What comes to your mind when yout think of the typical college basketball player? As college hoops tournaments are starting to fill the airwaves, I wanted to share an inspiring video clip I had come across a few years ago featuring an atypical student athlete.

In a 2008 New York Times article featuring 73 year old Ken Mink, Jere Longman writes:

If the 6-foot Mink was good enough to play, he was good enough to be guarded, Woods told the Lambuth players. Then he turned to the freshman Kendrick Coleman and said: “If he goes in for a layup, don’t let him have it. If he scores on you, we will never let you forget it.”

I appreciated the work Ken had put in so he could return to organized basketball with players who could be his grand children. As we saw from the video, he also has a pretty good stroke from the free throw line.

Ken’s story reminds me of the people I visit each day who continue to inspire me through their pursuit of living productive lives in spite of their limitations associated with old age.

What was your favorite part of Ken’s story? Do you have any super senior athletes in your life?