Story and Photos by Theresa Garee

There’s really just one rule, stay seated. The Groveport Senior Center has an active group of 16 to 20 regulars who make up the chair-volleyball team. The team isn’t exclusive to Groveport residents, they have had seniors drive from Grove City and Pickerington.

Double taps are allowed, there’s a 10 by 10 boundary and there’s a 20-inch beach ball.

“No kicking!” someone yelled while Director Lisa Zurbriggen explained the rules.

“Research says that yellow is the best color for senior eyes to track,” Zurbriggen said as the team tapped the beach ball back and forth.

Nancy Phillips, age 85, recently joined the two hour games that are available to participate in on Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 p.m.

The team is current champions of the Pickerington Chair Volleyball Tournament. The trophy sits displayed on Zurbriggen’s desk. They return to the court to defend their title at the end of October.

The tournament will be held at the Eastside Athletics Complex in Lithopolis, OH. It is generally a pool play of about 16 senior center teams from around the state.

There are several known physical benefits for seniors when playing chair volleyball including cardio health, increased range of movement and coordination but the goal for the center is social connection.

The team has a swear jar tucked next to the score board. They laughed as they explained it is usually one teammate’s dues that go into the jar.

The jar monies will go toward new beach balls or toward the center’s goal to adopt families in the holiday season. They’ve reached their monetary goal this year and will work with the Groveport Madison Human Needs to determine which families they will adopt.

“We usually like to support families with teens,” Zurbriggen said.

The Groveport Senior Center is always accepting members and has a schedule created to deliver social connection.

For more information call Lisa Zurbriggen at 614-836-4599.