James Vickers, known as “Pops” by his teammates, has been a member of the “noonday club” basketball group for over 25 years.
TEMPLE, Texas — Eighty-three-year-old James Vickers laces up his sneakers and joins the “noonday club” at a local community center, hopping on the court to play full-court basketball with men primarily in their 30s and 40s.
The athlete has been a fixture in the local basketball scene for over 25 years, earning the affectionate nickname “Pops” from his younger teammates. That respect has been hard-earned through decades of dedication.
“When we’re playing, if I get knocked down, all of them run over there. ‘Oh you hurt, Pops?’ They set a screen for someone that don’t run over me and break a hip, put me in the nursing home,” Vickers laughed.
What makes Vickers’ story remarkable isn’t just his age, but the medical challenges he’s overcome to stay in the game. Following open-heart surgery that left him with five bypasses, doctors implanted an Internal Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD) in his chest to maintain his heart rate.
That device has saved his life on the court—quite literally.
“I was shocked in this very gym about 5 years ago,” Vickers recalled. “That’s 840 volts, knocked me down, knocked me off my feet. I got up, took a couple of steps, went off again, knocked me down.”
Most people would have hung up their high-tops after such an incident, but not Vickers. After doctors adjusted his device settings, he was back on the court as soon as medically cleared.
His dedication to the game goes beyond just showing up. Vickers follows a strict regimen of exercises and preparations before each game.
“I don’t just get up in the morning and drive up there and sweat,” he explained. “I have an exercise regiment that I go through. The night before I play, on a day of, I just oil all my joints up and so forth.”
This commitment has earned him a reputation that extends well beyond his regular group. High school players who occasionally join the games are left stunned when they learn his age.
“I’ve been matched up before with 16-year-old high school [players],” Vickers said. “A lot of laughs and said, ‘Sir, how old are you? Oh, your grandpa, he’s old.’ Well, I’m almost 20 years older than he is. And they look at me in astonishment. They go, ‘Is that possible?'”
Now, after decades on the hardwood, Vickers acknowledges he might be approaching his final season.
“I often get asked, you know, how much longer you’re gonna do it. I’m gonna do it as long as I get up, I can still go. If I can play at 90, I’ll play at 90,” he said, before adding, “It’s highly unlikely. I feel like I’m getting close to the end for sure.”
As he contemplates retirement, Vickers hopes his story will inspire others to stay active, regardless of age or physical limitations.
“It’s just how bad do you want it,” he emphasized. “You got to be determined and you got to be dedicated. I would encourage anyone who likes to play basketball… if you’re 50 years old, it’s 33 years ago for me. So it’s never too late.”
Athletic longevity appears to run in the family—Vickers mentioned his 58-year-old son is also still playing basketball.