Almost two months ago one of the people on the court accidently hit me in the leg while trying to get to a ball that bounced out from the crack between the wall and floor.

His racquet created a small hole in my leg that is just now almost healed.

Amazing to me is that I didn’t realize how much damage his racquet did to me at the time it happened.

And that is the way racquetball is often played.

When we play, we enjoy the game so much that our adrenalin flows even when we are accidently hit by a ball or racquet.

We acknowledge the player who hit us.

He apologizes.

We say, “I’m okay. Don’t worry.”

We continue playing.

If we are smart we put ice on the area where the ball or racquet hit before we leave the sports club.

Ice can often be the magic cure for injuries or it can at least alleviate some pain or bruising.

Maybe you wait to put the ice on until you get home. It will probably not be as helpful then if you did it earlier.

Yet you didn’t remember that day because you were so excited about winning two out of three games.

Taking care of yourself is important if you want to play racquetball until you ­are ninety (or perhaps beyond). That includes taking care of yourself when someone hits you.