THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 5, 1995 TAG: 9505030167
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: The Sports Editor
SOURCE: Bill Leffler
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
Portsmouth's super septuagenarians, Frank Kirsch and Mike Sedlacko, will be leaving this month to compete in the United States National Seniors Sports Classic at San Antonio, Texas.
Kirsch, 79, qualified for the national competition in tennis with Walker Foard of Virginia Beach. Sedlacko, 78, will be participating in several track events - the 5K run, the 5K walk, 400 meters and 800 meters. He has the option of taking part in a fifth event, the 10K fast walk if he so desires.
The competition at San Antonio is limited to those who qualify as either state champions or state runners-up. Kirsch and Sedlacko gained berths by winning medals in Virginia's Golden Olympics at William and Mary last year.
A dozen other Portsmouth individuals qualified from among the 750 who competed at Williamsburg but they will be bypassing the nationals. But there are 161 senior citizens from across the state who are Texas-bound.
Unfortunately, the qualifiers have to pay their own expenses. The plane fare to San Antonio alone is $400.
Kirsch and Sedlacko are getting to be old hands at the Golden Olympics.
``My first one was in 1987 at Lynchburg,'' said Kirsch, a 1933 graduate of Wilson High School. He's been retired from the Naval Shipyard since 1975, leaving with 38 years of service.
Kirsch and Foard have played tennis together for nearly 50 years. ``We do pretty good in the state competition but can't seem to do much in the nationals,'' he said.
Kirsch placed in eight events at W&M.
Sedlacko started participating in the Golden Olympics in 1988 and this will be his third trip to the nationals.
``Two years ago at Baton Rouge there were 7,200 spectators. This year they're talking about 9,000 in San Antonio,'' said Kirsch. The events are being held at several sites across the city with Trinity University as the center.
``I am shooting for a medal,'' said Sedlacko, adding with a wink, ``Maybe I can wear 'em down or they will fall by the wayside.'' He reached the semifinals in the 400 meters two years ago in the nationals.
Sedlacko, who will be 79 August 14, runs four times weekly. Each Tuesday, he bowls.
``I never ran in high school and took up sports when I was in the Navy. When the nationals was at Syracuse I ran a 10-minute mile. Can't do that anymore.
``Now I have to hope the humidity isn't too high.''
After they return from Texas, they'll be heading to Williamsburg on May 31 when the Virginia Recreation and Park Society sponsored the next Golden Olympics.
And both of them are eager for the next nationals in 1997 at Phoenix.
``Right now we're going against these young 75 and 76-year-old guys,'' said Kirsch, who turns 80 Sept. 15. ``Then we can move up to the 80-84 division.''
That's the amazing octogenarian division.
``I'd like to encourage all the folks our age to try this,'' said Sedlacko. ``I wish we could make more of them get off their butts.'' by CNB