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Buzzing with endorphins

A table tennis group for seniors is exercising their minds as well as their bodies, as Rowena Fry found out.

A few minutes' walk from the start of Alexandra Road (or accessed from the walkway at the very top of Mein Street) you reach the stadium which hosts Peak Players – a club for over 55s - every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. It was initiated in 2­­013 by Diana Winn, who had come from a thriving club of senior players in Whanganui and missed the fun, fitness, and especially the collegiality that had built up over her 15 years with the club. So, she put an ad in the paper to gauge interest and at the first meeting 30 people turned up.

At each session the group plays for an hour before stopping for a cuppa and having a go at solving the world’s problems. Someone jokes that they never discuss politics.

This is when I meet octogenarian, Dennis McQuade who lives at a local retirement village. It was in the village café, three years ago, where he connected with another resident who shared that he was a regular table tennis player at the club and would he like to join. Dennis was quick to sign up since, like many at the club, he had played a lot when he was younger.

Everyone at the club attests to the fact that table tennis is a brilliant game for both physical and mental fitness. Especially, those who have come from a higher impact sport such as tennis and now want to go gentle on their joints. “It exercises every part of you,” says Diana. “It’s a very good overall sport to keep up fitness, especially in older age. And it’s good for the brain.”

Agreeing with Diana’s views is Paul Gadd who has chosen to return to table tennis after a few decades’ break. He had heard a psychologist on the radio talk about how playing the game is excellent in preventing Alzheimer’s due to the game demanding quick decision-making all the while using both sides of the body. So, when a fellow pickle baller invited him to come try the tables at the stadium he went through his storage cupboard and dusted off his faithful bat.

Everyone there clearly loves this ageless sport and it’s not long before they have moved back to the tables and the tick-tock of balls on bats and timber recommences. Paul drains his cup, leaving me with a smile and saying, “The other thing about table tennis is that it encourages the flow of endorphins. This place is just buzzing with endorphins in the air!”

Peak Players Table Tennis.

New players are always welcome.$5 per session

Monday 9.15-11.30am, Wednesday 1-4pm, or Saturday 1-4pm (all ages)

 

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NEWS BRIEFS – September


Local band makes the Rockquest finals

Pukeahu National War Memorial Park

A local band has made it into the final of the Smokefreerockquest band competition, taking place this year in Wellington.

Lux is made up of five high school students: (from left) Abe Savage, bass; Evan Wyllyams, guitar and vocals; Leo Anthony, guitar and vocals; Reuben Levine, guitar and Reuben Fraser, drums

Leo and Reuben Levine live in Mt Victoria, and all at Wellington High except for Reuben Fraser, who goes to Tawa College.

Lux has made it through months of regional heats and finals to get to the grand final, and complete against seven other talented bands from around Aotearoa on 18 September.

New track for Mt Victoria summit

A new windy track to the summit of Mt Victoria should be open in September.

Previously, walkers taking a short cut to the summit on the south side had worn a path up the steep hill, and according to the Wellington City Council, over time, this informal track had widened significantly.

“The result has been an increasingly large rocky scar across the hillside, with ongoing erosion and a decline in the visual amenity of the area.”

The solution will improve safety, reduce ongoing erosion, rehabilitate the damaged hillside and enhance the overall appearance of this prominent part of Matairangi, the council said.

Mana Whenua have been engaged and have advised on the general design as well as the cultural overlay design concept work, ensuring the completed landscape reflects the cultural significance and stories associated with Matairangi.

The total project budget is $500,000 and is being funded through the Charles Plimmer Bequest Fund.

Wellington high schools compete in The Big Sing

Wellington high schools are well represented in the finale of The Big Sing, taking place in Christchurch 27-29 August.

The Big Sing is Aotearoa’s premier choral showcase, attracting more than 9,100 students from 269 secondary school choirs to take part in regional festivals held across the country earlier in the year.

Five Wellington groups from six Wellington high schools made it to the finale:  Blue Notes from Tawa College, Con Anima from St Patrick’s, Ngā Korimako from Wellington College and Wellington Girls' College; Rāwhiti from Wellington East Girls' College, and

Seraphim from Chilton Saint James School.

 
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