I have attended every B.C. 55+ Games since I became eligible in 1999, except my first year and during COVID.
Over the years, I have competed in golf, table tennis and pickleball, representing Zone 10 and Zone 13. Zone 10 covers the Northwest, from Terrace westward. Zone 13 is considered “isolated,” meaning it is too difficult to travel for regular playdowns.
Zone 10 athletes have been incredible in helping our zone participate, handling everything from accommodations and fundraising to shared dinners. Special thanks go to Bill Whitty of Kitimat and Dawn Quast of Prince Rupert, who have gone far beyond what anyone could expect.
My introduction to pickleball happened by accident.
I was playing golf at the Richmond Games when I walked past a gym and saw people playing a strange new game with paddles and a plastic ball. I stopped to watch. Not long after, we had a net, racquets and balls, and were playing back home in Charlotte.
Today, pickleball is everywhere on Haida Gwaii. You can play on brand new indoor courts in Sandspit, several days a week in Daajing Giids, outdoors at Misty Meadows, Port Clements Community Park, Masset’s tennis and covered courts, and in Old Masset too.
I chose pickleball partly because the equipment is easy to travel with. In the early days, almost no one else on the Island played, so I often teamed up with Shirley Ireland, an ex-Islander, or whoever from the Northwest zone needed a partner.
My first year I played with George Farrell. We misunderstood the rating system and entered well above our skill level, but our opponents were generous with advice and we learned quickly. Shirley and I even played singles and won medals in those early years.
The sport has since exploded. Nanaimo alone now has more than 300 players.
I stopped playing golf in 2020 when COVID made travel off Island impossible. That meant missing the Prince Rupert Ladies Jubilee tournament, always my favourite event of the year. I focused fully on pickleball, until I missed the early registration deadline while trying to line up partners.
So I pivoted.
After five years away from competitive golf, I registered for the 75+ Women’s division at the 2025 Senior Games.
It came with nerves. Two ferries. Heavy traffic. Hotels to book. People to visit. My car’s CarPlay system, which I had never used on Haida Gwaii, turned out to be a lifesaver. Driving was not my favourite part, but it felt manageable and safe.
Registration itself was overwhelming, about 3,000 people all trying to find their events, schedules and venues at once.
The Cottonwood course was flat and friendly. I did not know any of the women in my group, but we were matched by similar handicaps and placed in Flight 1 of the 75+ division. The second round was at Fairwinds, which is many things, but not flat, and with a completely different foursome.
The people were wonderful. The conversations even better. There were a few great shots, plenty of disappointing ones, and lots of laughter.
I finished fifth in my flight, and was the oldest competitor to finish in that group. The oldest in the second flight was Anne Beresford, whom I knew years ago when she lived in our Northwest zone. Active old northerners, still showing up.
That is the point of this story.
If you are over 55, it is not too late. Not to start something new. Not to travel. Not to compete. Not to make friends. Not to have fun. Not to stay healthy.
The 2026 B.C. 55+ Games will be held in Kamloops this September. Details are available at 55plusbcgames.org. There are dozens of sports to choose from. Check registration deadlines carefully and consider applying for Gwaii Trust travel grants to help cover costs.
You do not have to win. You just have to show up.
And sometimes, that is the hardest and best part.
