By Drew Silverman
Red Line Editorial
When it comes to pickleball, it is not an exaggeration to say that Joyce Jones has seen it all.
Not only was she born 35 years before the game was invented, but she and her late husband, Don, learned the sport from one of its founders, Joel Pritchard. Even more — and perhaps most impressively — Jones is still playing today at 94 years old.
She has personally witnessed the evolution of pickleball from casual niche activity to mainstream national pastime.
“I had no idea it would explode like this,” Jones said, “but I’m very excited about it. It’s just so exciting to have it grow like this.”
She’ll see that growth again this month when she takes part in the 2024 Biofreeze USA Pickleball National Championships in Mesa, Arizona. The competition runs Nov. 9-17.
Originally an accomplished badminton and tennis player, Jones was immediately drawn to pickleball more than four decades ago and has gone on to enjoy a marvelous career featuring a long list of medals in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the USA Pickleball National Championships, the Huntsman World Senior Games and the National Senior Games.
Not only is Jones still playing today, but the Seattle native is still winning — and oftentimes against opponents in their 70s and 80s. Many events cannot even field enough competitors in their 90s (or even their 80s sometimes), so Jones is left to “play down” against much younger opponents.
For instance, Jones is going to play in the 75s for singles and the 80s for mixed doubles at this year’s national championships.
Jones enjoys the competition, but at this stage of her career, she’s typically more excited for the camaraderie.
“I enjoy seeing all my friends again,” Jones said. “This is the main reason I go to these tournaments. I love competing, but it’s the hundreds of friends I’ve made over the past 60 years. It’s just fun seeing however many there are still around.”
After dealing with a nagging hamstring injury early this year, Jones was in a car accident that totaled her son’s vehicle and left her with a bruised kidney.
“We’re lucky we weren’t killed,” she said.
Shortly thereafter, she fell on a cement driveway and took a serious tumble.
“I hit every part of my body,” said Jones, who broke her thumb in two places and required several staples to close a wound in her head. “It was a horrible mess.”
As it turned out, Jones also suffered a concussion in the fall, which required her to spend more than a week resting at home. During that period of unusual inactivity, she developed a blood clot in her calf.
Through it all, she remained hopeful that she could play in the World Senior Games in October. Ultimately her doctor gave her permission to play in the event — and she went on to medal in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, not to mention competing in a pair of track-and-field events, where she won silver in the 50 meters and gold in the 100 meters.
“My doctor knew that if I had to, I would play with one leg!” Jones said, laughing.
But all things considered, after 23 surgeries, including a knee replacement, Jones is going strong these days.
“I don’t feel like I’m 94,” proclaimed Jones, who will turn 95 on April 4. “Hopefully I’ll feel the same way when I’m 100.”
What exactly is her secret?
“I’m probably just lucky because I got good genes,” she said. “I also never smoked or drank anything, and of course I never did drugs. I eat fairly good, although I am a chocoholic, but I do wear that off mostly by playing. I do have a positive attitude, and I try not to let anything get me down too much because depression is not good.”
When she’s not playing pickleball, Jones enjoys flipping through her 36 albums filled with photos and articles chronicling her career in all three of her beloved racquet sports. She also is in the process of writing her life story — a book that she started more than 15 years ago.
“However, I haven’t written any of it during the last year,” she admitted. “I’ve been too busy.”
In addition to pickleball — she plays about three days a week, when healthy — Jones loves spending time with her four children (three of whom play pickleball), her six grandchildren (all of whom play) and her three great-grandchildren.
“They’re a little too young yet,” she quipped of the youngest generation. “I imagine they will soon.”
And if they do take up pickleball, they’ll be in good company. Millions of Americans have begun playing recreationally and competitively in recent years, helping pickleball become the fastest-growing sport in the nation.
“It’s just such a social game,” Jones said. “You can have a good time if you aren’t a competitor, and if you are competitive, then you can just keep improving. It’s a sport that anybody can enjoy.”
After many years of playing badminton, tennis and pickleball, Jones is down to one sport these days. She gave up badminton three years ago due to neck issues and moved on from tennis last year as a result of arthritis in her hands.
“Now I just stick to pickleball,” she said. “But I love it. I want to keep playing as long as I possibly can. Hopefully until I’m 100.”
After decades of pickleball accomplishments and a lifetime of success in other sports, Jones certainly has plenty to be proud of.
“I’m just glad to still be able to play and compete at 94. I’ve been really fortunate. I’ve had a great life and a lot of attention, which I like,” Jones said, laughing. “I get comments like, ‘I’m going to be just like you’ and ‘I want to be able to play like you when I’m 94’ and ‘You inspire me.’ All those things make me very happy. I’m just happy I can inspire people and I am happy I can still do it myself and play the game that I love.”
