Hal Reimer on his last day here at SunBird with fellow tennis team member Glen Ketchum prior to his relocation to Texas to be with family.
Sharlene Jerome
It’s official! Playing tennis is one of the best sports for a longer life, according to a new epidemiological study of Danish men and women. The study found that tennis players had the biggest gains in life expectancy over sedentary individuals, adding 9.7 years to their lives. Badminton players came in second, with an average gain of 6.2 years. Other sports and activities that increased life expectancy for active participants include soccer, cycling, swimming, jogging, and calisthenics.
Tennis is a cardiovascular workout that increases your heart rate and breathing. It also recruits your large lower body muscles for quick side-to-side and front-to-back movements and your upper body muscles to help you swing the racket. Therefore, tennis can serve as a total body workout that increases cardiovascular fitness and improves muscular endurance and strength. In addition to its physical benefits, tennis encourages social interaction and staying active throughout life.
Case in point, our beloved Hal Reimer passed away last month at the age of 94. Hal was an integral member of the tennis community, one of the founding members, dedicated board member as both vice president and president, and just an all-around likable gentleman. He religiously played tennis with us multiple times per week and competed in our tournaments and events until he was 93! We miss Hal, not only on the courts, but in our hearts as well.
Ready to get in the swing of things? Email [email protected] to learn more about the SunBird Tennis Club and how you can be a part of it all. Better yet, join us on Oct. 28 when we host our season opening tournament where you can experience everything we have to offer and meet fellow tennis aficionados.