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Some retirees sure know how to put us slugs to shame. One that comes to mind is Roger BelAir, a 72-year-old from the Seattle area. He fell in love with pickleball eight years ago, crediting a sport that is "very easy to learn, easy on the joints, great exercise and incredibly social." Two years ago, Roger's passion for the game met a passion he hadn't discovered he had. After watching a 60 Minutes segment on the awful conditions in Cook County Jail, he was moved to ask the Sheriff for permission to visit and introduce inmates to pickleball. He was rebuffed. But then, Sheriff Dart who knew nothing about pickle, happened to bring up the game at dinner. His eight-year-old daughter said, "Dad, you're so out of it! I'll tell you about pickleball." This odd, multi-generational connection led in a few weeks to Roger being invited to come to Chicago. He found the inside to be very intimidating. "It's not a friendly environment" was his understatement. Despite ragged nerves, Roger began inviting men to try the game at their daily work-outs. Eventually, pickleball caught on. Big time. A reporter who recently visited from USA Today found that the sport has become much more than a break from prison tedium. It has taught social skills to violent men. It has provided an incentive to good behavior lest an avid player lose his privileges. Roger relates hearing one inmate scream at another, "I'd beat the hell out of you, but if I did, I couldn't play pickleball." Roger hasn't stopped at his first success. He has continued traveling the country in "retirement," offering to set up programs in other facilities including nearby Washington State Penitentiary and even notorious Rikers Island. Knowing most inmates will some day be back in society, Roger's message is "They're going to be out on our freeways, shopping in our malls, in parks where our kids are playing. If we can make them better people on the inside, it's going to make it safer for all of us once they're on the outside." We pickleball fans can only applaud in amazement at folks like Roger BelAir and the way our sport brings such wonderful opportunities to serve others. Our official club play hours are 8 to 10 am, Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday with pick-up play afternoons and evenings. If you want to get on the text-chains that announce alternate play times, give club president Leslie Johnson a call at (909) 693-9922. See you on the courts! | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | SEPTEMBER 2019 | 49 Pickleball Club