Tracey Barnes-Priestley: Hi, I'm Tracey Barnes-Priestley.

This week on "What's on Your Bucket List," an enthusiastic octogenarian tries her hand at America's fastest growing sport, and then a spirited retiree gets a lesson in the game voted most favorite sport in Humboldt County.

Coming up next on "What's on Your Bucket List?"

♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪ Tracey: This is going to be a fun one.

I am here today with Kay Escarda.

And where are we, Kay, and what are we doing?

Kay Escarda: Well, we are at the Adorni in Eureka, and I'm asking to learn how to play pickleball.

Tracey: Pickleball.

When I read your application I thought, "Oh," because not going to lie, it's kind of been on my bucket list.

Kay: Oh, really?

Tracey: Oh, yeah.

It seems like-- Kay: Good.

Tracey: I know.

It's kind of a win-win.

What is it about pickleball that intrigues you?

Kay: Oh, I don't know.

I like to do things that are different and that are athletic.

And I ran for years and played softball and whatnot, but I've never really done anything with a paddle.

So I came down to watch one Saturday and met some nice people here, and it looked like it would be fun.

And I was watching KEET TV late one evening and they had the ad on for "What's on Your Bucket List," and I thought, "Oh, I'd like to do that."

So I signed up just on the spur of the moment, and here we are.

Tracey: Here we are and the rest, as they say.

Well, I'm glad we're here because I think for our audiences--for our audience, this is going to be a great segment because this sport has just gone crazy.

Kay: Oh, yeah, you hear about it everywhere, and yeah, people really seem to enjoy it.

Tracey: Mm-hmm, in getting to know you a little bit, you stay pretty busy physically, very active.

Kay: Well, I go to exercise classes three times a week.

And tango is starting up again, so I do that on Tuesday evening.

Tracey: When did you start tango?

Kay: When I was 75.

Tracey: And you are how old now?

Kay: I'm 87 now.

Tracey: And what do you think about the social aspects of athletic?

Kay: Oh, I think it's very important, yeah.

At least it has been for me.

I've made lots of friends, you know, in various sports, yeah.

Tracey: So it really has fed that part of you as well.

Kay: I think so, yeah.

And I find I need a class or something structured.

If I say I'm going to go out and take a 3-mile walk at 7 o'clock in the evening, I'll think, "Oh gosh, it's 11.

It's too late now," and then it doesn't happen, but if I have a class or a time-framed activity, then it's much easier to stay on focus.

Tracey: Yeah, thank you for raising that point 'cause I think for many of us, that's really important.

If we know there are people waiting for us, if we know there's a deadline or something, I think it is easier to motivate ourselves.

And sometimes I think the older we get, the harder it is to find the motivation.

Kay: Well, that's true, yeah.

Well, I don't know.

Tracey: Maybe not for you.

Kay: It was hard to go out the door to run too when I was 40 years younger.

Tracey: Well, I think we are ready.

We've got some players here.

We've got a great teacher for you, are you ready?

Kay: Yes, I am ready, yup.

We're going to give it a shot.

Tracey: All right, let's do this.

Kay: Thank you, Tracey.

Tracey: We are very lucky today to have with us someone who understands pickleball well enough that she teaches, Laura Hennings.

You really are--it's become a thing, right, for you.

Laura Hennings: It's become a thing.

It's become a thing.

Tracey: Where did that start for you?

What's the passion about?

Laura: About six or seven years ago 'cause I really couldn't do any other sports anymore.

I used to play softball and volleyball and I coached a number of different sports and-- but I couldn't do any of it anymore, I got too old.

And then somebody introduced me to pickleball, and I thought, "Pickleball?

What is pickleball?

You play with a pickle?

I mean, I don't get it."

So I came down and watched one day, and I said, "Hmm, I think I can do that."

Tracey: What do you think is--this sport is good for people our age?

Laura: Well, first and the most important thing is when I came down here to watch, I had everybody say, "Hi, Who are you?"

It's a social sport and it's very friendly.

The greatest thing about this sport is you can play it at almost any age.

We got guys out here 85 years old playing this sport, people with new knees, new hips.

It's stunning.

It's amazing.

When I first started playing, I couldn't do what they're doing right now, I couldn't dink.

Tracey: Interesting, yeah?

Laura: I couldn't dink very well because I wasn't fast enough.

So what this game has done is increased my flexibility and my ability to respond more quickly, and it gives me confidence.

Being a tennis player, I already had my groundstrokes down, so I didn't have any problem with that, but agility, mobility-- Tracey: Balance.

