Age Is Just a Number for Lois Austin
Age Is Just a Number for Lois Austin
For some volleyball players, retiring and walking away from the sport they love can be one of the hardest things to do. For others, like Lois Austin, it's a
For some volleyball players, retiring and walking away from the sport they love can be one of the hardest things to do. For others, like Lois Austin, it's a choice they refuse to make.
At 80 years old, Austin is still playing the game she loves: sand volleyball. You can find her competing on the sand courts of Corona Del Mar in Newport Beach, California, up to three times a week with a group of seniors. Their youngest player is 59 years old.
What's her secret to staying so active at her age? "I watch what I eat, lift weights two times a week and if I get upset, go to my Bible," she said.
A lifelong athlete who played basketball, softball, field hockey and volleyball in high school, Austin has always been on the go. When asked what particularly drew her to volleyball, she said, "I play because of my friends. Volleyball is everything for me. It cements relationships with people. You have a bond."
It even brought her to Ed, her husband, who was one of the area's top beach players in the 1960’s when they first met on the sand. Together, they ran the California Beach Volleyball Association tournaments for almost 15 years in Corona Del Mar. They have managed to remain involved with the sport they love for almost 60 years. Austin stays enthusiastic and competitive as the years roll on, and doesn’t show signs of stopping anytime soon.
At 80 years old, Austin is still playing the game she loves: sand volleyball. You can find her competing on the sand courts of Corona Del Mar in Newport Beach, California, up to three times a week with a group of seniors. Their youngest player is 59 years old.
What's her secret to staying so active at her age? "I watch what I eat, lift weights two times a week and if I get upset, go to my Bible," she said.
A lifelong athlete who played basketball, softball, field hockey and volleyball in high school, Austin has always been on the go. When asked what particularly drew her to volleyball, she said, "I play because of my friends. Volleyball is everything for me. It cements relationships with people. You have a bond."
It even brought her to Ed, her husband, who was one of the area's top beach players in the 1960’s when they first met on the sand. Together, they ran the California Beach Volleyball Association tournaments for almost 15 years in Corona Del Mar. They have managed to remain involved with the sport they love for almost 60 years. Austin stays enthusiastic and competitive as the years roll on, and doesn’t show signs of stopping anytime soon.