The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Going the distance: A-to-Z with Clay Van Hook
03.20.2006 | Baseball
A is for Alaska
Where else would a baseball fanatic go to play ball under a midnight sun? None other than the beautiful town of Fairbanks, Alaska - just 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle. In the summer of 2005, Clay started in 17 games for the Goldpanners, who went 39-12 en route to capturing the Alaska Baseball League Championship. The prior summer, Clay opted for the smell of sunflowers over evergreen trees as he covered second base for the Liberal BeeJays of the Jay Hawk League in Kansas.
B is for Bat Boy
As a young boy, Clay had the opportunity to hang with "the big boys" at Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, where he was the bat boy for the baseball team. Of note, his father, Kyle, also coached the Buccaneers when Clay was the club's bat boy.
C is for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Unlike most people who simply satisfy their sweet tooth by indulging in their guilty pleasures, Clay insisted on taking part in the production of his fixation. Emerging from the below-freezing chamber directly into the boiling room, where he fetched the cookie dough and chocolate syrup, respectively, Clay easily caught the summer flu while making his favorite ice cream, chocolate chip cookie dough, at the Blue Bell factory in Brenham.
D is for Destiny
Considering Clay's true talent, other than making ice cream, involves diamonds and spheres, he is destined to become a baseball coach at Brenham High School. Though Clay admits that Brenham is small, he is determined to move back there some day to raise his family. But at the moment, he is in no hurry to leave the Forty Acres.
E is for Endless
Clay claims to own an endless collection of baseball cards and autographs. His favorite player as a kid - St. Louis Cardinal Ozzie Smith, is now his most prized signature among a plethora of other renowned hall-of-famers.
F is for Fear Factor
Snakes, spiders and some contact lenses are all it takes to make this small-town boy shake in his boots. Just the sight of a creepy-crawler on first base would be reason enough for Coach Garrido to call a timeout. While snakes and spiders give Clay chills, trying to put in certain contact lenses make him shake all over.
G is for Goosebumps
Though Clay was probably covered in goose bumps while exploring the frosty countryside of Alaska, those are not the type of goose bumps he loved as a kid. Clay could not wait to get his hands on the newest edition of R. L. Stine's "Goosebumps", the children's horror fiction novellas that are filled with creepy settings, bizarre plot twists and a few ghastly characters. Clay has read the first 40 books in this popular American series and was devoted to catching every episode of the spin-off television show.
H is for Houston
Don't even think about messing with "Clay's boys". When he's talking professional sports, he means business. Whether the sport is baseball, football or basketball, you will only see Clay rooting for Houston teams. He couldn't have cared less who won Super Bowl XL since his boys, the Texans, were not playing. And that goes for the Rockets and Astros as well - if they aren't playing, than he's not cheering.
I is for Invisible
In order to relax, Clay likes to run around futuristic battlefields looking for little triangles that will induce invisibility. No, he's not crazy - he's just playing video games. Clay also likes to pass time combating teammates Joseph Krebs and Randy Boone in NCAA Football. And who do you think he says is the best? Well, him of course.
J is for Junk Food
From Fruit Roll-Ups and Tootsie Roll Pops to Ding Dongs and Dr. Pepper, you will find the junk food isle stockpiled in Clay's pantry. The fact that he eats his Ding Dongs with a glass of milk would usually be considered a healthy addition; however, the milk only enables him to scarf down more Ding Dongs at a time. But, if you want to find the way to this man's heart, take him a massive cheesecake drizzled with sweet strawberry sauce and a cold Dr. Pepper to help him wash it all down.
K is for Keimon (k m n )
No, not kimono - the elaborate, Japanese robe worn by women in the first century A.D. - but "keimon", a word Clay learned at Navarro College and uses to stand for just about anything he wants it to mean. Think of a context and "keimon" can be used in that sense. Whether to call someone by "keimon", to make an exclamation or to form a verb, "keimon" constantly acquires new roles and meanings. Technically, Clay might use "keimon" to mean "kimono" if he were abnormally talking about his interest in Chinese robes of 2,000 years ago, but don't go waiting around for that.
L is for Lance
Is it possible that Clay looks slightly similar to Lance Armstrong? Though a select few think so, the resemblance is definitely a long shot. However, if you are wondering what Clay will look like 25 years from now, just give a quick glance to Kyle Van Hook, his father and inspiration. Not only does Clay look just like his dad, but he wants to be just like him as well - a very religious and family-oriented man, who regularly goes the extra mile for his family.
M is for Mr. Personality
That's right! Your very own, Clay Van Hook, was voted "Mr. Personality" of Brenham High School in 2003. This outgoing guy is always having a good time. His friends commend him for being himself, not wearing a mask and not trying to fit into a specific mold. The fact that Clay actually admitted to mixing a CD of his favorite Backstreet Boys and N*SYNC hits, proves that he will never lie to you or attempt to cover up even the goofiest things about himself. This must be why he's so popular among his teammates.
N is for Number Nine
Clay has proudly worn the number nine on his UT baseball jersey since his transfer from Navarro College in the spring of 2005. Nine was also his number as a cornerback for his high school football team. Other than those two times, Clay has worn numbers anywhere from five to 55. Last season, Clay's mom made t-shirts with the number nine on them for the entire family. She hopes he never changes his number again in order to save her the trouble of making new shirts.
