The laughter is contagious, and giggles explode as I enter the large, well-lit activities room at the Tisbury Council on Aging. A chair volleyball game is underway, with teams of 10 players on each side of a low net. Whistles hanging out of their mouths, arms in perpetual motion, two referees take charge of the game: newly minted director of the Tisbury Senior Center Catie Blake, and activities director Anne McDonough.
“What sets chair volleyball apart is the use of a beach ball instead of a traditional volleyball,” explains Blake. This modification ensures a safe and enjoyable experience for all participants, eliminating any concerns about hard impacts or injuries. The lightweight nature of the beachball adds an extra element of fun, as the players work together to keep the ball in motion with every pass and volley.
One of the most remarkable aspects of chair volleyball is its inclusivity. Designed to accommodate participants of varying mobility levels, the game is played while seated, making it accessible to everybody. This inclusive approach aligns perfectly with the COA’s mission to provide engaging activities that promote physical and mental wellbeing for all members of the community.
Inclusivity also means age at the Tisbury Senior Center, where mother-daughter team Genevieve Jacobs and Connie Minnot participate together in chair volleyball and a host of other COA offerings. “Connie will be 90 this July,” daughter Genevieve told The Times, as she explained the pair’s connection to the Senior Center: “It had been a long, gray winter — an easy one in which to start to feel isolated. I had heard good things about the Tisbury COA, so I thought Connie might enjoy some of their offerings. First I brought her to some of Catie’s exercise groups, thinking it would be a mild introduction to some exercise and socialization. I stayed with her so she would feel more comfortable, and found myself working hard, and actually working up a sweat. Soon we were line-dancing together, knitting together, and laughing our heads off playing chair volleyball. It was so good for Mom, but I was surprised at how good it was for me as well.”
Chair volleyball is a fun-filled game that is great for upper body mobility and joint flexibility. It enhances your reflexes and hand-eye coordination. It also works those abs from all the belly-aching laughter, making this reporter imagine that the hour of whoops, giggles, and tough exercises I was witnessing once constituted hours of physical therapy for wounded soldiers returning from World War II.
Seated volleyball’s origin dates back to the 1950s, when the game was used for rehabilitation of wounded World War II veterans. Sitting volleyball debuted at the 1980 Paralympic Games in the Netherlands.
The story of how sitting volleyball crossed the Atlantic to become a recreational sport in America has yet to be written. But we do have firsthand knowledge of how the sport crossed Vineyard Sound to become beloved at the Tisbury COA. It comes from Anne Hood, who divides her time between North Attleboro and Martha’s Vineyard: “We loved sitting volleyball in North Attleboro so much, little could stop us. We played during COVID. We played in winter. So we set up a tent outside, put on our warmest clothes and kept playing.”
Check out chair volleyball on Fridays, from 11 am to noon, at the Tisbury Senior Center, 34 Pine Tree Road, Vineyard Haven.
Lovely article and it makes me want to go and play chair volleyball! It looks like a ton of fun.
Just one correction. The last name of Anne is actually McDonough, an extremely valuable addition to the new staff at the Tisbury COA.
Anne McDonough Indeed she is an
Extremely valuable addition. Lovely Lady!
Jane Littell
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