BY THOMAS FLYNN
Local Huntsville resident John Plumpton plays pickleball five days a week, and he’ll be celebrating his 85th birthday at the start of July.
As a part of the Huntsville Pickleball Club for the past five years, John has become a key member of the organization. “To me, John kind of represents open-heartedness, open arms; he is so welcoming,” says Club President Patti Moses. John inspires the entire club as he plays just as energetically as anyone else on the court, well into his 80s.
John cites the community aspect of pickleball as a major benefit. He lives alone, so pickleball is a way to get him out of his condo and into the community. On top of the play time, which is offered five days a week, the Huntsville Pickleball Club hosts a wide variety of social events, including Euchre tournaments, trivia nights and music bingo.
John is a constant at these events. “At music bingo, John will get up and invite the women to come up and dance with him… that man can cut a rug,” says Moses. On top of being an incredibly kind, fun and loving individual, John is a passionate and skilled pickleball player. “He’s probably one of our top players in our level,” explains Moses. John participates in the club’s yearly King’s Court events, where players are put on a team and compete to win the King’s Court. This past year, John played alongside the club’s youngest member, who is only 15 years old.
Outside of the club, John is unable to compete because most tournaments do not have age groups for players over 80. While unfortunate, that fact doesn’t seem to bother John. His passion for the game is strong, saying, “My goal is to win as many as I lose, and if I do that, I’m happy.”
Watching him play, his love of being on the court becomes clear as he finishes one game and starts the next, even in temperatures over thirty degrees Celsius. “I would highly recommend anyone who wants to get some physical exercise and meet a great bunch of people to consider pickleball. It is the fastest growing sport in North America and maybe the world now,” John remarks.
The Huntsville Pickleball Club is an organization that promotes community and physical activity for all ages. On behalf of the club as a whole, Moses is proud to help John celebrate his 85th as he moves into another year of pickleball.
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John is a great sportsman with exceptional stories! We all love playing with him.