As Jeff Chudy, the head coach of the Bakersfield College football team, is preparing his team for the next opponent, his daughter, Hannah Chudy, will be helping the BC volleyball team compete against College of the Canyons in a Western State Conference South match up.
Hannah enjoyed being brought up around BC athletics through her father.
“It’s exciting [having a head coach as a dad], because I’ve been around this stuff my whole life,” she said. “He’s been coaching here since I was born, so it’s really cool that I get to grow up around [athletics], and experience it.”
Hannah said that the best thing about both of them being at the same college is that she gets to see her dad a lot more often than before.
Some people might think that having a parent in the faculty might put pressure on the student, but Hannah doesn’t agree.
“No, not at all,” she said. “I mean, I guess I could see how people might think that I would have higher standards, that I have to live up to the standards my dad has set and stuff but it’s not. I don’t feel any pressure at all. He’s just really supportive of [everything I do]. ”
Hannah said that her dad has influenced her in a lot of ways, and that she wouldn’t be where she is without him.
“He has had a strong impact on my family, and he’s really hard working in everything he does,” she said. “His side of the family is really athletic, so I guess that is where I got a lot of my athletic ability from.”
Jeff Chudy encouraged Hannah to start at a community college because of its benefits.
“It’s a great place and time in your life to try and figure out what you really want to do,” said Coach Chudy. “She didn’t really know what she wanted to focus in on academically, and it will give her a chance to kind of define who she wants to be and where she wants to go.”
Chudy said that all of his sons have started at BC and thinks it’s a great place for local athletes to start a college education.
Coach Chudy said that Hannah had the freedom to choose what she wanted to do but was probably influenced by the rest of the family.
“She had been involved in [athletics] her whole life. We’re an active family, so it probably just kind of filtered down,” he said. “I’m not the type of guy who is going to force anybody to do anything. She has kind of been able to pick and choose what she wanted to do, and she has always liked volleyball.”
Chudy said that he hasn’t had a chance to watch one of Hannah’s games, mostly because he is busy with the football season, but that he was able to watch her in club volleyball in the spring.
Even though Chudy is proud of Hannah’s athletic achievements, he holds her education in higher regards.
“Without a doubt [I’m proud of her],” he said. “I’m excited that she likes school and that she really enjoys her classes and that part is obviously something as a parent you want your kid to do.
“You hope that your kids walk into education and see it of value and they enjoy it, she enjoys it, and I’m glad that she’s involved in extracurricular activities.”