VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) — Fourth and fifth grade students at Thalia Elementary in Virginia Beach are learning how to play ping pong from a group of retired men and women.
Once a month, members of the Westminster-Canterbury on Chesapeake Bay's "W.C. Pongers" team teaches a new group of students the mechanics of the sport.
"It's been shown to be a benefit to those heading towards Alzheimer's," said Dick Binford, one of the W.C. Pongers. "It tends to keep the brain active enough to slow the progress down at least."
The sport is not just a good physical activity, Binford says, it also promotes brain activity and can be enjoyed at any age. The group also teaches the students good sportsmanship and healthy competition.
"We just love the program," said Assistant Principal Frank Gillikin. "It's a match made in heaven for the seniors at Westminster and our kids."
About 200 kids over the course of the year will be exposed to ping pong.
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