Laura: Balance.

It's a fabulous game.

I love every--I love playing every single minute.

And I'm 74 and I hope to play this game till I'm 90.

Tracey: That's great, and the way the game can be played, it can--you can accommodate everything.

Laura: Absolutely.

Tracey: Yeah, let's get you and Kay on the court, shall we?

Laura: You got it.

Tracey: Okay.

Laura: Okay.

Tracey: I introduced Kay to Laura and then got out of the way so the fun could begin.

Laura: Kay is going to be learning one of the many techniques in this game, and this is called dinking.

This is a short game where we actually play on this court, a very short game, which looks like it's easy to do and is not.

Kay: Uh-oh.

Laura: First I want to identify the parts of the court.

There are two rectangles here.

One--Kay will play one side, Marie plays the other side.

There's two rectangles there with the net.

And the light blue line is the court.

So I'm going to show you how to do a dink right now.

Kay, you ready?

Kay: I'm ready.

Let's see it.

Laura: We're going to hold our paddle correctly, as you know how to do.

Good, okay?

When we dink, we keep balance.

This is one of the wonderful balance and agility activities you can do in pickleball, okay?

I try to keep the ball in front of me.

The best way to do it is to drop the wrist and push the ball forward.

I'm going to show right now.

The idea is to try to keep the ball low over the net.

The higher the ball is, the better chance your opponent has of killing the ball and getting a point.

So, Kay, I want you to try to hit that ball going like this.

Good job.

Okay, Kay.

So Kay is going to give it a try.

This is a dinking game.

Good.

Oh, nice.

Good.

All right, Kay.

She's a pro already 'cause she's got the advantage of being able to win the game right away.

Very nice.

Good.

Good.

Go get it, Kay.

Good.

Yeah, she's already a natural.

Kay: Oh my gosh.

Laura: Let me get out of the way.

Whoa.

Fantastic.

Kay: Oh my gosh.

Laura: You're doing great.

Go get--okay.

Whoa, that was fantastic.

All right, Kay, you get to serve.

Kay: Zero, one, one.

Laura: Good.

Kay: I think they're taking it easy on me.

Laura: You're doing great.

Actually, Kay, you're doing great, very good.

Here we're going to talk about groundstrokes.

Groundstroke is say I want to get the ball from here and put it over there, and I want to do it well.

I got to hit this ball and bring it over there.

I want to hit the ball here.

So what I'm going to do is I'm going to bend my knees and step forward, okay?

I have my weight on my back foot and I'm going to hit the ball here with my arms straight, both arms straight, paddle parallel to the ground, and I'm simply swinging through, and the ball happens to be in the way.

I'm going to swing through the ball, go across the body.

It looks like this, okay?

You want to try, Kay?

Kay: Sure.

Laura: Okay, come on in.

That away.

Oh, good try.

Hey, I want you to remember this lady is 86 years old.

Kay: Eighty-seven.

Laura: Eighty-seven.

This is what you can do as an 87-year-old or a 90-year-old or a 95-year-old.

She's doing great.

Tracey: Yeah, yeah, she is, yeah.

Laura: She really is.

She's doing great.

That's a lob.

Good, Kay.

Kay: I couldn't resist, and I didn't want to do that.

Laura: That was good.

Okay, let's play a game.

There's a winner.

Kay: One for me.

Tracey: High five.

That was good.

Laura: Oh, whoa, you're kidding.

You're kidding.

Oh my God.

Kay: Get out of your way.

Laura: You're doing great.

Oh my God.

Tracey: Was that amazing or was that amazing?

Kay: Oh my God.

Laura: That's a backhand, guys.

That's a backhand at the net.

Really hard to do.

Tracey: That was amazing.

Laura: That's--it looks like you've been playing for six months, Kay, seriously.

Tracey: Is that an instance where one person should call if they've got it, if you think you've got the shot?

Laura: The best thing is to always call.

"Mine, yours.

Mine, yours.

I got it.

You get it."

Talk to each other with every shot.

Tracey: Okay.

Okay.

Laura: Because you can't read each other's minds.

Kay: Yeah.

Laura: Go, go, go, go.

Nice.

Nice.

Nice shot, Marie.

Nice shot.

Kay: Yeah, nice shot, Marie.

Laura: Nice.

Up, up, up, up, up, up.

Good job, Kay.

Good job.

Good job.

Excellent.

Kay: Woo, Marie.

Laura: Excellent.

One more very important thing in this game, tell your opponent when they've done a good job, tell your partner when you've done a good job.

