VOLUME 11, NO. 3     FEBRUARY 1998

WPI sports a family thing for Clarks

by Craig Holt, Holden Landmark

s the fall sports season comes to an end, WPI has a definite Clark flavor, though not in form of the rival institution situated a few blocks down the road. Instead, Engineers fall sports teams claim three - count 'em, three - members of the Clark family from Holden.

Adam Clark, a graduate student who did not play high school football, is a kicker on the WPI football team. Younger sister Brooke, a sophomore, suits up and excels with the field hockey team. Todd, a freshman, gets his swings in with the Engineers fall golf team.

Not suprisingly, each sibling participated in various sports at local Wachusett Regional High School.

"We try to stay in touch and see each other's games," Adam says. "But it's not easy. We have different schedules and different practice times. Plus, this is a pretty big school. We've got devoted parents who try hard to get to our games."

Attending games is a challenge for the Clark parents, but as their father, Paul, notes, "We've been doing it for 20 years with soccer, baseball and things like that. It's a good experience, you just adapt to it. We're very proud of them."

The trio's mother, Diane, points out that their children like having them in the stands at games. They've seen their share of field hockey games and a couple of football games this fall. The sports don't generally conflict since football is a weekend happening and field hockey primarily during the week.

Adam's evolution to kicker extraordinaire bears repeating. He played baseball in high school and some soccer. Though he enjoyed the game, football was an afterthought ["I was never really big enough," he recalls.] In college, Adam cut his teeth on the Engineers baseball diamond, playing solidly at third base.

Last year, WPI football captain Darren Levack, a campus friend, convinced Adam to give football a whirl. Boostered by a "why not?" attitude, Adam made the team as a senior and kicked off. This season, with the graduation of the team's place kicker, Adam won the job as field goal kicker. In WPI's first game this year Adam connected on all three of his field goal attempts, including a 47-yarder on his first collegiate try. The Engineers won the game.

"That first field goal was awesome," Adam recalls. "It was straight and I kicked it well. That was a good win for us, too."

The Clarks remain committed to sports and WPI. "Sports keeps you together and give you something to do," Adam said. "We all like going to WPI. It's a great school with good programs. WPI is like a small family."

And in the case of Adam, Brooke and Todd, in more ways than one.

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