Bits and Pieces by Don Eskins: At 80, Charlie Jurva Still Serving Up Winners

Getting older is something we all must learn to deal with, at any age. That’s especially true for seniors, and how they deal with it can take a variety of forms.

One way is to buy into an old adage that simply says, “Age is a matter of mind; if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.” For them, every moment of every day is one to be cherished.

In Carlsbad, nobody exemplifies this adage more than long-time Rio Pecos Tennis Shop pro Charlie Jurva.

Jurva, now 80, continues to live life to its fullest and doesn’t seem to mind being 80 at all, and with the lifestyle he enjoys, being 80 doesn’t appear to matter either.

While many seniors his age have resigned themselves to a life of limited activity, such as reading, golfing, swimming, movies, television, traveling, etc., Jurva has refused to slow down.

The Cavern City pillar continues to farm, something he’s done in the Otis area since 1975, and run the Rio Pecos Tennis Courts pro shop, something he’s done since 1976. For those without a calculator, that’s 51 years of farming, and half a century working for the city.

Earlier this month at the Cavern City Adult Tennis Tournament, Jurva, who loves to pick up a tennis racquet and compete, claimed a championship trophy for capturing first place in the 80-and-over singles division. He also picked up a tournament title in 70-and-over doubles with Robert Jack of El Paso.Jack, a retired military man, and Jurva have been playing doubles together for 25 years.

But Jurva’s story doesn’t end there; it only gets better.

Rivers to Cross

While Jurva has always been active in some capacity, he credits an operation he underwent about eight years ago with giving him a new lease on life.

“I had both of my knees replaced in 2018, and it’s made a world of difference for me,” he said. “Today, even at 80, I can run, jump and continue to compete, something I’ve enjoyed doing all my life.”

But the Carlsbad senior doesn’t always have to go out in search of competition; he often finds it from within himself.

“A couple of months ago, I began thinking about the 100 yard dash. The Senior Olympic record for the 100 in the 80-year-old division is somewhere around 15 seconds,” he said. “I’ve never been timed for the 100 dash, so I thought it might be fun to just go out, give it a shot, and see what kind of a time I could post.”

However, to post a time in the 100, he needed to get onto a football field.

“I went to a couple of schools here in town, but everything was closed up,” said the Cavern City senior. “It was really frustrating. But after looking around a bit, I soon discovered a route to get out onto the Cavemen field.”

For those of you out there who might like to know just what that route was, you’ll have to ask Charlie. If I told you, you probably wouldn’t believe me anyway.

Standing on the goal line with a stopwatch in hand, Jurva stared down the 100 yard field and pondered the challenge before him.

“It really didn’t look that far, but once I began running, after crossing the 50, things began to look a lot farther. I went on to post a 19.2,” he chuckled. “Although I’m pretty quick when it comes to tennis, I realized that I’m not really that fast. However, it was my first effort. I think with a little practice I could do much better.”

Finding challenges has always been a part of Juva’s life.

After turning 50 in 1996, he decided to give the Senior Olympics a shot. After qualifying for a trip to nationals, he placed in the Top Eight in Racquetball, was third in Badminton, and first, a national champion, in Singles Tennis.

Retirement?

The word retirement isn’t in Charlie Jurva’s vocabulary. But, at 80, he realizes that most likely, there will be a few changes in his life over the next few years.

“I really enjoy my life,” said the Rio Pecos pro. “And I really don’t know what I’d do if I retired.

“My son also farms, so eventually I’ll probably have to turn over some of the responsibilities of running our farm to him,” he added. “As for tennis, it’s been such a big part of my life, and I want to continue playing and being around it for as long as I can.”

Carlsbad hopes so too, Charlie! From Carlsbad Local Sports, Best Always!

Did You Know: Nationally, Jurva, on the Senior Olympic tennis scene, is currently ranked 20th in 80-and-over singles and 10th in 70 and-over-doubles.