Bill Wingfield of Arkansas wins a national title, outlasting opponents decades younger and redefining what competition looks like late in life.
In the humid nights of central Florida, while matches stretched past midnight and competitors half his age chased every ball, Bill Wingfield kept playing. At 85, the Maumelle, Ark., resident was not there as a novelty act or ceremonial elder. He was there to win. When the U.S. Senior Pickleball National Championships concluded in Pictona, across the bay from Daytona Beach, Wingfield stood atop the podium, a national champion and a reminder that age, at least in pickleball, is often just another variable to outthink.
A Championship Earned, Not Given
Wingfield’s gold medal came in the 85–89 division, a bracket so thin that he was frequently required to play competitors in their 60s and 70s just to advance.
-
The national championships require qualification through one of four regional tournaments, where players must finish in the top three.
-
Wingfield earned his place with a silver-medal finish at a regional event.
-
Over the course of the tournament, he played roughly eight matches, some ending as late as 1:30 a.m. due to weather delays.
The endurance alone was notable. The result was extraordinary.
From Tennis Skeptic to Pickleball Convert
Wingfield’s path to pickleball was anything but enthusiastic at first. A longtime tennis player, he viewed the sport with suspicion, even disdain.
-
He played tennis until the age of 79 and initially dismissed pickleball as a game for retired tennis players unwilling to quit competing.
-
After trying it once, his resistance evaporated.
-
He has not picked up a tennis racket since.
What won him over was not just accessibility, but depth. Pickleball, he says, rewards patience and planning more than raw speed.
A Game of Strategy, Not Just Speed
Wingfield describes pickleball less like a sprint and more like a chess match.
-
Beginners can have fun within weeks, he says, but winning consistently can take years.
-
Against younger opponents who can retrieve nearly everything, Wingfield relies on placement, touch, and tactical pressure.
-
His goal is not to overpower, but to force opponents to earn every point.
It is a style of play that allows experience to matter — and sometimes prevail.
Training at 85, Without Apology
This is not a casual hobby. Wingfield trains almost every day at the Little Rock Athletic Club, sometimes twice daily.
-
On mornings when his body protests, he waits it out, trusting movement to restore momentum.
-
When partners are unavailable, he practices with a ball-feeding machine.
-
The physical benefits, he says, have been undeniable, from improved sleep to renewed energy.
He jokes that while his birth certificate says 85, his body feels more like “39 plus shipping and handling.”
Competing Without Fear of Losing
For Wingfield, the secret to longevity in the sport is psychological as much as physical.
-
New players, he advises, must accept early and frequent losses.
-
Improvement comes gradually, often invisibly, until one day it begins to “gel.”
-
The scoreboard matters less than showing up, learning, and enjoying the process.
It is advice shaped by decades of competition — and by a sport that continues to surprise him.
No Finish Line in Sight
With tournaments on the calendar in places like Fayetteville, Utah, and Arizona, Wingfield has no plans to retire from competition.
-
He intends to keep playing as long as his body allows.
-
He sees pickleball as a sport for all ages, not defined by youth or limitation.
-
Above all, he sees it as fun — the kind that keeps people coming back.
At an age when most athletes have long since stepped away, Wingfield is still chasing shots, still solving puzzles, still winning.
Summary
-
Bill Wingfield, an 85-year-old from Maumelle, Arkansas, won a national title at the U.S. Senior Pickleball National Championships in Florida.
-
A former tennis player, Wingfield initially resisted pickleball but quickly became devoted to its strategic depth.
-
He trains nearly every day, often competing against players decades younger.
-
Wingfield credits strategy, consistency, and a willingness to lose early as keys to long-term success.
-
He plans to keep competing as long as possible, embodying pickleball’s growing reputation as a lifelong sport.
No comments:
Post a Comment