Ageless Wonder

Everyone around him on the volleyball court was exhausted after an intense training session, but the old man still had some spring in his step.

Karch Kiraly, 43, had enough energy that he jogged across the beach to retrieve balls that had strayed during play.

His partner, Mike Lambert, and their opponents for the day, Canyon Ceman and Mike Whitmarsh, were bent with their hands on their knees trying to catch their breath after a grueling four-hour workout, yet Kiraly pranced around picking up stray balls, returned, then dropped to the ground for 20 pushups -- the debt he and Lambert owed for losing the last game.

Beach volleyball is supposed to be a young man’s game, reserved mostly for the chiseled-bodied 20-somethings in their athletic primes, but Kiraly continues to outlast players half his age. He already holds the record for career victories on the professional beach volleyball tours with 144 since 1978, but the Babe Ruth of Beach Volleyball shows no signs of slowing down.

Last year, he teamed with Brent Doble to win the Huntington Beach Open and become the oldest player to win an Assn. of Volleyball Professionals event -- breaking the record he set the year before. Since his first victory in 1979, Kiraly has won a tournament every year except 1986, 2000 and an injury-plagued 2001.

“I relish the challenge, especially at 43,” Kiraly said. “I love beating guys who are younger than me. I’m not at my physical peak, but if I can still beat guys, many of whom were born after I won my first tournament, that’s a great accomplishment.”

Whether Kiraly has slipped past his physical peak is debatable. He might not jump as high as he used to, he might not hit as hard as he used to, and he might not be as quick, but thanks to an intense exercise program he is in the best shape of his life.

Twice a week, even during the off-season, Kiraly works with Plyometrics coach Mike Rangel. Plyometrics work on muscle explosiveness and endurance. The workouts usually last 45 minutes to an hour with only 10- or 15-second breaks between sets.

“To do the things he’s able to do at age 43 is incredible,” Rangel said.

Kiraly credits the routine with revitalizing a career that seemed to be running out of steam after shoulder surgery had forced him to miss all but one tournament in 2001.

“It’s one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done in my life,” Kiraly said. “But it has to be done. I’m not going to out-physical teams like I used to, so I have to make up for it in other ways.”

Kiraly requires his partners to participate in the same workouts, something Lambert knew but wasn’t prepared for when he teamed with Kiraly.

“I thought I was in decent shape, but I was definitely huffing and puffing when I did it,” Lambert said. “I looked over at him and he’s kind of laughing at me.... “

Earlier this year in Tempe, Ariz., Kiraly and Lambert lost their first match of the tournament, then through the losers’ bracket reached the final -- a rare feat in AVP tournaments.

They played eight matches, six of which went three games, and played the two longest matches on the AVP tour this season: 1 hour, 15 minutes in the fourth round and 1 hour, 19 minutes in the final.

They lost to top-ranked Todd Rogers and Sean Scott in the final, but Kiraly continually impressed and amazed at the tournament.

“The more intense and heated a situation got, Karch’s flower seemed to really blossom,” Lambert said. “He feeds on the situation. The bigger the point, his voice gets louder, he gets that look in his eye, and he becomes an animal.”

Kiraly says he approaches every season as if it could be his last and reassesses his desire and performance at the end.

Retirement “could happen today or any day if I have some kind of an injury,” he said. “If I avoid injury, who knows how long I can go? Two years ago I became the oldest player ever to win a tournament and last year I did it again and in Tempe I almost did it again. I’d like to keep pushing that record up.”

Deciding the right time is a problem Sinjin Smith can relate to. Smith, Kiraly’s longtime rival, retired in 2001 at age 44 after compiling a record nearly as impressive as Kiraly’s.

“It was very hard to accept,” Smith said. “In the end, I could get through the tournaments, but the training and practices killed me. There’s no reason Karch can’t keep playing and winning if his body feels good.”

His reputation now works against him. Beating Kiraly makes for a pretty good tournament to most players.

“It’s kind of a rite of passage beating Karch,” Lambert said.

Any derogatory remarks usually come from the opposite side of the net. Kiraly routinely hears catcalls from opponents making references to Viagra, Geritol and Grecian Formula.

He answers with hustle, sweat and desire.

And, quite often, by just pointing to the scoreboard.

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The Facts

* What: Huntington Beach Open.

* Where: Huntington Beach Pier.

* Main draw: Saturday and Sunday.

* 2003 men’s champions: Karch Kiraly and Brent Doble.

* 2003 women’s champions: Misty May and Kerri Walsh.