A shot on net, a drive down the fairway, and cha-cha-cha on the dance floor, these are all part of Frank Van Kempen’s fitness regime at age 91. He has been playing walking soccer with Sarnia Warriors since 2018.

“My thing is to get the exercise out of walking soccer,” he said.

“It’s only for an hour but it’s still exercise.”

Van Kempen’s routine is working and he has the annual medical reports to prove it.

“My doctors say I’m the healthiest, oldest patient they’ve got,” Van Kempen said. “I keep my body active, that’s main reason.”

A healthy diet is also an important part of his plan.

“I cook my own chicken: I don’t go to Kentucky,” he said.

Van Kempen learned to play soccer in the Netherlands – and even received some coaching from AFC Ajax – before his family moved to Canada in 1948.

“My brother and I talked to some of the Scottish guys, and tried to start a league, but soccer was not as popular in Canda in the 1950s, so it was kind of tough,” he recalled.

Even when he couldn’t find a game to play, he still followed soccer on television.

When Van Kempen joined the Sarnia club in 2018, it was his first time playing regularly in 70 years, but he was ready for it.

“I worked in the hotel and restaurant business for 50 years and I was always on my feet, so my legs are in pretty good shape,” Van Kempen said. “I keep my body active.”

Playing in his 90s does have some additional challenges.

“My feet are not as fast as they used to be, so that’s something I concentrate on,” Van Kempen said.

Even in recreational play, there is a chance of some minor body contact, and Van Kepmen is ready for it.

“When I fall down, I don’t fight it, I let myself go down, and I roll over if I can, and get up,” he said. “You hurt yourself if you fight it.”
Van Kempen appreciates the Sarnia club’s multicultural mix of players and comradery.

“It’s a lot of fun and we all have a good relationship, except they are all 15, 25 years younger than me,” he said with a laugh. “We try to score, and everybody gets into the game so it’s not what you would call competitive.

“We have a friendly hour.”

Off the pitch, Van Kempen became a Canadian citizen in 1957, so he could vote for John Diefenbaker, but moved to the US to be with his wife in Sacramento, California and later Reno, Nevada.

“When I retired in 1965 somebody told me, ‘If you get bored, do something,’” he recalled.

“Why don’t you sell cars?” the friend continued. “You know how to talk to people.”

Van Kempen took the advice and went on to work for another 15 years before finally retiring at 80.

“I like to keep busy,” he said.

After his wife died in 2006, Van Kempen’s nieces and nephews encouraged him to return to Canada.

Golf has been a constant in his life. At one time he had a 16 handicap, and he now plays nine holes at a time.

Van Kempen goes dancing twice a week, at the local Legion and the Navy Club.

“The waltz, polkas, line dancing, cha-cha-cha, I do everything,” he said.