The fastest-growing sport in the world today is pickleball. It’s also the number one sport in terms of overall competitors at the National Senior Games, a biennial event featuring more than 12,000 athletes over the age of 50 competing in more than 25 sports. Pickleball is growing so fast because anyone of any age can learn to play and enjoy it almost immediately.
Like most of the competitors who traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, for the 2025 National Senior Games, 62-year-old Shawn from California found the game later in life after her son invited her to play.
“My son Blake came home one weekend and said, ‘Oh my gosh, mom, I’ve got to show you this game. It’s amazing. You’re going to love it.’ He was right. I loved it immediately,” Shawn recalled.
Since then, pickleball has become more than just a game for Shawn—it’s a way to connect with her sons and also strengthen friendships. She maintains a weekly exhibition match with Blake and his twin brother, Brent, as well as her friend, Dawn.
Shawn’s competitive nature fueled her passion for pickleball, and she decided to take her game to the next level by training for the National Senior Games. However, in the process, a decades-long battle with asthma became an increasing concern.
“I didn’t have asthma until I was in my 20s, and I started having some breathing issues,” Shawn shared. “The worst asthma attack was when my twins were four and I had a really bad attack and couldn’t breathe.”
“We actually had to call 911 to get help and for someone to come save her,” Blake remembered.
In the time since, Shawn has spoken to her doctor and learned that her asthma can put her at risk for a severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. RSV is a common, contagious respiratory virus that can infect the nose, throat, lungs and airways. Symptoms of RSV can range from mild to severe and can typically last up to 2 weeks. While many people think it only impacts babies, older adults are also at increased risk for severe infection.
“People at increased risk for severe RSV include adults 50 years of age and older with some underlying medical conditions such as congestive heart failure, asthma, and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease),” says Dr. Leonard Friedland, Vice President and Director, Scientific Affairs and Public Health for GSK Vaccines.
It is estimated that, for adults aged 65 and older, approximately 177,000 hospitalizations are caused by RSV each year in the U.S. Of those cases, 14,000 people will die from RSV every year.
“There are options to help protect against severe RSV. If you are 50-74 with certain chronic conditions, or 75 and older, you should speak with your doctor or pharmacist to see if you are at risk of severe illness from RSV and discuss if vaccination may be an appropriate option for you,” Dr. Friedland said.
“Being at increased risk for severe RSV is pretty scary,” Shawn said. “Having RSV could have a giant impact on the things that I’m doing and want to be doing. Two of my boys are getting married in the next year, and I can’t imagine having something like RSV and being in the hospital or being sick enough that I couldn’t attend either of their weddings. So, I definitely plan on talking to my doctor about RSV and possible vaccination.”
Besides family, friends and pickleball, Shawn has a passion for mission work. She works with a group that leads meal-packing events in the U.S. and also travels to help rural communities in Ecuador, where she not only delivers meals but also constructs playgrounds for children and leads classes.
“I think as we age, we think that you start losing your purpose or think that we can’t have the impact that we had when we were younger,” Shawn said. “I think I actually have way more purpose now. It’s so empowering.”
Shawn has a supportive life partner in her husband, Joe, who values her work and accompanies her to most tournaments.
“I’m pretty fortunate. We’ve been married a long time now, almost 39 years,” Shawn said. “We’re starting to have a lot of fun together, which is kind of cool. We’re not going to be the old people sitting around watching TV and just growing old.
“I want to be able to show my kids that no matter how old you are, you can still do the things that bring you joy, bring you fulfillment,” Shawn added.
That determination carried Shawn all the way to becoming a National Senior Games athlete. Competing against the nation’s best pickleball players in her age group, Shawn played several hard-fought matches before getting knocked out of the tournament. While she didn’t walk away with a medal, she did walk away with a memorable experience that gave her pride in her determination and hunger for more competition in the future.
“I’m really competitive, so getting a taste of a tournament and doing well just makes me want to go more and more places,” Shawn said at the 2025 National Senior Games. “To be able to travel like this and see different places and meet different people and just experience this on a really different level is kind of fun and exciting.”
Shawn is just one of the thousands of senior athletes who are redefining aging. What was once viewed as a time of loss and limitation is now being accepted as a period of possibility and potential. Watch our national TV special below featuring Shawn and other athletes just like her, and visit SidelineRSV.com to learn more about RSV risks and prevention.
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