You never know when or where a sports story is going to make itself known, and that was the case for me last Friday while I was working at my desk at the Tribune.

Amidst some computer troubles that were causing chaos, my phone rang to let me know that a gentleman who has been helping the Albert Lea girls’ tennis team practice over the past few years was out on one of the area courts playing with a group of friends.

The caller just thought it might be something of interest to the readers.

I thanked the person on the other end of the line, grabbed my camera and headed out on a bright, sunny morning.

When I got to the courts, the group was just finishing up their doubles tennis match, and I was trying to figure out which one of them was the man I was looking for.

As it turned out it was 85-year-old Bill Kepple.

I didn’t get a chance to watch him play, but I did get a chance to talk one-on-one with him standing at mid court.

Not only did he have a great story to tell about the tennis team, and what he has been doing with it for the past four years, but he had a great life story as well.

Too often in this business I think it is easy for reporters &045; myself included &045; to rush through an interview trying to get a story without actually listening to what the subject is saying.

While I enjoyed writing about Mr. Kepple and his tennis playing, it was the 10 minutes after the interview that we spent just finding out about each other that was the most enjoyable.

We talked like friends catching up with one another after not seeing each other for years rather than two people meeting each other for the first time.

Everyone has a neat story to share and Mr. Kepple was no different.

He has lived a pretty full life, but he is hardly done living it and that is an inspiration to us all.

Just because we get older doesn’t mean we have to stop doing the things we like to do.

While I was talking to Mr. Kepple I was reminded of the conversations I have had with my own grandparents.

Growing up I can remember my grandpa taking time to explain something for me so I could do a school project, or one of the many stories my grandma would tell about her youth.

Looking back, I probably didn’t understand how important those times were, but as I got older I really enjoyed the chance to sit down and just listen to what they had to say.

No one has the ability to tell stories quite like grandparents when they are talking to their grandchildren.

I enjoy reporting on games, taking pictures and talking to coaches and players for stories, but sometimes it is the stories that don’t get any more planning than the five minutes it takes to drive to a spot to do an interview that are the most fun.