Chair volleyball provides exercise, laughs for Kirtland seniors
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Seniors gather in Kirtland three times each week to serve, pass and hit on the volleyball court – all from the comfort of a chair.
The Kirtland Senior Center’s chair volleyball matches feature two teams of six sitting down and hitting the ball back and forth. Kirtland Senior Board President David Saywell said that they also have fun, get some exercise, stretch and stay loose while playing.
“It’s a good, fun, social activity that keeps us laughing, a little bit of aerobics activity, a little bit of everything, keeps us moving, doing things,” Saywell said.
The two teams in each game are seated on a small volleyball court, around a small net. He said that they play with a ball that is similar to a beach ball, but heavier.
Saywell added that players also cannot hit the ball below the knees, and true to the game’s name they must remain seated. Players also cannot spike the ball – though he described that rule as “debatable.”
“The biggest problem most people have when they come is staying seated and remembering that you can hit the ball as many times as you want,” said participant Jo Campbell. “It’s not like regular volleyball where it’s one, two, three, over.
“There’s been times we’ve been over 90 – I swear, somebody counted – over 90 times going back and forth, back and forth, so, it’s just awesome,” Campbell added.
She said that some participants in chair volleyball come into the matches with canes. One participant who plays does not have much strength in his legs, but he has “great upper body strength.”
Since each game has up to 12 players, Saywell said that the seniors try to rotate people in and out if there are more seniors who want to play. Campbell added that they can set up a second net and add more chairs if needed.
Chair volleyball was introduced to Kirtland by the Mentor Senior Center before the pandemic, Saywell said. During the pandemic, Kirtland seniors played outside under a pavilion.
Seniors from centers in Kirtland and Perry also schedule chair volleyball matches against each other.
“I never thought I would like it because I normally do the more physical pickleball and other things, but one day they happened to have an extra seat and I played it,” Campbell said. “It is so much fun. We laugh, we have fun, it’s great for all kinds of handicaps.”
Seniors do not need to be Kirtland residents to participate in chair volleyball, but Kirtland Senior Center Coordinator Julia DeWolf said that they do need to be center members.
Membership is available for people 55 and up. First-time costs are $10 for Kirtland residents and $12 for non-residents, with annual dues of $5 for Kirtland residents and $7 for non-residents afterwards.
The chair volleyball sessions take place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 1 to 3 p.m. Games are played at the Kirtland Community and Senior Center, 7900 Euclid-Chardon Road.
“Anybody’s welcome,” Campbell said. “If they’re senior age, come on over and join the Kirtland Senior Center.”
The center also offers other athletic events throughout the week, including pickleball, strength training, aerobic exercise and more. Additional information can be found at kirtlandcommunity.com.
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