Kenneth Nelson, Sun Lakes Tennis Clubs

Another year has come and gone as the Phoenix/Arizona Senior Olympics has concluded its tennis tournament. Last year I reported that some of us from Phase 1 had gotten together and decided to enter the tennis tournament. We play one another and the local clubs from SunBird and Trilogy, and this year as I took on Phase 1 and Cottonwood Palo Verde memberships, we played against Leisure World, Palm Creek in Casa Grande as well as Trilogy and Springfield.

Ollie Johnson, my mixed doubles partner, and Jim Brown my men’s doubles partner, were on our way again, and we decided to set up practices before the tournament. Well, come to find out, Jim picks Wanda Johnson (no relation to Ollie) for his mixed doubles partner, and I find out that Ron Ryer and Burt Hustad are entered as a doubles team and a friend of Jim’s from Oakwood, Stephan Horowitz, is going also. Ollie decides to play singles and women’s doubles with Kim Vargas of Oakwood, and I substitute Jerzon Vargas as my men’s doubles partner.

The week before the tourney, Jim had a fall on the courts; medical evaluation led to his withdrawing from the tournament and then the question, “May I have a refund? I have medical papers placing me in a non-play, however, rehabilitation situation.” Well, we haven’t heard from the office yet a week later, but anticipatory thoughts range from no refunds, we are a 501(c)3, donate your fees, to we will get back to you. This leaves Jim without the 50 some odd dollars he paid not returned, and his partners Wanda and me without our fees. We shall see what we shall see.

I had been wondering why other seniors weren’t getting involved… we all play tennis and love the game for one reason or another, and my inquiry revealed some of our seniors (more senior than I am) have already “been there, done that,” and I can see why our eighties might have been a little burned out; the drive is a bit much, and sometimes it seems like the tournament is not well organized. Be that as it may, once again, we had a blast with some twists as well.

So, Ollie wins age group ladies’ singles, and she and Kim place in the women’s doubles. Ron and Burt take first in the men’s doubles, and Jerzon and I got some more men’s doubles experience. I take third in the men’s singles, and Ron takes first! Then, you guessed it – Ollie and I win the mixed doubles – back-to-back champs.

We get back from the outing in Peoria at the Paseo Tennis Center and I find out that one of our tennis players won a gold medal in the track and field running event for the 80s: Mr. Dick Kane. Who da thunk it!?

I can report to you all that Sun Lakes did not do too badly in the 2019 Phoenix area Arizona Senior Olympics. Give me a couple of months and I will let you know how we do in the Albuquerque National Senior Olympics Games in June of this year.

Check into it! Find out about the events that are offered and if you compete here in the community, why not once a year in the Arizona Senior Olympics?

So long for now; “If you want a soft serve, go to the Dairy Queen!”