Only 80-Year-Olds and Older Need Apply

Living at 100% for 100 years or more seems to be a way of life for many in San Diego, California. San Diego is home to numerous senior competitive sports teams,  including the San Diego Senior Women’s Basketball Association.  One women’s basketball team has only one rule – only 80-year-olds and older need apply. This merry band of nonagenarians and centenarians make a Splash on the court every week. Many of these women didn’t even take up the sport until their 60’s or 70’s.

Their enjoyment of the game and skill on the court proves that you’re never too old to try something new, or to keep doing something you love. And they aren’t kidding when they say that only 80-year-olds and older need apply. This is their game.

The fact is, however, these Splash Sisters aren’t alone. The world of sports is filled with nonagenarians and centenarians in the game in just about every game. There are tennis players, dancers, runners, and sailors, just to name a few! French cyclist Robert Marchand, in 2016 at the age of 104 broke 2 world’s records. At the age of 106, he traded in the open road for a stationary bicycle. Friends say he logged many stationary miles before his death in 2021 at 109.

So, in terms of setting records for age, the Splash Sisters have a lot more dribbling to do. But with their love of the sport, anything is possible! The sounds spilling from the gym suggested an ordinary basketball game: tennis shoes squeaking against a slick court, hollow thumps of a ball, a referee’s shrill whistle.  But inside was a rare tableau. Older women, some in their 80s and 90s, hustled to pass, steal and shoot. They dribbled and wove skillfully as they sprinted toward the basket. Read more…