It’s Never Too Late to Take Up Water Polo

It’s Never Too Late is a series about people who decide to pursue their dreams on their own terms.

At 86, Mark Braly may be the world’s oldest water polo player. And according to Mr. Braly, a Texas native who now lives in Davis, Calif., he’s “certainly the worst.” That may or may not be true, but playing the sport is still an impressive accomplishment for someone who came to the game at 76: Water polo, which is played with two seven-member teams, is a challenging one, requiring significant abilities, both aerobic (for endurance) and anaerobic (for sprints).

Mr. Braly says he loves the camaraderie as much as he does the sport. Currently, his coed teammates consist of 40 players. A few are in their 20s; most of the others range from their 30s through middle age. Sometimes the team can be found bonding, postgame, at a local pizza restaurant or gathering for a special occasion.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/08/style/water-polo-aging-elderly.html