Medalists at the Maryland Senior Olympics' Table Tennis event competed on July 12, 2025. Open to people 50 and up of all skill levels, the Maryland Senior Olympics run from May to October. Photo by Tara Prakash

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For most people nearing 90, mornings may begin with tea, the newspaper or breakfast at an assisted-living community. But 89-year-old Yvonne Kronlage spent a recent Saturday morning making a flurry of forehands and backhands at the 2025 Table Tennis Maryland Senior Olympics (MSO), in Potomac, Maryland.

A table tennis National Senior title champion and National Hall of Fame inductee, Kronlage has been playing since she was 18, initially joining a local club as secretary just to play for free.

“It’s been a very good sport to me,” Kronlage said, raising her voice over the rhythmic clatter of rackets in the gymnasium. Table tennis has taken her across the globe—from Australia to China—and brought her lasting friendships, like her 40-year bond with Steve Hochman, 65, who she met while organizing a tournament decades ago. Now, they remain regular hitting partners.

“He comes and picks me up and takes me to the club for practice twice a week,” Kronlage said. “If he wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be here.”

The two once played doubles at the 2019 National Senior Games in Albuquerque, where Kronlage won against competitors five age groups (roughly 25 years) below her.

Games since 1980

The Maryland Senior Olympics (MSO) began in 1980 and today offers nearly 100 events in 27 sports, including table tennis, pickleball, track and field, shuffleboard, billiards, disc golf, cycling, cornhole and more. Any active, healthy person aged 50 and up can register.

The top three finishers in each event win medals, and in qualifying years, the top four athletes in each state-level event qualify for the National Senior Games. Roughly 520 Maryland athletes are competing in this summer’s Senior Games, which are taking place July 14 through August 4 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Next year is a qualifying year, where athletes will be competing for invitation to the 2027 Senior Games in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

MSO’s state coordinator, Stacy Sigler usually attends the National Senior Games.

“It gives you chills to see someone all the way from Maryland table tennis, and you see them in New Mexico with all these people from all these different states,” she said. “I’m very lucky.”

Sigler has worked with older athletes annually since 2014, when she first joined the MSO team.

“There are so many inspiring stories. I get to meet so many active, fun, passionate athletes,” said Sigler, whose full-time job is as Montgomery County’s recreation supervisor.

“You start to learn more about each other. The fellowship and the camaraderie is so special,” she said. Each sport has its own dedicated coordinator familiar with the technicalities of the game, allowing Sigler and her team to focus on logistics — from registration fees and T-shirt design to venue setup.

Proud spectators

For the table tennis tournament on July 12, 84 athletes participated in the MSO at the Potomac Community Rec Center. Singles matches took place in the morning and doubles in the afternoon.

Spectators lined the perimeters and the bleachers. One athlete, 88-year-old Donald Holliday, had a particularly large group of fans. Sprawled out across the bleachers were Holliday’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His youngest fans waved handmade posters and chanted for their “Tri-Pop.”

The Tri-Pop nickname? “Their grandfather’s Pop-Pop. So, I’m Pop-Pop-Pop,” Holliday explained with a smile.

Holliday, who’s been competing in the MSO for nearly 10 years, took up table tennis at age 72. After seeing a group of people playing table tennis at his local recreation center, he said he picked up a racket and “just started playing.”

When asked about his fan club, Holliday said, “I didn’t know all of them were coming. It’s great to have them here cheering for their Tri-Pop.”

Holliday’s table tennis journey, however, has not been without its setbacks; he has had several heart procedures and still experiences some chest pain. But nothing would keep him away from the tournament. “I got two stents on Friday, and I played on Monday,” he said.

To prepare for tournaments, Holliday plays every morning for about an hour, and on Mondays and Fridays, he plays for nearly two hours in the evening. To warm up for MSO, he and his doubles partner also trained on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. “So, I’m worn out,” Holliday said with a laugh.

Sigler has seen that athletes who train for the MSO are motivated to recover. “It motivates healing and speeds up the process,” said Sigler said. “They want to get back to seeing everybody.”

Just for fun and friendship

While Holliday’s level of commitment to table tennis may not be for everyone, Kronlage understands it.

“When I was younger, I started more table tennis clubs than I can remember. I played every moment I could,” she said. “My husband thought I was crazy.” But now, surrounded by peers who share her passion, she feels right at home.

One of those kindred spirits is Pauline Jensen, 68, whom Kronlage introduced to the MSO.

“She encouraged me to join and just have fun,” Jensen said. Their friendship, rooted in table tennis, has grown far beyond the gym; Jensen even threw Kronlage a surprise birthday party.

Of the athletes, Sigler said, “They encourage each other. They’re competitive, but they cheer each other on. They want other people to love the sport as much as they do.”

Registration for the Maryland Senior Olympics is open for other events. For more information, call (240) 777-4930 or visit mdseniorolympics.org.