52 Ways to Use Your VRPS Membership: Week 20, Catchy Tunes

Matchmaking
by Nancy Turnage, VRPS Central Office

"Matchmaker, Matchmaker,

Make me a match,

Find me a find,

catch me a catch

Matchmaker, Matchmaker

Look through your book,

And make me a perfect match"

That catchy tune has been torturing me for the past three weeks.  That's because in the VRPS Central Office, we have done more than a little matchmaking - pairing up partners in Pickleball, Tennis, Bowling, Table Tennis, Badminton, Volleyball, Basketball, Racquetball.  Such a complicated schematic of names, age divisions, conflicting sporting event times ... but then we are rewarded with a "warm and fuzzy feeling" when a match is made.

"A matchmaker is a person who engages in matchmaking, sometimes as a profession."

I must say, the senior athletes this year have been more than accommodating   There have been any number who registered for doubles and mixed doubles events without partners at all, or their partners didn't register, or their partners registered but then wanted to switch partners, or their partners registered but then cancelled.

So, on Friday, the final day before submitting the Virginia Senior Games rosters to the folks in Newport News who will be running the sporting events, there was one match left to be made.  ONE - after dozens!  And, lo and behold, Mr. Doubles Bowling came through!  In fact, with the exception of finding one more female badminton player, every time we needed a player, someone came through.  I think that says something about these senior athletes; they know the value of sporting competitions, and they did not want a fellow competitor who was looking forward to their event to be unable to participate and feel disappointment.

I found any number of the new partners by scouring the Singles registration lists and looking for viable candidates - sort of like perusing the singles ads on a dating website.  "Oooh!  Mr. So-and-So is available for Mixed Doubles and in the 60-65 age bracket - perfect!"

There were also a great deal of mathematics properties at play:  if "A" plays with "B" for Doubles, and "B" plays with "C" for Mixed Doubles, then maybe "A" is available for Mixed Doubles and can play with "D".  (This is called the Reflexive Property of Doubles Partners).

I'm curious as to whether there will be new friendships spawned from all this matchmaking.  I figure that if everything turns out well and a good time is had by all, they'll be singing our praises.  If the opposite holds true, well ... time to hang up the head scarves.



Thank you Jerry Bock, Sheldon Harnick, and Joseph Stein for the Fiddler on the Roof references.