Age is only a number to these two players captured at last week’s Muscogee Nation Tournament at the Okmulgee Tennis Courts at Hawthorn Park. Jerry Bales and Carlen Bales Barrett are involved in the North American Indian Tennis Association (NAITA), a community-driven organization focused on promoting tennis within Native American communities and hosting an annual national championship tournament. The NAITA aims to provide opportunities for Native Americans of all ages to participate in tennis, fostering both athletic skill development and cultural connection. Both citizens, though in their 70s, are still involved and playing tennis.