Nancy Pattinson has been involved in table tennis for so long, she can't imagine life without it.
The 83-year-old is a lifelong lover of the game and has a simple message for seniors who are looking for a new hobby - find your local table tennis club and give the game a try!
Nancy said she loved the game because it was challenging, helped keep her fit and active and allowed men and women to compete against each other.
"It is an ideal sport for seniors to take on because weather does not cause a problem," she said.
"it is not as physically taxing as most other sports, but is still definitely a means of keeping the muscles on the move. Maybe losing that bit of excess weight.
"There is also no age discrimination. Experienced players over 70 can often run circles around a teenager, but will also offer advice, support and encouragement."
Nancy said the game was also ideal for non competitive players who were looking for a social outlet.
"All clubs these days have social programs, as far as I know.
"It is easy to make new friends because the sport is played indoors and in a smaller area than most other sports.
"Some seniors come in to play forty years (or longer) since they first picked up a bat and love getting back in to it."
Apart from being a very enthusiastic player, Nancy has spent most of her life helping to grow, run and promote the game.
She became involved with Wonthaggi Table Tennis Association after her family moved to the area when she was 17 and remains an active member of the club to this day.
In 2020 she received Table Tennis Australia's 50-year award for her long history of service to the game.
Nancy was introduced to the game by her father Barney Oakley at a young age.
"I was a young teenager when I first picked up a bat and I loved the game instantly," she said.
"When we moved to Wonthaggi, Dad set up the garage with a table tennis table that he made himself and soon had all the neighbourhood kids coming in for a hit and some coaching on weekends."
Barney also became actively involved with the newly formed Wonthaggi Table Tennis Club, taking on the role of secretary among a number of other duties.
One of the keenest juniors he coached was Mick Wright, who went on to travel the world playing table tennis and is still playing competitively at the age of 79.
When her parents decided to move, Nancy remained and stayed very active with the club, playing the game, coaching juniors and at one point, taking on her father's old role of secretary.
She passed her love of the game on to her two sons Peter and Bruce - who both also started playing competitively for the club when they were nine and eight, respectively.
Peter has passed away, but Bruce remains an active member of the club to this day. He was the club's junior's coach for around 30 years and has been an A-grade player for around 35 years.
"He always encouraged me to play as I got older, eventually persuading me to join the State Championship veterans circuit at the young age of 72 years."
Nancy has a background in disability support work and named starting the club's Access for All Abilities program as her favourite achievement over the course of her volunteering.
"Although no-one turned up the first day, I wasn't worried. I kept going in to the hall on Thursday afternoons and people started to come in a few at a time.
"The program finally took off and I was thrilled to see how keen everyone was to get it right, to hold the bat correctly, to know how to score etc.
"Sometimes it took many weeks before a participant could keep the ball going back and forth on the table, but it usually did happen.
Table Tennis Australia has clubs located all over the country. To find your local club click here. For more information email egon@tabletennis.org.au or click here.