You just turned around at Marie and said, "Man, that was a good shot."

You got to--you want to be aggressive.

Kay: Okay.

Laura: Go get that ball.

Kay: Okay.

Laura: Don't worry about the sore-- don't worry about the score.

speaker: Nice serve.

Laura: Good, Kay.

Nice.

Kay: Good job, Marie.

Laura: There you go.

Good try, good try, good try.

You are playing like somebody who's played at least three months, seriously.

You are really playing well.

Always say thank you to your opponents.

And it's best to say what a great game you guys played.

Kay: Yeah, you did.

Laura: You guys actually played a really good game.

Really good, no matter what the score was.

It doesn't matter.

Doesn't matter what--you just started playing.

You were already were amazing, Kay.

Not joking.

And you just started.

I was really surprised.

Kay: It was fun.

Laura: So now you're going to come back, aren't you?

Kay: I'm a little winded.

Laura: Yes.

Kay: It's going to be good exercise.

Tracey: She was amazing, wasn't she?

Yeah.

I have just watched an absolutely thrilling game.

What'd you think?

Kay: I was thrilled too.

It was fun, yeah.

Tracey: And you were amazing.

You got a backhand happening.

Kay: Well, then I learned I should have turned my paddle the other way, but I learned something.

So worth the deal.

Tracey: First lesson.

First lesson.

What did you think?

Kay: It was a lot of fun.

Tracey: Was it?

Kay: It literally was.

Tracey: Yeah?

Kay: Yeah.

Tracey: What was the most challenging part?

Kay: Where to stand, I think, yeah, and to get ready, you know, and the ball seemed to die on me instead of coming up where I expected it.

So I got to get used to that.

That was a little different.

Tracey: And nice women you were playing with, everybody.

Kay: All great, I really thank them for coming out.

It wouldn't have been as much fun with just two people in.

It wouldn't have been a real practice game, you know.

Tracey: Yes, yeah, yeah.

Kay: I enjoyed them.

Tracey: So you think you'll come back?

Kay: Oh, definitely.

I'm not going to waste this.

Tracey: Okay, glad you checked it off your bucket list?

Kay: Yup.

And I want to continue.

Tracey: All right.

Kay: Yeah.

Tracey: Thank you so much.

Kay: Thank you.

Thank KEET for doing it.

I really appreciated it.

It was fun.

Tracey: To watch this and other episodes, go to keet.org.

Tracey and Kay: So, what's on your bucket list?

Kay: I did get you.

I didn't aim.

I really didn't aim.

[both laughing] Tracey: Good shot, Kay.

I've been wanting to do that for years.

Kay: Shall I do another one?

Tracey: We met up with our next guest out in Manila, right on the edge of Humboldt Bay.

Tracey: On this absolutely gorgeous day, it's a pleasure to introduce to you my guest Nancy Holmes.

Nancy.

Nancy Holmes: Hi.

Tracey: Welcome.

I have to tell you that when I go through applications, I thought, "Oh, I have never seen this one before."

What are we checking off your bucket list today?

Nancy: Learning how to disc golf.

Tracey: Disc golf.

Ta-da.

Yes, here we are.

Nancy: Have no clue, but there they are.

Tracey: There they are.

Right.

Well, it's going to be fun.

It's going to be great fun.

And why did this end up on your bucket list?

Nancy: Well, I started going to my grandson's baseball practice, and it was at Cooper Gulch.

Looking around, and I'm like, "Well, I need to use the bathroom."

So I walk over to the bathroom and, of course, the bathroom isn't open.

"Let me follow this trail and see if I can find a bathroom somewhere down the trail," so-- Tracey: Resourceful.

Very resourceful.

Nancy: Right, so I'm following the trail, and I am looking around, and all I'm doing is seeing men out in the bushes.

So I'm thinking, "What is going on?"

Well, they're tossing disc golfs.

The more I thought about it and I watched them, they were having so much fun and they were, you know, enjoying themselves, and I'm like, "This is out in nature.

You don't have to pay for anything.

I think I'd like to try disc golfing, because I love being out in nature."

And I thought it would be a nice sport, and you don't have to--you can--I could probably do it on my own.

I didn't--wouldn't have to go with anybody.

Tracey: What was it that prompted you to apply to the show?

Nancy: I saw an advertisement I believe on KEET TV saying, "What's on your bucket list?"

And I had a number of items, so I thought, "Well, why not?"

Tracey: Good for you.

Nancy: I enjoy learning things and trying new things.

In fact, I took a class yesterday, an OLLI class for nature journaling.

