CARMEL — The Indy Drivers are on a quest for back-to-back championships. The team is a member of the National Pickleball League and won in its inaugural season.
The team is made up of 14 men and women from around the country all with different reasons for getting into the sport.
"Just something fun to get into so that my wife and I could play together," said Matt Troyer.
"I was 40-years-old playing tennis and that was getting tough on my body," said Rick Witsken.
"I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about five-years-ago, so I was looking for something to get my body moving, which is one of the best things you can do," said Ken Julian.
When word of a professional league started, they were all interested. They had to go through a combine and got drafted by the Drivers.
Watch | “Pickleheads” explain their love for the sport of pickleball
"It’s actually super fun for me to be able to learn, compete and grow in my early 50’s. That has been a great joy," said Troyer.
"This kind of epiphany of professional athletics at age 50 in the senior pros has been a godsend," said Witsken.
Witsken is also one of the co-founders of the league. There are 12 teams and 188 players ages 50 and older.
"I said I’d really like to be a part of that," said Phil Cohan, the owner of the Indy Drivers. "It takes a lot of twists and turns in the first couple years and its starting to make a more prominent league. It's growing."
RELATED | Pickleball arena planned for former Marsh in Fishers (wrtv.com)
Pickleball continues to be one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.
"The fact that I'm making a living being a professional and teaching. I was in Turks and Caicos running a camp last week and Los Angeles on Monday running an event. It's afforded me a lot of opportunities," said Witsken.
RELATED | City of Greenwood opens new pickleball court complex at Freedom Park (wrtv.com)
The Drivers are heading into the playoffs as the ninth seed. The championships start on Thursday in Cincinnati at the Pickle Lodge.
