Age is not a factor

Times Reporter

 

Every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon a group of seniors strap on their padding, lace up their skates and hit the ice. Pete Greene plays at the Family Centre twice a week for an hour in Pensioners Puck Hockey. Greene is 80-years-old and has been playing for the past five or six years after his friend Al Brown talked him into it. 

Greene used to play hockey when he was younger but quit back in 1962. His doctor and some of his friends are a little amazed he is still able to hit the ice. 

“I’m just an old guy learning from the young guys. I can’t skate fast enough, that’s a primary issue. I’m average on the other stuff,” said Greene.  

There are no goalies in his game. Instead there are two targets placed in the net. One is high and the other is low and to score a goal a target must be hit. The age range for the players is from 60-years-old to 80 and they try to keep it competitive without risking any injuries. Some of the players may not be as strong at skating, while others may have minor puck handling capabilities but the team doesn’t let it deter them. 

“We try to balance it out. We want to keep it as competitive as we can,” said Greene.    

For Greene it’s about getting in some good exercise while spending time with people he likes. 

“I enjoy the guys mostly and it’s nice to see if I can stand up longer than the time I did before.” Not many people would strap on skates at his age but Greene plans to continue playing as long as he can. We should all hope that at 80-years-old we too can still hit the ice, or do whatever it is we have always loved to do.