I play medium tier co-ed soccer, have for the last dozen years or so. I just hit 40, am slowing down and taking longer to recover from injuries. I know my time at a fun sprinting competitivish level is coming to an end but… Sure, I’ll miss the new dope friend aspext of it but equally importantly, 3 nights a week for years, I’ve been so happy to play and for a few hours a week the world, the future, politics, none of it mattered, all that mattered was stopping the bad guys from putting a ball in the wrong place and hopefully making it go to the right place (I’m defence, that half of the field is up to the other 6)
I dunno. Hoped maybe one of you has had to do this before and can share some thoughts. (I just had my foot clipped pretty bad, know I’m out for a few weeks but just came back off another injury etc…)
Edit: Goodness gracious, you folks are all so kind and supportive. Thanks so much, I’m definitely feeling less dejected and much more hopeful about the next stage of living an active and wild life.
55m here.
Was an avid volleyball player, even though I’m 5’8" (1.72m) tall. I have very strong legs and could meet a lot of 6’2" plus guys at the top of the net.
Skydiver with 4500 jumps, spent a few years doing it professionally.
Now, my knees and back are shot. I can still play volleyball, but my jumps are about half what they used to be and I need to wear knee braces. Skydiving is almost completely out, unless I jump a very soft opening canopy as I have a disk bulge that is pressing on a sciatic nerve. If I get slammed on opening that could present a LOT of issues for me.
Now I focus on those things that I can do. I’ve always been an avid hiker and there is a nice state park nearby. I try to hike the trails there every day. Also I keep up with working out. Weights and other exercises. I’m not trying to build muscle, just keep what I have.
Right now, I’m sitting here with a very sore back and aching muscles, due to helping out my wife’s Figure Skating Club to setup for a competition this weekend. That involved moving a lot of tables, chairs, podiums and other things for 4 hours last night.
I think I’m going to take it easy today.
If you have the opportunity to try it, I’ve heard that beach volleyball is a lot easier on your joints than indoor volleyball.
It was sand volleyball during the summers and hard court in the winter for me. This was in Cincinnati, which surprisingly is a HUGE volleyball town. There are a lot of places that offer summer and winter leagues of all types. I started out playing on the Cincinnati Ski Club’s rec league in 1992 and played on it til 95. Post Ski Club league I played at the Cherry Grove Bowling center’s sand courts, which were great. By that time I had a permanent team and played with them until I moved away from Cincy in 2006.
While sand is easier on you landing and falling, being only 5’8" I had to jump that much harder to block and spike. Kind of a trade off.
In all hard court was easier for me to play on, where I could see someone north of 6’2" would like sand.
Interesting, thanks! I’ve never played hard court myself. In beach volleyball I see people of all ages playing though, if it’s any indication.
That was great to read, sounds like you’ve earned a break!