When you first meet Ali Sorour, you will instantly know that he loves sports.
Sorour, 74, can be found most days either pedaling away on an exercise bike at Life Time in Plymouth, or you can find him with a paddle playing in a competitive, yet fun, game of pickleball.
"In high school I was a member of the soccer and volleyball teams," Sorour said. "When I came to the United States in 1973, I continue to play soccer."
Sorour, who came to the United States from Iran, spent many years playing organized soccer, but within the past few years, lingering knee issues forced him to hang up the soccer boots.
"My doctor, who is my nephew, told me that they would be able to treat my knee issues with an injection, however eventually the injections weren't going to be effective."
After surgery on his right knee, one of Sorour's friends introduced him to pickleball, a sport combining elements of badminton, table tennis, and tennis.
It was an immediate hit.
"I loved pickleball," Sorour said. "Pickleball is kind of an evolution of a sports in the United States. Involving sports and social life. Since I started, I probably know more people than I have in my whole life."
Pickleball became a way for Sorour to not only exercise his body, but exercise his mind as well.
In 2017, Ali and his wife Minoo had their worlds flipped upside down during what they thought would be a simple visit to the doctor.
"It seemed like just a simple cold," Ali said. "The doctor saw her and said she had leukemia."
Ali and Minoo, who met through volleyball in college, were married for 44 years before she passed away.
"I was a caregiver and for about two years I took care of her at home," he said. "It came to the point where the doctors said they couldn't do anything."
After losing his wife to leukemia, Ali focused on what he could do to keep his mind busy and help with the grieving process. Along with staying physically active, Sorour said he began volunteering each Saturday at the Clinics and Surgery Center at the M Health Fairview.
"I had to do something and started volunteering at the cancer clinic," he said. "They are part of my family."
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As for pickleball, his love for the game takes him across the Twin Cities each week. Whether he's in Plymouth, Minneapolis, or elsewhere there are very few days of the month where Sorour isn't competing.
"When I started, I was taking it really easy and then I took it more seriously," he said. "It seems to me that it has to have a purpose in your life, whatever you do you have to enjoy it. Even you job. If you don't enjoy your job, just don't do it."
Ali Kuhlman, Life Time's pickleball coordinator and pro, says the game continues to draw people of all ages and physical abilities.
"My program has grown every week for the past two years," Kuhlman said. "This is a sport that anyone can play whether it's a grandmother, grandfather, or a little kid. There's a little bit of movement, but not a lot. So people with knee problems or back problems, this doesn't bother them."
Kuhlman adds that the social aspect is also why pickleball continues to grow rapidly across the United States.
"You could go anywhere and if someone sees you waiting on the sidelines with a paddle, they'll always welcome you in regardless of who you are or how experienced you are."
Sorour says, along with the competition, the social aspect is also what keeps him coming back to play.
"I get to know a lot of people. I go to the store and somebody will call my name," he said with a laugh. "Or you can go any place and find someone you've played with."
In mid-February, Life Time opened its first-ever pickleball-only facility in Bloomington. Life Time converted its Bloomington North location to include five international competitive level courts with viewing areas for future tournaments.
"I love this game," Sorour said. "Don't be afraid to try it. Just go and try it. You're going to enjoy it."