Aging Center eyes tennis court

The Office on Aging is looking at building a tennis court on a piece of land beside the Aging Center to promote physical fitness among senior citizens.

Both the Office on Aging and the neighboring Joaquina M. Rabauliman Head Start Center have claimed rights to the property.

But Aging director Rose Mondala said she received word from Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Melvin Faisao that the property is owned by the Office on Aging.

Mondala said having a tennis court will help the man’amko stay active and become healthy in the process.

“I want to see you guys stick it out here longer,” Mondala told the senior citizens at one of their daily assemblies at the Aging Center.

Should the construction of a tennis court facility push through, tennis would become an additional sport for the man’amko. At the moment, the congregates play ground golf, softball, and billiards.

Mondala said that maintaining an active lifestyle would help prevent dementia among senior citizens. “The man’amko have to eat right and be active to stay healthy,” she told Saipan Tribune.

Mondala noted, however, that the congregates will have to be checked if they are healthy enough to play tennis before they are allowed to do so. “We want to ensure the safety of the man’amko first.”

Program coordinator Walter Manglona also disclosed plans to plant trees on the property so it wouldn’t be too hot for the man’amko.

While they already have tennis racquets, Manglona said they need tennis balls because the ones they have were stored for a while and have become moldy.

Manglona noted that their tennis games would not be as intense as a regular game. “We want to come up with a game for the man’amko to make it easier for them to play,” he explained. “Right now, safety is key. They can play as far as their physical ability can allow them.”

The proposed tennis court is being eyed as a “multi-purpose facility” where the congregates can also hold other outdoor activities. “We’ll lock it up to make sure that vandals don’t come and mess it up,” he said.

Manglona said they will also set up a portable basketball court at the tennis court to encourage shooting among the elderly who are still able to play the sport.

Meanwhile, Manglona said the Office on Aging is working with the Division of Sports and Recreation to allow the man’amko to use the division’s facilities. He said this is a welcome development as they plan to train in softball to form a team so that the man’amko can compete against a Guam team “hopefully next year.”