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Seven Lakes Sr. MB Willtrace "Wiggles" Ngoh
WIGGLES BEING WIGGLES: Seven Lakes’ Ngoh is just built different
When she pulls off those feats, she transforms into her alter ego — "Wiggles." That's what everyone knows her as.
"Wiggles is wildly athletic," coach Amy Cataline said. "I've never seen some of the things she does in my time as a coach... ever. She is so strong and explosive. Her strength is controlling the net as a middle. She's incredible."
It's been said she can dunk a basketball and hurdle a flag football defender with ease. She could probably be an elite high jumper in AAU track if she wanted.
That's Wiggles just being Wiggles, I guess.
"I wish I had a crazy story about my name," she laughed. "It came from the CoComelon TV show. It just stuck."
It's been her calling card ever since. It's like having a name like Beyoncé or LeBron in the volleyball world. Everyone knows "Wiggles."
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"I'm a pretty chill person," she said. "When I get to know you, I open up a lot more. Playing volleyball, you see much more of my personality because it's my passion. I'm free out there."
But what about being a multi-sport athlete?
"I just do everything else for fun," she said. "Playing flag football was about being part of history. It was the first year it became a recognized sport, so I had to play. In basketball, I'm really good in the paint, getting rebounds and put-back layups."
After locking in on volleyball as a freshman, the legend began gaining traction. College scouts lined the baselines to watch her compete on the national club volleyball circuit.
She earned recognition from USA Volleyball and was invited to developmental tryouts. Everything was falling into place.
Then lightning struck... literally.
"The day before we left for Nationals last year, my home was struck by lightning and burned down," she explained. "We were facing so much adversity at the time, but the volleyball community helped my family so much. Seven Lakes held a fundraiser and was so great to us. At Nationals, people from across the country came up to check on me—people I had never even met before. It meant so much that the volleyball community cared for us the way they did."
After the ashes settled, life had to move forward. There was another big decision to make.
She had virtually her choice of schools... and she chose the University of Southern California.
"Recruiting is hard," she said. "You really have to take your time with it. It's very stressful starting the day you're allowed to be contacted by college coaches. You have to know what you're getting yourself into.
"It came down to the coaches at USC. I love them and trust them. I could just see myself living there and being very happy."
With her college decision in the rearview mirror, it was time to play.
Wiggles helped lead Seven Lakes to the Regional Finals last season while also accomplishing another major goal by earning a spot on the USA Volleyball U19 National Team this summer.
So what's next?
"This team means everything to me," she said. "We want to get to State for the Seven Lakes community."
"When you have 10 returners who have played together, good things happen," Cataline said.
Especially with Wiggles in the middle.
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Tomball Sr. Libero/DS Gemma Hopkins
THE FAMILY BUSINESS: Tomball’s Hopkins has been competing since birth
The genes are rich in the Hopkins’ household… a big smile, wild hair and a go-get 'em flare for their respective sports.
“Lily really got us going,” Gemma Hopkins said. “She was the trailblazer. She showed us that competing, sticking to the routines and trusting the process, that we could live out our dreams too.”
Iron sharpens iron with these siblings.
“We really push each other and compete with each other,” she laughed. “You’ve got to see us play board games as a family. It’s brutal. We really love to hang out together. Everyone is fun and chill one moment, and the next we are going at it.”
Hopkins is the quarterback of the Tomball Cougars. As the libero, everything works off of her energy.
“I’m all over the place,” she said. “My job is to keep the ball off the court, whatever it takes.”
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She’s pretty elite at that, helping the Cougars advance to the State Tournament last year with a relatively young squad.
“We want to win State… that’s it,” she said. “We have a great, young setter and some great hitters… and me. We have the pieces to do it this year.
“We have another year of experience and know what State looks like. We have even more chemistry than a year ago.”
Time waits for no one, and before long the all-state setter will be off to college at the University of Arkansas with her recognizable curls and break-neck playing style.
“I was about the people at Arkansas,” she said. “They are really investing in me and they know how seriously I take volleyball. I love the type of player they recruit… I can see them as my best friends.”
There isn’t much Gemma Hopkins can’t do?
“I love to sing and have really gotten into knitting,” she laughed. “I do theatre and love to perform in musicals. I’ve started knitting blankets but I’m challenging myself to do more complicated things. I need to up my game with my knitting.”
The self-improvement never ends.
Did we fail to mention that there is another Hopkins entering the chat? Ace Hopkins is going to be a freshman at Tomball this year.
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