If you think you’re too old to play pickleball, you should meet Joe Gaeta from Islip, Long Island.
At the age of 96, he’s not only playing the sport like a 20-year-old-hunk, but he’s also teaching his fellow seniors how to play pickleball.
But how was he able to do it?
Does he have special genes that most people his age don’t have? Or is it simply because pickleball is a sport for all ages? Well, let’s hear from the man himself:
“I'm 96 and I feel like 20. I work out three days so actually I work out seven days a week if you want to count the walking and the running. But in the gym, I work out three days a week.” Joe Gaeta said in an interview with Islip town supervisor Angie Carpenter back in July.
“There’s not much running in pickleball but it's good. You got to move around. It’s actually fast walking. It’s a lot of fun. Today, we got 36 people here and degrees heat. Imagine that!” The 96-year-old WWII veteran added, who has a 20/20 vision and abs of steel.
Gaeta, who is actually 96 1/2 years old, is a former baseball player. He tried out for the New York Yankees during his younger years and still officiates football games. He’s also getting paid to teach pickleball to seniors in his community.
Related Post: 8 Surprising Pickleball Health Benefits for Seniors
As a final note, not all of us will not reach 96. There could be some, but they may not be able to play pickleball. True enough, Joe Gaeta is a treasure and an inspiration to all of us. On the other hand, he also proves that anyone can play pickleball, regardless of age.
