At 90 years old, Val Couitis has no plans of slowing down.
Nearly every day, she’s on the courts at Valleystream Pickleball Club, paddle in hand, playing for hours alongside people decades younger.
For Couitis, the game is about much more than keeping score.
“It’s the people, the company and getting my exercise,” she said. “That’s most important to me.”
Couitis only discovered pickleball seven years ago, but staying active has been a priority for much longer.
After undergoing heart bypass surgery 25 years ago, she made a commitment to look after her health, a mindset that eventually led her to pickleball.
“Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Get up, enjoy life,” she said. “I don’t want to sit at home. Do something, anything.”
Staying active also helps Couitis care for her husband, who lives with dementia.
“It’s very, very important because I have to take care of my husband,” she said. “I have to be in shape and be able to move.”
Her determination has made her a familiar face, and an inspiration, at Valleystream Pickleball Club.
“She loves playing, she loves the competitive aspect of it,” said Victor Dillabaugh, vice-president of the club. “To see her running out and move back and forth on a court every day, it’s inspiring.”
Friend and fellow player Derry Cullwick says Couitis is as competitive as she is kind.
“She’s a superb player. She has a signature shot, it’s called the lob, and everybody knows that Val gets a point with her lobs every day,” Cullwick said.
The club recently celebrated Couitis’ 90th birthday, a reflection of the impact she’s had on the people around her.
“She’s always happy, always upbeat,” Cullwick said. “That’s good for all of us to have that kind of mentality coming into play, and in life in general.”
As for when she’ll hang up her paddle, Couitis doesn’t see that happening anytime soon.
“I’ll play until I can’t move anymore,” she said. “So long as I can move, I move.”
