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Chris Haake

Chris Haake, Hall of Fame Athlete
Chris Haake is an endangered species. He deserves protection. Like an old comedian – George Gobel – said: “You can’t hardly get them kind no more.” During his four years at Bishop Garcia Diego High School, Chris played on 12 teams. Do the math, that’s three teams per year for four years, all but one at the varsity level. That in itself is enough.

But for four years Chris played football, basketball, and ran track. He didn’t just play, he won a wall full of plaques for team MVP, all-league, league MVP, all CIF, and a passel of track records.

In his freshman year of basketball, Chris was their big man at 6 feet 2 inches. News-Press sportswriter John Zant nicknamed the team the “red ants.”

As a so ph he was: the second leading receiver; the only sophomore named to the all-league basketball team; and broke the 880 record. Junior year?: all-league in football; all-league in basketball; and became league 880 champion.

No senioritis here. Chris added all-league in football; league MVP and all-CIF in basketball; and another league track record.

A run with the Oregon Ducks found him stepping with future NFL people like Dan Fouts, Norv Turner, Russ Francis, and June Jones while playing against USC, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Oklahoma.

His future really began with a three year coaching stint with Bishop – until wife Rita, kids Jennifer, Christina and Joseph won him over. He has even had time to serve as an Access Design Engineer for Verizon.

Congratulations Chris. And thanks!