LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — After years of practice and competing in local competitions, 89-year-old Willow Valley Communities resident Rachel Williams is going for the table tennis gold and the national title at the 2023 National Senior Games in Pittsburgh, proving age is just a number.
“I wanted to do something that was different,” Williams said
Williams began playing table tennis in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns. She purchased a ping pong ball shooting robot to help her improve her aim and coordination. She says the game was too fast-paced for her at first, however, she was determined to improve.
“Who’s telling me I can’t do it, so I changed the conversation,” Williams said.
Williams spent hours practicing and gradually learned the ins and outs of the game. She later began playing against other residents in the community.
In 2021, she competed in Lancaster County’s Senior Games and placed second. In 2022, Williams returned and placed first. These local victories qualified her to participate at the national level.
“It’s one of those things I’ve been picturing in my mind is how to play the game as graciously as I could and as well as I could,” Williams said.
Williams hopes she can bring home the gold but says she’s leaving for Pittsburgh to have fun and enjoy the comradery of the games.
“That would really be the epitome of excitement,” she told FOX43 News.
However, table tennis isn’t the only activity Williams has picked up. She enjoys tap-dancing and outdoor activities that get her moving. She adheres to an exercise schedule that has helped her maintain an active lifestyle even in her senior years.
Staff at Willow Valley hope a win could inspire other residents to take on something new.
"She would come back and be that perfect example of what ‘live your life forward’ is like at Willow Valley,” said Stacy Musser, senior director for resident life and Wellness Valley.
Williams is expected to compete at the games on Monday, July 15.