During a January cold front in Austin, Terry Sarver, 79, shared a big pot of venison chili with seven of her friends, paired with wine and board games to match the occasion. She met all but one of the friends from pickleball, she said.

It’s the same game she said helped her get through one of the hardest times in her life.

The details

On Jan. 9, Sarver played a few rounds at the TownLake YMCA. It was the community she met here, and at other courts in Austin, that helped her navigate the sudden death of her husband last year.

“Everybody has just lifted me up and taken me in,” she said. “I really owe my life to have been able to get through that, to the people that I've met. Anyway, it's a good game.”

Seniors often experience losing loved ones or lack of community, which can lead to feelings of loneliness and depression, said Blake Mauldin, DMA Companies director of marketing and communications. DMA Companies develops senior living facilities, such as The Ladybird in Austin.

Getting involved in activities such as pickleball can be an important outlet for seniors to engage with others and alleviate feelings of loneliness, Mauldin said.

“Not only are [seniors] moving their body and utilizing all of their capabilities, but they're also building relationships,” he said of the sport. “I think that's a really important thing for people at the senior chapter of their lives—maintaining relationships and having people to talk to and still share with.”

Miriam Gonzalez, 63, recently moved from Gainesville, Florida, to Austin to be closer to her daughter and her family. Gonzalez said coming to pickleball at the TownLake YMCA has helped her acclimate to the new city and make new friends. She also said the location of the YMCA near Lady Bird Lake reminds her of her New York City hometown and her childhood days of playing paddle ball, making the transition easier.

“I'm happy when I get to feel like a kid again,” she said.

Tom Fink, 69, is more accustomed to the intense nature of other racquet sports such as tennis, which he said he played for most of his life. While pickleball is a lower-impact sport, he enjoys the social aspect of pickleball, which he started playing four years ago, he said.

“It’s a pretty social sport, and I think that’s one of the draws to it,” he said. “That guy right there in the blue shirt—[we] became friends playing pickleball. I’ve made three or four friends since I started playing.”

What else?

Staying active has physical benefits for seniors, but offers other mental benefits as well, Mauldin said. He said he notices a difference in residents at the DMA Companies facilities who engage in physical activity.

“It can be evident in just their communication skills and cognitive understanding of whether it be discussing their rent rental ledger or going over policies and procedures,” he said.

Robert Isles, 72, plays pickleball at the TownLake YMCA and said even activities such as staying in the game mentally can be engaging for the brain.

“You get tied up in a point and you're just totally focused on that, and you forget about what the score was or whose serve it is,” he said. “It happened today—‘I thought it was your serve,’ and the other team said, ‘No, it's our serve.’ We finally got it worked out, but it's a good mental exercise to keep that in mind even when you're tied up in the heat of the game.”

Isles, who was a runner for 44 years, said those with injuries can reap physical benefits from pickleball. About three years ago, he had a running injury and began playing pickleball to stay active while engaging in a more low-impact sport.

Gonzalez, who sometimes has issues with her arm, said the light pickleball equipment helps her feel comfortable exercising while avoiding further injury.

One more thing

For those hesitant to join pickleball, Fink encourages people to try it out.

“If you need to get out and do stuff because you're not doing anything, it’s a good way to start,” he said.

Pickleball at the Y is available at:

• TownLake YMCA, 1100 W. Cesar Chavez St., Austin
• East Communities YMCA, 5315 Ed Bluestein Blvd., Austin
• Hays Communities YMCA, 465 Buda Sportsplex Drive, Buda
• Springs Family YMCA, 27216 RR 12, Dripping Springs