Bellaire's Amundson Family: A Hometown Sports Dynasty

Katy Amundson, Kelsey Amundson and Amy Amundson

Like Jedi seeking balance in the Force, writers are on a perpetual quest for stories that level subject matter with timing.   For the month of February in this particular year, the Amundson family is just what the doctor ordered as an equalizer between romanticism and the hoopla around the biggest sports event of the year.

Amundson is becoming a legendary name in the annals of sports at Bellaire High School.  George and Terry are parents to three daughters, Amy, 22, Katy 20, and Kelsey, 18.   Both Amy and Katy established themselves as lead players in volleyball for the Cardinals.  Kelsey, now in her senior year at BHS, has done the same.  These young women are so talented and dedicated; their individual achievements warrant attention from the sports pages.  And given their DNA, it’s no wonder.

Not so long ago, in a place not so far away– an attractive young woman worked as a buyer for Joske’s Department Store (now Dillard’s).  Walking through the Boys department, she happened on a photograph of an Oilers running back. “That’s the man I’m going to marry,” she said to a coworker.

That man in the picture was George Amundson– and for sports trivia buffs, a legend in his own right.   He’s not apt to talk about his former career.  In fact he’d rather talk about anything but.  However, his athletic resume is a relevant ingredient to the success of his legacy. 

Before he was Houston’s number one draft pick in 1973, George was setting records.  Evidently they breed ‘em strong in South Dakota because he still holds the U.S. high school record for the farthest discus throw– 211 feet, four inches.   That was in 1969.  George also set a state record in shot put, and in football he was an all-state linebacker and quarterback.   He went on to play football for Iowa State University where, as a tailback, he set a single-season rushing record of 1,316 yards.  

In 1972, George was an All-American quarterback for ISU and setting total-offense records.  These included touchdowns scored in a game, scored in a season, and scored during a career.  He also set a record for the number of touchdown passes in a season.  As a senior, he finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy race.  Oh, and he set discus records at ISU, too.  Perhaps it’s no surprise that he was inducted to the ISU Hall of Fame in 1998.

His career in the NFL began as a first round draft pick for the Oilers in 1973.  In George’s best of two seasons with Houston (1974), he racked up 59 rushes for 138 yards; he caught 18 passes for 152 yards and scored five touchdowns.  A blown out knee in his fourth year, playing for the St Louis Cardinals, pulled the plug on his pro ball career.  But not before he made good with another four touchdowns from 15 more rushes bringing his career total to 194 yards.  Not to mention he snatched down a career total of 25 passes for 212 yards.

While still in Houston, the unsuspecting gridiron gladiator had no idea that he was about to be clotheslined by Cupid himself.  Introduced through a mutual friend on the Oiler team, Terry and George met– and boom!  “I knew the minute I saw her,” George candidly admitted during the interview, adding, “It was over right then.”  It’s hard to say whether Terry’s subtle but surprised grin at her husband was due to revelation or to his candor.  Nevertheless, the looks they exchanged were quite a romantic declarative about their marriage. 

Kelsey, Amy, and Katy with parents Terry and George

It’s a married life spent mostly here in Bellaire and raising their daughters.   Between 1982 and ’86, all three had arrived and Amy led the way through Condit Elementary, Pershing Middle School, then Bellaire High.  From junior high on, Amy had a variety of athletic interests, including softball as well as volleyball.  She finally narrowed her focus on volleyball as a junior– and it paid off.

Amy earned the district title of Most Valuable Player in her senior year.  What’s more, she continues to excel both academically and athletically at Texas State University.  For the second time, she has been named to the Southland Conference All-Academic Team.   She’s a middle blocker majoring in finance with a 3.28 GPA. 

Last year, Amy led all conference players in blocks, averaging 1.32 per game.  Her hitting percentage was second in the conference with a .335 mark.  She also placed ninth in points per game with 3.92.  And twice this year, Amy was named SLC Offensive Player of the Week.

When talking about his eldest daughter, George wells up a bit.  Amy will end her athletic career upon graduation.  She says that being a professional ball player isn’t something that attracts her interest.  And she admits, “I’m ready to move on.”  

But for George and Terry, it’s the end of a long run that has been the source of

great pride.  “We were at a game and, suddenly, we realized that was it–” George says.  “That was her last game,” Terry says, cutting in and adding, “I think we were almost in tears.”

An easy assumption would be that George was the chief athletic influence.  However, as Amy began to concentrate on volleyball, Terry recognized the need for better coaching.  Already familiar with Coach Clarke when Amy played club ball, Terry was instrumental in bringing Gloria “AP” Clarke to BHS. 

