat” when first in Sequim), she discovered pickleball in 2020 while jogging in Carrie Blake Park. She saw folks playing on the courts and thought “what’s that game?”

Along with pickleball, Jane enjoys stretching, gardening, and weight training. Some words of advice: learn how to say “good shot,” include cross-training such as t’ai chi and yoga for balance, and exercises such as wrist curls and leg extensions. “Come out and try it!” she suggests.

Paddles, balls, and free instruction are offered at beginner lessons Sunday afternoons from late spring to early fall.

Studies show that pickleball requires strategic thinking, concentration, and quick decision-making, which can help keep one’s brain sharp and engaged. Additionally, it is a low-impact sport that is easy on the joints, making it a great option for people of all ages and fitness levels. Jane, Beverly, and Bill all agree that pickleball helps them stay in shape and offers mental challenges through keeping score, learning new skills, and thinking about their game.

And, of course, there is the pleasure of socializing, making new friends, and having a laugh!

Photo by Jeff Powers/ Sequim Pickler Jane Gray shows off her serve.

Photo courtesy of Susan Lewis/ Bill Taylor, 84, hasn’t let open-heart surgery keep him off the pickleball courts.