Different Strokes
‘Life-changing’ sport of Pickleball popular among Cabarrus seniors
S
Sit down to chat with Larry Bohlayer during a Pick-
leball tournament and you’ll have to pause every so
often for hellos from passersby.
Most, if not all, these friends were unknown to
Bohlayer until about two-and-a-half years ago. That’s
when the Concord resident first grabbed a paddle.
Bohlayer
2
Pickleball is fast becoming
a go-to sport for seniors
— and folks of all ages —
looking for healthy doses of
camaraderie and exercise.
Bohlayer has progressed to
playing competitively, trav-
eling as far as Florida and
Georgia for weekend tour-
naments, but his continued
JOURNEYS Spring 2019
weekly local games remain his chosen way to “have
some fun with friends and get great exercise,” he said.
Pickleball blends elements of tennis, badminton and
ping-pong into a low impact yet highly active game.
It’s played as singles or doubles, indoors or out.
The sport has been around for just a few decades,
but according to the USA Pickleball Association,
the United States now has 15,000 indoor and outdoor
Pickleball courts. USAPA estimates nearly three mil-
lion people played the sport in 2017.
And that number keeps growing.
ABOVE: Players from across the state convened in
Concord last fall for the North Carolina Senior Games
Pickleball tournament.