Oregon Senior Games: Liz O’Donnell

Serendipity. It means luck in making an unexpected and fortunate discovery.

Eleven-year-old Liz O’Donnell experienced such a moment the day she found her uncle’s old tennis racquet while poking around in the family barn. Before long, she was smacking tennis balls against the wall of a nearby elementary school. Liz was hooked. She enrolled in lessons at Parks and Rec, and later played tennis at West Albany High School and then the U of O women’s team.

Graduating with an English degree in 1987, Liz decided it was time to do something exciting and different. Like, really different. “I had several reasons for joining the Peace Corps, but primarily I wanted an adventure that was significantly different from Oregon. I enjoy experiencing new cultures, and as an English teacher I knew I could help people elsewhere learn English.”

She chose to go to Madagascar, an impoverished island country east of southern Africa, 11,000+ miles from the Beaver State. Why there? “People who can speak multiple languages in Madagascar can greatly improve their economic situation,” Liz explains.

Once settled into a place with electricity and running water (not all Peace Corps people were so lucky), Liz trained others to teach English, while she herself taught English to middle-schoolers and adults. Outside the classroom, though, she could usually be found playing her favorite sport on a single red clay court, designated the town’s “club.”

Then, out of the blue, a big change came her way. “Our Peace Corps director was an avid tennis player, and he encouraged me to start a junior tennis program. I contacted Wilson Sporting Goods, who provided a donation of racquets and balls. The club’s pro and I taught the club’s young boys and girls.”

When Liz returned home to America, her enthusiasm for tennis remained steadfast. Recently, she participated in the Oregon Senior Games in Corvallis. “It was very well organized, and the competition was fantastic,” she says. “I am always pleased and impressed by seniors who take up tennis at this stage of life. Tennis isn’t an easy sport to learn, and it requires quite a bit of practice to become a steady player. However, it’s a great way to exercise, meet new people, and is deeply satisfying when you’ve played your hardest, win or lose.”

Have you got a sport you’ve always loved but gotten away from? Or still play but haven’t enjoyed participating in competition? The Oregon Senior Games might be your serendipitous chance. Competitions run the gamut, from walking, running, and swimming to field events and more. The Games are held Aug x-x in Corvallis. Learn more at www.oregonseniorgames.com.

Serendipity can be a momentary pleasure or something life-changing. For Liz O’Donnell, it was both. Might be for you, too.