Ed Balthazar is Active SWV August Community Captain of the Month
Ed was born in Baltimore, and grew up on a farm in central MD. He got a BS in Chemical Engineering from Drexel University in Philadelphia. Ed moved to WV in 1977, and worked at DuPont, Belle Plant for a couple decades. As a second career, he taught math and science at University of Charleston. Now he is mostly retired and living in Edmond, WV.
His name? Well, it was one of the three Magi, but he says “I can’t trace my roots quite that far back.”
Ed is active because it makes him feel good, plus he knows that it keeps him healthy.
Ed is also active because he grew up that way on the farm – always outdoors, working and playing. He realized how strong and fit he became, so it turned into a way of life. Ed also fell in love with ice hockey. So, after college, he joined different leagues and played for 25 years. He had to be in good shape for that sport.
Ed was intrigued by Pickleball, and when games began in Fayetteville, he started to play. Along the way, someone was needed to open the courts, so he volunteered. That evolved into keeping the sport going for other folks.
Ed stays motivated by the following two things:
A fortune cookie paper – “Good health is the greatest form of wealth. Guard it wisely”
A quote from an active 92-year-old woman – “I don’t want to be old, when I get old.”
Ed says, “I believe that good health and physical fitness is a “use it or lose it” phenomenon. And since I plan to live into triple digits, I want to “use” it as long as possible.”
Ed thinks others should join an Active SWV free program because, “It’s fun, it’s free, and they will meet a great bunch of people.“
Stay in touch with our free pickleball programming and everything else at our website calendar.
Want to volunteer? Email volunteer@activeswv.com