Former State Rep Jack Kelly Rekindles The Love With The Sport He Enjoyed In High School And It Has Blessed Him Ever Since
Former District 22 State Representative Jack Kelly was glancing through the Sulphur Times-Democrat back in 2018 when he noticed an article about an upcoming Sooner State Games track event.
Track was a sport in which Kelly loved and excelled, but after graduating from Sulphur High School in 1969, he believed he would not ever need his track shoes any more as he ventured into the next phase of life.
Kelley remembered that the article explained the games would be “for all ages,” so he decided to strap on his running shoes and give it a try.
“I hadn’t done any sprinting since high school, but I found a pair of track shoes and entered the competition after three days of practice,” he said this week. “Soon, I learned that virtually every state held a senior state games for runners age 50 and above. Runners compete in 5-year age groups and I competed in the 50, 100, and sometimes 200-meter sprints.”
Kelly’s entry into those games just eight years ago rekindled a love affair for the sport he enjoyed in high school and there has been no looking back for the retired Sulphurite.
Since 2018, Kelly has competed in state senior games in 17 states and numerous regional events, and he currently holds or has held state championships in 16 of 17 states. The only exception, he said, was in Texas where he ran second. His travels have taken him far and wide throughout the country including: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.
In July, Kelly competed in the National Senior Games, held on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, where state qualifiers and those qualifying from foreign countries gathered.
Competing in the 50 and 100-meter events, Kelly made the finals and finished 5th in the 50-meter event and 3rd in the 100-meter run for a bronze medal.
During high school, Kelly said he was coached by the Jim Rainier and Jim Forbes, and ran alongside teammates Randy Gibson, David Goodman, Bo Joiner, Dale McDonald, and Ray Louthan.
“When I graduated high school, I felt that my running career ended far too early,” he said. “This opportunity later in life has helped me maintain good health and has also made me feel more complete as a sprinter. I feel very blessed.”