Coach Clarke came from TCU with an impressive resume.  Well, impressive partly because she did a two-year stint at my alma mater– Regis University.  Of course, when I was there it was only Regis College and still teaching that the Earth was flat.  That aside, the point is that because of Terry’s support, Clarke’s leadership helped the Cardinals kick its program up several notches.

Which also means the Amundsons haven’t long to fret.  Katy is playing ball and in her prime.  She’s not only made her own name in the sport– she continues doing so as a legacy at Iowa State University.   She’s listed as a business major; although Katy confides that she isn’t quite ready to make a final declaration.

She entered ISU after graduating from Bellaire High.  Under the watchful eye of Coach Clarke, Katy was a three-year varsity letter winner on three-straight District (5A) champion squads.  In her sophomore year she was a second-team all-district pick.  As a junior, she was a first-team all-district pick.  Then, like Amy, Katy capped off her high school career by earning District MVP in her senior year.

If all that were enough, she participated in club volleyball for five years with the Texas Riptide 18’s, a club team ranked ninth in the Lone Star Region.  Katy also swam competitively for six years and was the City of Bellaire swim team coach for three years. 

With all that drive, it’s easy to see how she made the national honor society in 2000 and remained in good standing through graduation.

So, how does it feel being around her dad’s old stomping grounds?  “At first it wasn’t a big deal,” Katy begins.  “Then a few people discovered what my dad accomplished and they were like, ‘Wow!  That was your dad?”  She shrugs with a grin and says, “That’s kind of cool.”

George grins himself without looking at his middle daughter.  When the photographer calls off Katy and her sisters, Terry starts in on a story about the kind player that Katy is.  She cites an incident during a warm up before the game against A&M last November.  Somehow Katy broke her finger.  Yet she was so focused that she played the entire game not knowing she was injured.

Now, you might think her older sisters would intimidate Kelsey.   Not so.  She says they actually inspire her, motivating her to play the best she can.  Like her sisters, Kelsey has been a three-year starter.  She made first team, all-district performer as a junior.  And, she too has earned a District MVP title for this past season.

More impressive than the title is the fact that she’s earned it in a season having been moved to a new position.  At 5’ 10” Kelsey is three to four inches shorter than her sisters are.  To prepare Kelsey for where she’ll play in college, Coach Clarke moved her from middle blocker to outside hitter.  So when she starts college ball, she’ll be ahead of the curve for that position. 

While Kelsey admits the move was a challenge, Coach Clarke observed that what Kelsey has going for her is that she is a smart player.  That and the fact the she has a heck of an arm swing. 

Kelsey also dabbled in other sports before committing wholly to volleyball.  She played basketball, softball, and she swam.  She also found time to help during volleyball camps at the Houston Sports House until the rigors of varsity ball took over. 

Never shirking her academic responsibilities, maintaining the Amundson tradition, Kelsey is a National Honor Society student with an overall 3.7 GPA

Of course, given that Kelsey is the youngest, you might expect her to be a tad impatient with her parents for having to spread their attention.  You’d be wrong.  “I understand that it’s important to them to see us all play,” she says.

What’s apparent is that while their daughters’ athleticism is a point of pride, George and Terry see and appreciate each of these young women for who they are. “Amy’s the mature one,” Terry says of the oldest.  “Some of that’s in Kelsey.”  Then she gets an impish grin.  “But she also has a bit of Katy, too.”  Terry describes Katy as the mischievous one and says her daughter gets that from her.

During the shoot, the girls chatter and poke at each other with giggles and twinkles in their eyes.  They’re having fun and not taking the attention too seriously.   For the group shot, George is mocking himself by trying to stand a little straighter and present a trim profile.  Katy says something that makes her mother smile.

Terry is a person whose natural delight shines from within– something she’s passed down to her daughters.  At the right moment, you can see how much they share Terry’s poise and charm.  Their smiles all outshine the lights and strobes for the camera.

Amy, Katy, and Kelsey are three very well rounded people.  They are intelligent, athletic, and, if you haven’t noticed, attractive.  Not exactly the Olga, Helga and Magda from old East Germany that used to play volleyball back in the day when I was in school.  In fact, as a side note, Katy did some dance and modeling at one time.

So, here we have a little something for everybody.  We’ve stirred in a little romance with some football and sports, and cooked it all up in a pot called Bellaire.  It’s just a little something to chew on along with the chocolates you got from your sweetheart, or with the chips and dip you’re munching during the big game.

Bon apetit!