No stutter-step in Osseo siblings' hurdles records assault

Through seventh grade, Tyler Sealock was a baseball center fielder. But tryouts the next year for Osseo baseball fell during his spring break travels. Because of the conflict, and a desire to try a more individual sport, he went out for track and field instead.

Five years later, he's not only happy with that decision, his younger sister Kelsie is hurdling alongside him.

"He convinced me to do it," Kelsie said.

Now the sibling duo has become one of the most talented and passionate pairs that hurdles coach Tim Hollis has seen in 37 years of coaching.

"They're driven," Hollis said. "They're absolutely driven to be as good as they can possibly be. They're just the greatest two young people that I've worked with."

The Sealocks both excel in the 300-meter hurdles. Tyler, a senior, also runs the 110 high hurdles and Kelsie, a junior, the 100 hurdles. Each runs some relays as well.

They also share a technique advantage. Hurdlers normally have a dominant leg, but Tyler and Kelsie do well with both, so they don't have to stutter or slow down during races.

"They found that to be a tremendous advantage," Hollis said.

The Sealocks provide tips and positive feedback to each other, too, and they are honest with each other, Tyler said. They come from an athletic family — "My dad was fast," Tyler said — with two older brothers who played baseball, plus a younger brother.

"At home, out of all the siblings, me and her definitely get along the worst," Tyler said. "We fight all the time."

Kelsie laughed, "We do."

Squabbles aside, they would still rather have a Sealock come in first place at the track at the end of the day, Tyler said.

"Since we are family, I trust him the most," Kelsie said. "After my race, I go to him first."

Tyler broke the school record last year in the 300 hurdles (39.74 previously) and broke it again winning the Hamline Elite Meet with a 38.42. A few days later, Kelsie broke the girls' school record with a 45.34 in the 300 hurdles at the Northwest Suburban Conference meet.

"Even coaches [said], 'Yeah, it wasn't a coincidence that one of the Sealocks broke it at one meet and then the next meet, the other Sealock broke it,'" Tyler said.

He said he used to tease his sister about how he was the only one in the family with a school record, but he always knew she would break a program record some time, too.

"Yeah, sucker," said Kelsie with a laugh.

The banter shows the bond they share and how they feed off their competitiveness. Tyler doesn't see his sister back down from anyone. Kelsie wants to get better after she sees how her brother always gives his best in practice.

They're also multisport athletes. Tyler plays football and club volleyball. Kelsie plays volleyball for Osseo and on a club team in the spring, so she juggles track meets and practices with volleyball and homework.

After high school, Tyler will follow in the family footsteps and attend Bethel University with a pre-med focus and a goal of an optometry career. Just like his two older brothers.

Their father is an opto-metrist in Plymouth. As for Kelsie, she's eyeing pediatric nursing.

But first, their sibling track and field chapter will come to a close before Kelsie embarks on her senior season alone.

"He's always been the person that I look up to," Kelsie said. "I know he's going to always support me, but it's going to be weird not having that one person in practice always there."