Picture of Pepe announcing his retirement at 41, an age that most footballers know is too old for the sport where it’s too hard for them to keep up with the younger talent, compared to a picture of 3 much older men continuing to participate in competitive sports regardless of their age.

Privilege significantly influences who can stay engaged later in life. Individuals possessing economic, social, and cultural resources—like healthcare access, encouraging networks, and awareness of healthy aging—tend to participate more in structured physical activities. Wealthy seniors frequently possess the resources to sustain health and mobility, enabling them to challenge age-related stereotypes via sports. Conversely, marginalized populations might face multiple disadvantages, which can hinder their ability to engage in or gain benefits from sports in significant ways. Pike’s examination shows that participating in sports later in life is influenced not only by individual preferences but also by larger social systems that favour some individuals while marginalizing others.

1. The beginning of this problem is that the city of Peterborough wants to pave over a large park that has two baseball field and tennis courts to make pickleball courts and a parking lot. this article disagrees with the city that it doesn’t make sense to go through with this plan because of the natural benefits it already has, like absorbing rain water into the grass instead of displacing is with a paved parking lot. the grass also absorbs energy from the sun, the heat rays and turns it into vapour instead of the asphalt turning it into more heat. the problem with pickleball is that it is a sport that attracts and is associated with elderly individuals. most have the opinion that the elderly should be spending their time doing something that won’t cause harm to them, so paving over a park to make more room for pickleball courts doesn’t flow with many locals. they would agree that designing a new park for the elderly might not have the results the city want’s to see because of their old age and ability to play pickleball for long.
2. In media and social media portrayals of older pickleball players, ageism frequently functions subtly, perpetuating stereotypes about aging even when the coverage seems favourable. Although older adults in pickleball are occasionally praised for their vigour and “active aging,” such representations often highlight their divergence from typical perceptions of aging bodies—specifically decline and weakness. This corresponds with Pike’s (2015) concept of the “neoliberal aging agenda,” which emphasizes the worth of older individuals only while they continue to be productive, self-sufficient, and health-aware consumers.

   For example, articles and social media content showcasing 80-year-olds playing pickleball frequently depict them as inspirational due to their challenge to typical aging assumptions. This emphasizes a narrow perspective on aging that sidelines individuals who are unable or opt not to engage in these physically active ways of living. The neoliberal narrative is explicit: aging successfully signifies aging independently and actively, with minimal consideration for systemic inequalities or health discrepancies that could hinder participation in these activities.

   Ageism is also reflected in how older advocates are occasionally disregarded or ridiculed in policy debates—often depicted as disconnected or excessively insistent in their requests for resources. This weakens their valid advocacy and bolsters the idea that older adults ought to be passive recipients of care instead of active participants.

   Pike contends that aging bodies are subject to political scrutiny, as sports serve as a platform for reinforcing neoliberal ideals. In this context, pickleball serves as a place of empowerment and exclusion—where older adults are praised only if they adhere to able-bodied, consumerist standards.