It was during a particularly stressful part of his life that George Olivencia discovered his passion for pickleball.
George is the Chief of Medical Operations for the United States Army at Fort Cavazos in Killeen, Texas, and was undergoing chemotherapy for colorectal cancer when his uncle from New York introduced him to the sport just over two years ago.
“What The Heck Is That?”
“I said I’d like to try handball indoors because I hadn’t been playing since I was going through chemo,” he told Stephen Hunt of Red Line Editorial for USA Pickleball.
“We’re not playing handball, paddleball, or tennis anymore,” his uncle responded. “We’re playing pickleball.”
“What the heck is that?” Olivencia remembers asking.
“He introduced me to the game, and I fell in love with it. Within 15 minutes, I was like, this is really good. We’d go twice during the day to play, in the morning and evening.”
The Game’s Nuances
Fellow USA Pickleball Ambassador Monroe Woodward, a pickleball veteran, guided Olivencia through the game’s nuances, and the sport became a vital part of Olivencia’s adaptive reconditioning during his cancer treatment, contributing significantly to his successful completion of chemotherapy in February 2023.
“It’s one of those things that benefited me going through chemotherapy,” Olivencia said. “(Woodward) is another cancer survivor, a vet. He took me under his wing [and] got me playing. In no time, he was like, ‘You should join me and become an ambassador now.’ He also got me coaching.
I became a USA Pickleball Ambassador and got my certification in coaching. It’s a big life changer.”
The Power Of Pickleball
Approximately seven months after their initial meeting, George Olivencia experienced pickleball’s community power firsthand, bumping into his uncle’s longstanding handball and paddleball partner while he was on a court in Temple, Texas.
He mused, “It’s just one of those things; pickleball has this unique ability to bring people together, transcending geographical distances.”
The sport’s impact on his life motivated him to share his knowledge with others, particularly those in the Soldier Recovery Unit (SRU), which aids wounded and seriously ill soldiers.
Physical And Psychological Benefits
Initiating a pickleball program, Olivencia began with six soldiers on one court. The program swiftly expanded, with 24 soldiers now playing on four courts within two months. The sessions, currently held twice a week, aim to introduce pickleball to participants, with plans to increase frequency and install indoor courts on the base.
Word of mouth has played a significant role in the program’s growth, with soldiers sharing the physical and psychological benefits they’ve experienced. Notably, command staff members, including a commander and sergeant major, have joined.
“The Perfect Activity”
Olivencia talks about pickleball in glowing terms: “I would say it is the perfect activity because we’re getting to use our hands, arms, feet, engaging our whole body at the same time while doing this adaptive reconditioning sport,” he says.
“When they’re going from being static to now moving. A couple of weeks down the line, you see big improvements, especially in those with extremity issues. It’s a big morale booster.”
“There’s also a big psychological aspect of it, especially when you see others enjoying themselves and just moving on the court.
A Fulfiling Endeavour
For Olivencia, giving back to the SRU, a unit he served in as both staff and a patient during his 32-year Army career, feels like a fulfilling endeavor:
“It’s been heartwarming to say, ‘Hey, I’ve been in this unit. I just retired from it. Not only that, I was also the assistive staff to the unit itself,” he says.
“I went from being assistive staff to being a patient, so I’ve seen all sides. Now, on this side of the aisle, I’m helping them get adaptive reconditioning that they need so they can either retire or be sent back to duty. It feels like I’m still serving.
“That’s the big thing about this pickleball program. I feel like I’m still serving at some kind of capacity with the base.”