So I thought I could incorporate that.

Tracey: So how do you think trying new things at this point in life is beneficial?

Nancy: It keeps my mind active, it keeps my body moving, and it keeps--it challenges my brain.

Tracey: Right, yeah.

Nancy: Yeah.

Tracey: I think that's a really good point, that how with age I feel like for me especially important to keep challenging all those little neurons up there.

Nancy: Exactly, yeah.

Tracey: Couldn't have asked for a better day.

I think we're ready.

You ready?

Nancy: I'm ready.

Let's do it, yeah.

Tracey: All right.

Thanks, Nancy.

Tracey: Next, I sat down with Michelle Lopez, our disc golf expert.

I was curious about why she loves this sport so much.

Michelle Lopez: Even though I'm really bad about trying something and if I'm really bad at it I abandon it and move on and try something else, for whatever reason this was something that I thought, "I think I can get better."

And I saw a future for me of not sucking, so I just kept at it.

Tracey: Voted the number one sport on the North Coast, disc golf has been around the area for decades.

Michelle is the treasurer of Par Infinity Disc Golf Club which formed in 1987.

They do course development, sponsored tournaments, and even travel to other competitions.

There are a number of public disc golf courses locally.

In addition to Manila and Cooper's Gulch, people can play in Arcata, McKinleyville, and Willow Creek.

A couple of private courses are also available.

Michelle: Men tend to throw further than women.

There are some crushing women, for sure.

It's not about upper body strength.

I think the length of your arms, definitely strength, your core strength, and your timing, and using your hips is all part of it, yeah.

Tracey: Well, I am fascinated.

I think that I'm so glad Nancy picked this.

I'm so glad we found you.

Michelle: Yeah, me too.

Tracey: I think we've kept her waiting long enough, and it's time to give Nancy a disc golf lesson.

Tracey: Nancy and I went over to the first hole to meet Michelle.

Tracey: I want to introduce you to your teacher.

Nancy: Oh, hi, Michelle.

Tracey: Nancy, this is Michelle.

Nancy: It's nice to meet you.

Michelle: Nice to meet you too.

Nancy: I'm so excited.

Michelle: Me too.

Nancy: Yeah, I it'll be fun, yeah.

Tracey: And look at all the goodies, oh my gosh.

Explain to us what you have in your little cart here.

Michelle: It's probably--it's maybe a little intimidating.

And honestly, it's probably too many discs for me too, but I like to have some options.

Well, I brought this-- these two for you.

Nancy: Oh, yay.

Michelle: And then that one is for you.

Nancy: And, like, the goddess game.

Michelle: The goddess games.

Nancy: Wow.

Tracey: Oh, oh.

I like it already, yes.

Michelle: So these are fairway drivers.

So those are, like, in between the really fast and the slower mid ranges.

Tracey: Okay.

Nancy: Okay.

Michelle: And then this is your--as a putter.

Nancy: Oh, a putter.

Michelle: So that's when you get close enough to the basket.

You don't want to throw that because those can-- Nancy: They'll just keep going, huh?

Michelle: Yeah, so you get closer and you use a putter to get into the basket.

Nancy: Okay, cool.

Michelle: I'm going to show you how to hold it and how to throw it.

This is called a power grip, so you tuck your fingers in.

You want to grip it so that I can't take it out of your hand.

Nancy: Oh.

Well, that won't work.

Michelle: Perfect.

And then you kind of line up your body.

What's important about lining up is your hips because your hips are really going to tell--are telling you where your disk is going to go, where your arm is going to follow.

I reach back to get as much momentum as I can.

Nancy: Gotcha.

Michelle: And then really it's just trying to throw as hard as I can, leading with my elbow, keeping my wrist and my forearms straight.

And then so from here really you're going to aim with your grip really hard, you're going to reach back as far as you feel comfortable, but that is important, and at the same time your body is twisting.

Nancy: Gotcha.

Michelle: You don't want it just to be your arm or you're going to hurt your back.

It's important to have your lower body engaged.

Nancy: What do you call this site you standing on?

Michelle: This is the tee pad.

Nancy: Oh, tee pad, okay.

Michelle: Yeah, and then we're shooting to the basket.

Nancy: Okay.

Michelle: This is hole one at Manila.

Nancy: Hole one.

Tracey: All right, drum roll.

Nancy: And it's a par three.

Michelle: It's a par three, yeah.

Ignore the pars.

Nancy: Okay, thank you.

Michelle: We don't even have to keep score.

That's not what's important.

We're just getting you comfortable throwing.

