Local groups meet to socialize, play sports and get a workout

Bill Guth didn't expect basketball to become a lifetime sport for him. When he was in his 40s, he hoped he'd still be playing in his 50s. When he reached his 50s, he thought it would be great if he could play until he was in his 60s. Now in his early 70s, Bill says he just hopes to play again next week.

"I like to get out with friends, and I like the exercise. Basketball is a sport I've always enjoyed," he says. Every Wednesday night, he meets with a group of buddies to play basketball for two hours. The men in the group range in age from their 40s to 70s, and many have been playing ball since they were kids. They may have been more competitive, and more limber, in their youth, but now they enjoy the sport for the exercise and camaraderie.

"We keep it cool and fun, and we get good exercise and have a good time together," says Scott McClanahan, who's been playing with the group for 13 or 14 years. "It can get competitive, but for the most part we're there to have fun. If somebody gets knocked down or whatever ... everybody is genuinely concerned about everybody's health."

McClanahan says there are about 25 or 30 guys in the group, but not everyone plays every week. They divide into teams and play for two hours, switching out players or playing half-court games if necessary.

"Basketball is similar to what guys do when they're fishing or playing poker. It's a couple hours away from everything that normally happens during the week," says McClanahan. "If you go fishing, you take the boat and out on the lake for a couple hours. If you go hunting, you're out in the woods for a couple hours. If you play poker, you're hanging out with the guys. We just choose to run up and down the floor together."

Lonnie Lusk plays basketball with another group in town, the men ranging in age from their early 20s to mid-60s. The small group plays once a week for two hours, and Lusk says that consistency is necessary for a group to play for the long-term. As for himself, Lusk says he's been playing basketball since he was big enough to dribble a ball, and he hopes to play forever.

"We're just a group of guys who get together to have a good time and play hard. Sometimes we win, and sometimes we lose," he says. "Basketball is a very good sport. You use all your athletic abilities on the basketball court. You run, you jump and you try to put a little ball in a little hole. It's a well rounded sport."

Penny Williams, recreation division manager for the City of Cape Girardeau, says many groups meet at the city's recreational facilities to attend group fitness classes, go to monthly dances, train for 5Ks or simply meet with friends to walk, swim or shoot hoops.

The benefits of group recreation are significant. According to Williams, it "improves your quality of life; provides for more socialization; improves your health, both physically and mentally; and allows you to be more active, to not get bored, and it helps keep your spirits up."

This winter, at the request of Cape-area residents, the Osage Centre began hosting a pickleball group on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. The sport is a combination of tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong, and it's been a hit so far. Williams encourages anyone to call the city's facilities or check them out online to see what's happening, or even to share their own ideas.

"We are always open and interested in new ideas and welcome public input," she says. "Many times groups form on their own based upon a particular interest or facility. The first step is just getting out and being around others; making yourself familiar with all that is offered and then finding out what you need to do to be a part of it. It may be as simple as enrolling, signing up or just showing up."

Chuck Heady, who plays basketball with Guth and McClanahan, says the most important part of starting a recreational group is finding people you like and get along with -- people who aren't going to get too upset about winning or losing the game.

"You need to find people that you like and that you enjoy playing with," he says. "You're there to be a gentleman and have fun -- these guys are just like my brothers."

Donnie Harris feels the same way. Although he recently bought a second home in Texas, he tries his best to be in Cape Girardeau on basketball nights -- because there's no way to replace the friends he's made in this group, he says.

For others looking to start a recreational or sports group, McClanahan says to look for these qualities: "The game is more important to them than the winning. A group that the person you're competing against is more important than having the best score at the end of the night ... a group that's willing to be buddies."