Taking Their Haacks

It's tough to tell that Katy coach Kalum Haack has a daughter on the field when he is coaching the Tigers' softball team. That's because he and his daughter, infielder Matte, keep the father-daughter thing and the coach-player thing separate from each other. As Matte enters her senior season, fresh from signing to play at Kansas, the hopes are high for the Tigers, who went to the 5A state championship in 2007, Matte's sophomore year. "We are playing some good ball right now," Kalum said. "The goal is to make all of our games tough and like they are playoff games so we can get back to Austin." Matte will undoubtedly be a big part of that success. The senior is known for her hitting, but more importantly, her fielding. Matte's quickness, her accurate throwing and her fearlessness to go after any stop is what makes her one of the top players in the city. Kalum has been involved with softball for several years, with college coaching stops at Kansas and Alabama. His wife also has done her share of coaching and their son is a multi-sport athlete at Katy as well. Despite all the athletic blood running through the family, Kalum has made a point to keep Matte from burning out. "When the game is over, we don't go home and talk about it, good or bad," he said. "A lot of kids will burn out and I never wanted that for her. I want her to be committed to anything she does and work hard, but for her to also enjoy it." Kalum said that from the coaching side, he has really enjoyed watching Matte develop over the years into the player that she has become. "She just works really hard," he said. "After a game, she will go to a batting cage and work on that extra. She is committed to being a great player and her hard work shows." From the parenting side, Kalum said that he is proud of what she has accomplished. "She is a good kid, does well in school, was a great volleyball player too," he said. "It is really a neat deal to be able to be a part of all of this."