Sport for all is a motto developed for many years by Enéo Sports, reserved for the over 50s. In Malmedy, the group is called Punch Seniors, to remind us that they remain very active, these seniors. And if there is an example, it is that of Betsy, 84, who still plays badminton every week, every Thursday morning at the Malmedy sports hall. She is a bit of a mascot, since she even received the favorite Sports Merits awarded by the City of Malmedy not long ago.
Betsy remains an active member, it is the case to say it, of this badminton meeting of Enéo Punch Seniors. She’s been driving with her friends for about twenty years now. ” I’m lucky to have health, so far knock on wood, good health “, she confides to us during her weekly training. The one who lives in Waimes has therefore been involved in this racket sport for more than 20 years now. ” Already with the children we played on the beach, so when twenty years ago a friend asked me to come and play, I took a racket in hand and then off we went. There were 6 of them at the start, then over the years and the Enéo structure that has developed in the region, there are now nearly forty for this activity alone.
The Punch Seniors formula is successful, it’s only been fifteen years since the group was created in the south of the borough, with now more than 200 active members in different disciplines or activities. For young people over 50!
« We do sports, such as badminton, table tennis, but also Nordic walking, yoga, or even workshops, recreational afternoons, it’s a social role too the Senior Punch smiles Claire Smissaert, president of the Malmedy group.
Betsy Mullender mainly plays badminton. With the desire to have fun before the spirit of competition. ” I don’t compete. First of all, there is the pleasure of playing sports, of moving, but not the spirit of competition. Finally, on the field we like to win anyway, we play seriously laughs Betsy before stepping back onto the field. She told her badminton friends that she was planning to hang her racquet for good soon. But we can count on the support of its partners to motivate it for some time yet. (OT)
