Age is no factor when it comes to being fit for races

Mike Wollard is 83 with bad knees and a World War II veteran cap he’s never seen without. He was in the war stateside just before it ended and saw no action if we’re talking guns. Mike is the first to tell the story; he could easily embellish his service record and who would know besides his wife Jamie, 72, who runs every weekend like last Saturday at the Dam Mill 5K, where she ran 35:30. During the running of the race Mike spotted a dime on the road and asked Gene to get it for him because of his bad knees. The funny thing about this moment as Gene easily picked up the dime is that Gene Schneider is 90 years old. Gene ran his first 5K 20 years ago when he was 70 and ran 24 minutes. When he was in his 80s Gene won a five-mile age-group state championship in Wilmington, still running eight flat miles. “I was the only one in my age group,” Gene said. “I still work out every day but my balance isn’t what it used to be.” Gene just won silver medals in the 200 meters and second in the javelin by a half inch to the national age-group champion at the Florida Senior Olympics. I asked Gene how far he threw the javelin and he said, “About from here to that little house over there.”

Due date – Sunday, Aug. 15, is the first day school teams may practice for the fall season. Middle school teams are allowed to begin practice Wednesday, Aug. 25. Athletes need a sports physical, parent permission and proof of medical insurance; auto doesn’t count. Every year there is a contingent of “I ain’t got no physical” athletes; the problem is that these people tend to be athletes who can actually play, otherwise someone would have to lay down the law.

Snippets - Mike Flacco, younger brother of Ravens quarterback Joe, rifled a single into right-center field to score two runs and give the Shorebirds a walk-off 2-1 win over the Lexington Legends Aug. 8. Imagine Thanksgiving dinner at the Flacco household. “Hey low-level A-ball little brother, pass the gravy.” “Sure, Joe Cool, right after you overthrow a biscuit to my wide-open self.” Former Cape field hockey players Kara Voss and Rebecca Pepper are listed on the 2010 roster at the University of Delaware. Cape River Sharks U14 tryouts are looking for a few select players. Tryouts will be held for U14 players at Sports at the Beach at 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 15, at Field 15. Any questions, call Dave Vitella 841-0851 or Tommy Engel 745-3159. Looks like Herky Billings will be a part of Bill Collick’s football staff. I understand that Herky will coordinate the offense and John Parker the defense. Last field hockey season, the Cape field hockey team had a 16-0-1 record before a goal by Abby Atkins of Sussex Tech with 3:20 remaining held up for a victory. The Ravens with only a September 2-1 loss at Cape on their record ended up state champions with a 3-2 win over Tower Hill. Cousin Larry O’Rourke has ALS and rolls in a wheelchair with breathing assistance from a ventilator. Larry visited Eagles training camp last week; he is a former beat writer for the Allentown Morning Call and spent 20 minutes alone with Andy Reid just because Andy is cool like that just like we all should be. The last year Larry worked, Andy gave him his parking space No. 1 and had Larry picked up by golf cart and taken to wherever he wanted to go.

Amanda Deloy, a senior, and Lindsay Danz, a junior, are on the active roster for the defending national champion Bloomsburg field hockey team. The greatest visible deterrent to using crack cocaine is the skinny and jittery, bug-eyed neighborhood crackhead. No one wants to be that guy. The astounding number of professional and, let’s face it, college athletes taking steroids, the ones who look good and perform at the highest levels, what is the deterrent to not be like them, and don’t say education. I won’t interview a “dirty athlete” and I make that deduction based on instinct. And one more athletic code - getting drunk is not just drinking - be an athlete or be a drunk; make a choice! It was alumni weekend for the Phillies and NFL Hall of Fame induction weekend. Men belong to this “never let it go” club when it comes to sports. Women transcend all that maudlin flashback good old days talk about me in the third person reminiscences. I had just begun to interview Brian Fuller, 23, on the deck of the Rudder last Sunday morning after he won the Rusty Rudder 5K in course- record time. Brian defeated Mark Vilardo, who lost for the first time this season in a Seven Sisters race. Brian was called to get his award and after many minutes kibitzing on the live microphone with Barbara Kursh went back to his table and left me hanging. I relish those moments like an exploded ballpark frank in the microwave; it reaffirms my belief that none of us is anybody at any given time and I’m down with that. Guess Brian didn’t know who he was talking to, or maybe his Bud Lite was getting warm.