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PNW Bainbridge Summer 24 Editor's Letter
I recently had the privilege of accompanying my husband’s 55+ mixed doubles tennis team to Scottsdale, Arizona for the National Finals. I’m not quite old enough to be on the team, but I did get to practice with them a lot and even finagled the title of unofficial mascot.
They didn’t make it very far in the bracket, but they played some great tennis nonetheless and it was fun to watch them on such a big stage. Making it that far through regular season play, districts and regional finals was a giant accomplishment, especially for people who are largely constrained to indoor play because of the Pacific Northwest’s rainy climate.
Before we set off, one of the teammates, my dear friend (and PNW Bainbridge writer) Kerrie Reightley, even made a highlight roster board, which she hung outside the courts at the BI Rec Center. Each team member’s frame had then-and-now tennis photos and a favorite quote by which each lives.
The team’s color was hot pink, something everyone leaned into, so in addition to looking legitimately cohesive, they were really easy to spot, even at the vast Scottsdale Ranch Park & Tennis Park.
During the tournament, we’d all get together for dinners, seated shoulder-to-shoulder up and down long tables, exchanging stories, lots of laughs and trading unmeasurable amounts of mutual admiration. The spouses who came along for the ride, including me, were warmly folded into the group.
When it was all said and done, I came away with some observations.
First, Bainbridge water is undisputedly the Fountain of Youth. Long gone are the days when someone being 55 was considered old, because this team isn’t just remarkable for their age, they’re remarkable. Fast and athletic and fit. You see a lot of that around here and it makes me excited that if I play my cards right, I have lots of spry runway ahead of me, too.
And secondly, but not unrelatedly, is the importance of community. There’s a growing body of evidence that says having meaningful social connections positively influences our minds and bodies, which in turn boosts our health and life expectancy. This team has that in spades, but so does our island as a whole. While putting this issue (and every issue) together, we see countless examples of community, whether it’s being part of the Ten-Minute Play Festival, hanging out at the Moonlight Market or planting zucchini at one of Bainbridge’s community gardens.
Recognizing and fostering our remarkable community is good (in lots of ways) for us all. And I’m reminded once again that we’re very lucky to live here.
Allison Schuchman Editor in Chief
