Karla Piper

Nickname?: I'd rather not disclose the crazy nicknames I've been called.

Date of Birth: February 28, 1974

Location: Sunnyvale, California (Used to live in Kalamazoo, Michigan)

Visual Classification: I can't remember; maybe a B2

Team(s) You Played For: WMU Broncos and WMU 2 (before they were named the Kalamazoo Chaos)

Position(s) You Played: Primarily right wing

Introduced/Started Playing: I first heard about goalball in 1989 when I was a freshman in high school. Two players from the Ann Arbor team wanted me to play with them. I never ended up going to practice though. In 1991, I met Chris Piper, who was hugely into goalball at that time. I dated Chris my senior year of high school, and went to the Kalamazoo tournament to watch. In 1992, I went to watch a kid's tournament near Ann Arbor, once again to hang out with Chris. When I began my freshman year of college at Western Michigan University, my friends in College Prep convinced me to try playing. I totally sucked! But, I kept going to practice almost every week for years, just for the social aspect, and of coarse, to go on the trips.

Stopped Playing?: I think it was in March of 1998, when I was 24.

Awards/Achievements: I never remember that stuff. I think I took a few third place medals, but I was mainly a bench warmer on those teams. Like I said, I was there for the social aspect.

Most Memorable Goalball Experience(s): The van rides to and from tournaments with the crazy guys, being trapped for 13 hours in a vehicle with burping, farting, stinky, non-stop talking, joking men. Oh...and the time we stayed at some hotel in Ottawa and I literally ran into some famous hockey player when the team was staying on one of the upper floors.

Most Embarrassing Goalball Experience: I guess getting trashed at the hotel party after the Ottawa tournament when I was 18, and literally rolling around the floor of the bar, not remembering a thing.

Best Thing About Playing Goalball: The traveling and the friendships, the jokes.

Reason I Play: I used to play goalball for socialization and because it was good exercise. And, as I mentioned before, I loved going on the trips to Canada, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Indiana, etc.

Comments: Goalball was a different era of my life. I'm not an athletic person, and I doubt I'll ever play again, being super busy raising our daughter and working full-time. But, I have very fond memories of the sport.