Pathway to the (Y) - Ian Thomson and Dr. Michael O’Reilly
Episode description
On today’s Pathway to the “Y” episode Ian Thomson, Director of Racquet Sports at the Carl Sanders Buckhead Family YMCA, and Dr. Michael O’Reilly, the Amateur Pickleball Association’s Georgia state champion for mixed doubles level 3.0, share how their connections with other Y Members have made their time at the YMCA truly special.
IN THIS EPISODE:
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Ian Thompson shares how another Y member inspired him to “get his foot in the door” with YMCA and why that has meant so much to him.
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Dr. Michael O’Reilly shares why he returned to the Y after living abroad, even though he has a home gym!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
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Having an authentic and fun environment paves the way for creating meaningful connections with those around us.
RESOURCE LINKS:
Northwest YMCA Atlanta Website
Reach and Rise Mentorship Program Website
BIOGRAPHY:
Ian Thomson, Director of Racquet Sports at the Carl Sanders Buckhead Family YMCA, is an avid Pickleball player who plays 3-4 times weekly. Ian has multiple certifications in Pickleball from the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association and the US Professional Tennis Association. Ian teaches all ages and abilities and continues to learn and push the innovations of the sport. Ian is married to his wife, Charlotte, and they have six kids and five dogs.
Dr. Michael O’Reilly is an epidemiologist and stroke survivor who loves Pickleball. Michael’s first job in medicine was cleaning floors in a hospital for retired nuns in a blue-collar Boston suburb at age 13. He is a first-generation college student awarded a Morehead scholarship to the University of North Carolina. He has 15 years of experience investigating emerging infectious diseases in Asia and the South Pacific, mentoring Thai doctors conducting field investigations for SARS, Avian Influenza, Botulism, and post-tsunami response. In April 2022, Michael took up Pickleball. Four months later, he won the Amateur Pickleball Association’s Georgia state championship for mixed doubles level 3.0.
In September, he suffered a stroke, paralyzing his left side and requiring two weeks of hospitalization and three weeks in rehab. In December, after lots of physical therapy, Michael returned to the Carl Sanders YMCA to play Pickle with his friends, and since then, he’s been a fixture on the courts.