This is Giselle Cardoza. I recently interviewed the new athletic director, Blake Hyepock, who previously worked at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, California. We talked about him and his upcoming goals and plans for sports at La Sierra High School.

Giselle Cardoza: Why did you become an athletic director? 

Blake Hyepock: Why did I become an athletic director? I love sports. I played sports my whole life all the way from a little kid into the college level. And then I got into coaching right away after. I got hurt in college and couldn’t play anymore, but I still wanted to be involved in athletics.So I started coaching and I loved the management side of athletics, being an athletic director and working to get to this point. I just love athletics and helping student athletes grow and achieve their goals.  

Cardoza: You said that you played in college, what school did you play for? 

Hyepock: I played at Colorado State University and I played football.

Cardoza: How does your experience at the college level and you playing sports help you with this position?

Hyepock: Definitely organization and determination and hard work because playing at the college level definitely takes a big commitment level and hard work to achieve a level of success. And so everything that I learned from sports I have to apply here. I’m clearly not organized on my desk right now but I promise I normally am. But again just the hard work factor and kind of pushing through in tough situations that I have learned in sports has helped me in this position.

Cardoza: What are some things you plan on doing?

Hyepock: In what regards?

Cardoza: In helping the school get more people out to games.

Hyepock: Sure, so I’m looking to create a super exciting and fun atmosphere whether it’s at football games or basketball games. I’m working to try and get a DJ at the football game or basketball games to get the student section excited whether that’s free giveaways like swag or t-shirts or towels or noise makers or whatever it may be. It gives the students the encouragement they need to come out to be loud and be proud. I’m working with all of our teams to try and get them in the weight room so again we are getting bigger, stronger, and faster in all aspects of our sport and that’s for every sport girls and guys. And then again just creating a sense of pride in who we are as eagles and so students can see that reflectiveness on campus and get the whole community excited for us.

Cardoza: Tell me something that excites you about the upcoming year?

Hyepock: I’m just excited for everything. I’m looking to implement with our coaches and pass on to our student athletes and for us to develop whether that is in the weight room, on the field, or on the court and to really see and work through everything. We have a lot of hard work this summer as teams are practicing and putting in the time to really see the fruits of our labor when we start competing next year. I’m really excited for what’s in store for us.

Cardoza: What do you expect for the eighth grades to come in, and how do you want their experiences in a sport to go? 

Hyepock: I want them to have the best experience possible as well just like I want any sophomore through senior. I want it to be a great experience in your sport and I want you to be able to play for all 4 years and if your goal is to play at the next level I want to help you get there so really just working to help our sophomores through seniors be great leaders for those freshman coming in and really setting the tone on this is how we do things here at La Sierra and again creating that culture where kids are engaged and where kids are excited for their sports and being here on campus.