O is for Omaha, Nebraska
Just the mention of Omaha, Neb., brings back the feeling in the pit of Clay's stomach as J. Brent Cox struck out his final batter to clinch a 6-2 victory over Florida that gave Texas the 2005 National Championship. Prior to the strikeout, Clay, along with former volunteer assistant coach Greg Swindell, was pacing the dugout and getting his legs warmed up for a hopeful sprint onto the diamond. His hopes became reality moments later as he and his teammates rushed the field to form one massive dog pile.
P is for Pig Sty
Clay and his two roommates, Joseph Krebs and Preston Pehrson, have chosen a pig sty motif for their living space that rarely receives the TLC it deserves. But seriously, what college apartment does? Nevertheless, Clay does claim to do his fair share of cleaning. His biggest pet peeve is when his roommates don't pick up after themselves, even though he has been guilty of this on occasion. As for Clay's room, now that is something special. He vows it is destined for an MTV "Cribs" visit. To Clay, posters of the Godfather Trilogy, "Scarface" and "Tombstone" are worthy enough to share the same wall space with celebrities such as Shaquille O'Neil and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.
Q is for Quagmire
On occasion, Clay has been known to let out a "giggety giggety goo," a trademark quote from Quagmire of the show "Family Guy" -- Clay's favorite character and a regular on Fox's humorous adult cartoon show. A fan of the ladies, Quagmire is Spooner Street's resident bachelor, whose quirky lines are quoted the most by an impressively large fan base. Clay, along with the majority of his teammates, never misses an episode and practically knows every line by heart.
R is for Ritual
Have you ever looked down at the dugout and wondered, "what in the world are they doing?!?!" Don't worry . . . it's all just a ritual. In 2005, Clay and teammate Todd Gilfillan saw a random guy standing above the visitor's dugout. He was leaning forward and flexing his arms like a professional bodybuilder. Ever since then, Clay and Todd make sure to flex their massive muscles while displaying their horns.
S is for Soft-Sided Slugger
Why does Clay have six comforters and a massive box of Kleenex near his bed? For snuggling up and watching sad chick-flicks, of course. Not only does Clay like to stay warm while watching movies, but he likes to watch movies that bring out the softer side in him. Sources say Clay sheds a few tears here and there while watching "A Walk to Remember". However, Clay's favorite chick-flick is "Serendipity", the story of two lovers who let fate decide their destiny.
T is for Teammates
The words "personal" and "success" are rarely used in the same sentence when baseball is the subject of Clay's thoughts. Clay wants to see his team succeed and will do whatever is necessary to help the club reach its goals. Clay understands that there is no "I" in "team", which is why he gets so excited when one of his teammates makes a great play or hits a home run. Having experienced the amazing feeling of winning the National Championship during his first year at UT, Clay is hopeful that his new teammates to will have that same experience this season.
U is for the Man Upstairs
Clay claims that without the man upstairs, nothing is possible. Clay's parents raised him in a good environment and surrounded him with family and friends who share their beliefs and values. Clay has carried this same faith with him onto the field. He believes that if he is not spiritually prepared for the game, none of his physical efforts will matter.
V is for Valentine
Clay was optimistically hoping Kelly Clarkson, the "oh, most perfect girl ever," would come knocking on his door on Feb. 14 for a date. So where would this Longhorns infielder take an American Idol? Clay said he would start the evening with salad and breadsticks at a romantic, Italian restaurant, possibly his favorite - the Olive Garden, dimly lit by the soft glimmer of candles. Next they would head to the opera. However, if the opera were not in town, they would cuddle up to watch a chick-flick.
W is for Wilson Volleyball
If Clay were ever stranded on a deserted island, he would survive by using Tom Hanks' strategies on "Castaway" and find a Wilson volleyball to keep him company. Unlike Hanks though, Clay would make sure to have a satellite cell phone with him so he could call for help rather than making a raft and risk getting stranded on another deserted island. Smart thinking Clay!
X is for X-Man
On occasion, Clay wishes he had the superhuman powers of his favorite X-Men character, Colossus, who looks normal at first, but when enraged - watch out - he goes metalloid, adding an entire foot to his height and tripling his muscle mass. However, if he could be any cartoon character, Clay would choose to be Batman and glide around in the Batmobile, the black thunderbolt that knifes through streets when danger threatens.
Y is for Yao Ming
Clay thinks it would be "pretty dope" (as he would say) to trade places with Yao Ming - the 7-foot-5-inch center for the Houston Rockets - to experience "how it would feel to be towering over people."
Z is for In the Zone
While dying his hair burnt orange and hitting a home run might be on his list of things to do, they are the last things on his mind as he prepares for each game. Clay's maturation in the game's mental aspect has taught him the importance of getting in the zone before hitting the field. Prior to games, Clay focuses on the pitcher and his style, the environment, different game scenarios and what he needs to do at his position. No wonder Clay has enjoyed so much success in his baseball career thus far and is expected to accomplish even greater feats this season.