Nancy: I just want to make sure I have the right technique.

Michelle: Uh-huh.

Nancy: Yeah.

Michelle: Well, I'll do another one.

Nancy: Yeah, perfect.

Whoa.

It was a tree shot.

Tracey: After a few more tips, it was Nancy's turn to try.

Tracey: Oh, look at that.

Michelle: All right.

Nancy: Didn't go far enough.

Michelle: That's okay.

Tracey: Nancy graciously shared her bucket list with me, and I got to try my hand at this fun sport.

Tracey: All right, okay.

Game on.

Michelle: Okay, so now we're going to walk up to our disks.

And the person who we get to first or the disk that we get to first throws first.

Nancy: Okay.

Michelle: You have to be with-- okay with not controlling it.

You kind of have to let go, just do-- Tracey: There are so many things in life.

Nancy: Yeah, just let it do its thing.

Michelle: Let it go.

Nancy: Okay.

Tracey: What a great--yeah, that's so true.

How many things in life are like that, right?

Nancy: Yeah.

Tracey: Oh, look at that.

That was beautiful.

Michelle: Excellent.

Tracey: Next, Michelle explained putting, and then we gave it a try.

Michelle: Great.

Tracey: Oh, so close.

Michelle: That was fantastic.

Nancy: Oh, thank you.

Tracey: Yeah.

What fun.

That's great fun.

Nancy: Yeah, yay.

Michelle: Woo-hoo.

Nancy: Woo-hoo.

Tracey: With one hole under our belts, we moved on to the next tee pad.

Michelle: See, your first real obstacle, there's a bit of a headwind, so this will be interesting.

The wind definitely affects the flight.

Nancy: Oh, okay.

Tracey: Oh, beautiful.

You are a goddess.

Michelle: Okay, so don't go over that line.

Remember that line that's--let's just pretend it's like the highway, right, and then there's the bike lane right here.

So you don't want to go into the bike lane.

Nancy: Oh, gotcha.

Michelle: You want that to be straight, yeah.

Yeah.

Good.

Tracey: That was a good one.

Michelle: Yes.

Tracey: Good one.

Excellent.

Michelle: Perfect.

Tracey: Good.

Very good.

Yay.

Tracey: Imagine our disappointment when Michelle explained the disk actually had to go into the basket.

Michelle: This is the next hole.

Tracey: Oh, look at that.

Nancy: Wow, beautiful.

That is so pretty.

Tracey: It really is pretty.

Nancy: Uh-huh.

Oop, that was my wrist again.

Oop, oop.

Lunch.

Tracey: This was a good example of why players are always supposed to stand behind the person who is throwing.

Tracey: Good one.

Michelle: All right.

Tracey: Very good.

Yes, very good.

Michelle: Look at that, Nancy.

Fantastic.

Nancy: Now, let's see if I can-- all: Yay.

Tracey: We made our way through the woods to another beautiful tee pad right on the bay.

Tracey: Well, what did you--we did our three holes as practice.

What do you think?

Nancy: It was fun, and I'm going to keep practicing thanks to Michelle.

Tracey: Yeah.

Nancy: Yup.

I think I've found a new sport.

Tracey: It's great.

Nancy: Yeah.

Tracey: Great.

Nancy: Loved it.

Tracey: What was difficult about it for you?

Nancy: Just getting the form down, yeah.

Nancy: Yeah, what about you?

Tracey: Same thing.

It was just like--it was just remembering all those pieces.

Nancy: Right, right, right.

But the more you practice, the easier it gets.

Tracey: Like everything else, yeah.

Nancy: Right, right, right, right.

Tracey: So you're glad you checked it off your bucket list?

Nancy: I am, yup.

Tracey: All right, and what would you say to other people about their bucket list?

Nancy: Keep going.

Do it, yeah.

Tracey: Do it.

Nancy: Yeah.

Tracey: All right, well, thank you for having a great idea and for doing this.

Nancy: Well, thank you for letting me join you.

Tracey: Okay.

Thank you so much.

Here's to-- Nancy: Disk golfing.

Tracey: Yes, disk golfing, yes.

Thank you so much, and thank you so much.

That was fun.

Nancy: It was fun.

Thank you so much.

Tracey: Said the goddesses.

And we are goddesses now.

Nancy: Yeah, yeah.

Michelle: Absolutely.

Welcome to the club.

Tracey: Thank you.

Nancy: Oh, thank you.

Tracey: To watch this and other episodes, go to keet.org.

Tracey and Nancy: What's on your bucket list?

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