Name: Warren Waymire

Age: 72

Profession: Retired

Getting hooked on tennis: In high school I played football, basketball and was in track at Elwood High School. When I came out of the Navy after six years I needed something to keep active and none of those sports are really something adults can continue. I had picked up tennis in the service, so when I came out I carried on with it. I was an umpire for 15 years on clay courts, hard courts in the U.S. Open and with the USTA (U.S. Tennis Association). All through this I played tennis.

Success in the sport: I started playing tennis in the senior games when I was 55. Now, I’m 72. I’ve won 14 regional titles and eight statewide titles.

Keeping active: Now I have group tennis. They pay cash to be associate members (at Foxcliff) and we play in the spring, summer and early fall. There are 18 of us. Tennis is my core activity, but I supplement that with a lot of swimming and stretching.

Best lifestyle change: When I was in the service, I picked up smoking. I gave it up in 1971. It was the best thing I ever did. But I also had to change quite a bit after my heart attack three years ago. I had double bypass heart surgery.

I did a lot of reading after that and I think there are two things to really worry about—cancer and heart failure.

We started watching our diet. My wife, Becky, buys organic fruits and vegetables and we have tremendously changed how we eat. We supplement our knowledge by talking to our neighbor, who is a dietitian.

Health fitness advice: Get moving. If you don’t like to run, then walk. If you can’t walk very far, then start out short and work your way up. The worst thing you can do is be sedentary.

Stretch. Do it before and after you exercise. It will help prevent injuries and you will heal faster afterward if you are more limber.

Tools of the trade: Use stretch cords and make sure you’re really loose. Stretchy rubber bands are essential.

Find a good trainer. If you’re new to tennis and you’re older, go to a trainer. It’s easy to get hurt by learning to swing the racket incorrectly. If you get hurt, you’re not likely to stick with it.

What inspires you: Tennis, like golf, is a great game to get to know people and it’s something you can keep doing for a lot of years. It’s a great way to keep in shape because you are constantly moving.

Who inspires you: When I was officiating, I fell in love with the Australians. They were good, but even more, they were good sports. I never met an Aussie who acted out and threw a fit on the court.