Bill Guilfoil has never let his age get in the way of table tennis.
After learning how to play the game in the 1930s, Guilfoil went on to win several tournaments and titles throughout his career.
Meet Bill Guilfoil. From Fairway, Ks. Made it to 2012/2016 @Olympics table tennis trials. Oh yeah, he's 93 years old pic.twitter.com/YRIt1Vo5N9
— Tom Dempsey (@KCTomDempsey) August 5, 2016
However, earlier this year and after decades of playing the game, he almost made it to the biggest table tennis stage of all.
The 93-year-old man from Fairway, playing against the best players across the country nearly four times younger than him, made it all the way to the 2016 Summer Olympic Trials.
"I was probably 70 years older than anybody there and I played in the men's singles (tournament)," he said.
The 2016 endeavor marked the second Olympic trial Guilfoil qualified for.
Just four years prior, Guilfoil took on the best American table tennis players for a shot at the London games.
Despite coming up short at both trials, Guilfoil continues to play the game he loves.
Bill Guilfoil continues to impress at 93yo. Made it to 2016 #TableTennis @Olympics trials. Played people 4x younger pic.twitter.com/Ui4amZby7Y
— Tom Dempsey (@KCTomDempsey) August 5, 2016
He still plays table tennis nearly every day, and he is often spotted at the Overland Park Racquet Club.
Longtime playing partner John Davidson said Guilfoil's enthusiasm for the game is easy to see.
"He's like a big kid from the standpoint that he loves to get out there, his eyes are wide open, he loves to meet people," he explained.
Davidson said seeing Guilfoil succeed in table tennis while in his 90s has inspired him.
"I've learned from Bill that age is just a number," he said. "It's how you think, how you feel."
Guilfoil said table tennis has kept his mind sharp in recent years, and he attributed the game to keeping him healthy.
"Longevity comes from exercise, proper food, and many things," he explained. "(In table tennis) you move your eyes a lot and it's good for your brain too."
Guilfoil shows no signs of slowing down as he gets older.
In 2018, he hopes to compete as a 96-year-old in the World Veteran Table Tennis Championships in Las Vegas.
After being a skillful player in table tennis and an inspiration to others off the table, Guilfoil hopes to continue going strong.
"You have to move a lot, you have to talk to people once in a while, and you have to have purpose in life," he said. " (My purpose) is to keep on going as long as I can."
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Tom Dempsey can be reached at Tom.Dempsey@KSHB.com.
