WATERLOO (KWWL) -
Just over a week ago
Haley Eckerman was on top of the world. The former East High Trojan and reigning Big12 Player of the
Year helped lead the Texas Longhorns to their first national volleyball title
in 24 years. For Eckerman, it was a
surreal moment.
"We didn't know
what to do," said Eckerman, "We had never been in that situation to celebrate
like that, so we just kind of fell over and let the emotions flow."
The fact that she's had
that kind of success shouldn't surprise anybody. Even as a freshman in high school it was
obvious that she was a special player. As
an East High Trojan, Eckerman was a 4 time all state selection and was named
Class 4A's Player of the Year 3 Times.
Despite all of that,
none of her teams reached the state volleyball tournament, but that's been
nothing but motivation for the future.
"Every year, all four
years, I just wanted to get to that state tournament and wanted to know what it
felt like to play in a championship match," she said, "So, just going to that
was amazing, and I think that's why the emotions hit even more because I had
never been in that situation where all my other teammates had won a state
championship."
Haley Eckerman is of
course a college student and a world class athlete, but she's also a mother.
She was to juggle all her activities while also caring for her two year old son
Cayden.
"My mom is a key thing,"
said Eckerman, "She moved down to Texas
to help, and that's the biggest thing, because if I didn't have her I would be
really struggling on balancing everything."
Not only did the 2 time
All-American get to celebrate last week's special moment with her teammates,
she was able to share it with Cayden as well.
"It
just felt great because he was my motivation for everything, so it was just
great to have them there and to have him experience that moment with me."
