Player Spotlight: February 13, 2007 Carla Hoppie Track & Field Centrailia, Wash.   Chris Hoppie Track & Field Las Vegas, Nev.

 

For most athletes being recruited to compete at the collegiate level, one of the selling points for coaches to parents can be the ability for friends and family to watch them compete.  For Carla and Chris Hoppie it was just a bit better than that. 

 

When EOU Assistant Track & Field Coach Jack Kegg was convincing Chris Hoppie Eastern Oregon was the right place for him,  he was also telling his mom Carla the best way to follow her son’s career would be to join the team.  When Coach Kegg first approached her with the idea of going back to school and competing, she thought he was trying to be funny, “I thought he was crazy” said Carla.

 

Once she realized the offer was real and she did have eligibility to compete, Carla flipped rolls with her son, asking his permission to tag along.  He agreed, and the rest is history.  History in the making that is, you see, mom is a freshman and Chris is a sophomore. 

 

When asked how he feels about having his mom as a teammate Chris replied simply, “It’s cool and my teammates think its cool.  She is a normal teammate." 

 

Mom has to make sure she does what all good moms do.  “I just have to make sure I don’t embarrass him.  Sometimes it’s hard not to be mom and remember I’m his teammate right now.”

 

Carla Hoppie will compete in the heptathlon and pentathlon and Chris is a decathlete.  Both have struggled a bit with injuries in the early part of the indoor season but are looking forward to competing as teammates for the remainder of the season and beyond. 

 

 

EOU Home   |   EOU Athletics