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FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JANUARY 2021 59 Hope springs eternal! Although, as of this writing, COVID cases are rising, the distribution of a vaccine with a 95 percent efficacy rate is right around the corner. The very thought of bringing out our third ping pong table from storage and getting back to playing once again in the Courts Room may soon be a reality. When we will be able to play without wearing masks or having to social distance remains unknown. Being able to dust off our paddles and bang that little white ball around with old friends is a very exciting prospect, to say the least. Not to mention elevating my standing heart rate above 60! On behalf of all the members of the FSTTC, we would like to wish all of our fellow residents a very safe and healthy new year! Take care. ~ Bob Rubenstein, brube88@gmail.com Ping Pong Check with your club contact to confirm meeting place, date, and time. Member Rob Kelman thinking, "Okay, it's time to stop the chatter and get back to table tennis!" Quite some time ago, my husband and I used to play Tennis and Indoor Racquet Ball. We like staying somewhat active. However, life changed and we were no longer playing any sports. So when we moved to this beautiful community, we were happy to start playing again. We heard of games similar to tennis called Pickleball and Paddleball. We thought, "Oh since we've played tennis, we certainly could play the old folks tennis versions." Well the challenge was on to test our skills. But before I continue, you may be wondering, as we did… What are Paddleball and Pickleball? How do they compare to Tennis and to each other? All are very enjoyable. There are some differences. Tennis uses a stringed, long racket and you play with a regular tennis ball. Paddleball uses a short thick (referring to actual hitting area, not the handle) solid racket, not stringed, containing several round hole openings and you play with what looks like a regular tennis ball except it is not, in that it has less air pressure inside. Pickleball uses a solid, thin racket (no holes) and you play with a wiffle ball (plastic, light weight ball with perforations). The handle circumference of all of these rackets varies depending on your grip size preference. All three sports are similar in that you attempt to hit the ball over the net to the other side. Having tried both Paddleball and Pickleball, we have been participating more in Paddleball. There is a higher 'sense of control' by hitting a tennis ball instead of a wiffle ball. I suppose it really is the same when you are good enough at either — in my case, I am not. Turns out those 'old folks versions' do have their challenges and our more rusty joints bring on a new feeling called 'pain' that we had not felt in days well gone by. What we thought would be an easy play, has proven to be a fun and challenging experience. The challenge keeps us going. We enjoy trying to keep the ball going by returning it to the other side, hoping the other side's attempts fail. Plus, we like to think that it helps burn those extra calories which are definitely displaying their effects on these 'old folks' bodies. If you have considered either of these sports, I do not think you will be disappointed. They are both very enjoyable and keep you on your toes. Either group is very welcoming and helpful in getting you started. But for now, we will continue playing with our great group of Paddleball friends. For more information call Alan (310) 251-9269 or Alex (909) 746- 7529. ~ Laura Ramirez Paddle Tennis Laura and Augie Ramirez

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