Erin Funkhouser shifted her gaze back and forth. Outside the Bowerman Building next to Hayward Field Wednesday afternoon, the soft-spoken freshman was still easing her way into life in Tracktown USA.
Life is different in Eugene for the Grass Valley native, accustomed to a slower way of life. There are more people here; restaurants, movie theaters and malls are all within a short drive.
The Funkhouser family lives three miles outside of Grass Valley, which is home to nearly 160 people. The closest movie theater is an hour away.
Funkhouser joined Oregon in the fall of 2006 and follows in the highly accomplished footsteps of Lauryn Jordan, a transfer from Stockton, Calif., who completed her Oregon career at the conclusion of the recent indoor season. Jordan earned All-American honors in the heptathlon in the NCAA Championships with a seventh-place finish with 5,499 points.
Jordan talked with Funkhouser during the indoor season and offered encouragement.
“She is a quick learner,” Jordan said.
It’s a sentiment echoed by Vin Lananna, Director of Track and Field, who says Funkhouser will continue to learn as she navigates through her freshman year.
“She is a work in progress,” Lananna said.
Funkhouser’s family lives in a home that sits on 10 acres of land. It sits in the middle of wheat fields owned by other farmers. The families’ nearest neighbor is one mile away.
Six cities make up the Sherman Community of roughly 1,750 people and youth attend Sherman Junior/Senior High School in Moro.
“It’s a really close community,” Funkhouser said. “Everybody kind of knows everybody.”
The Funkhousers own a diverse collection of animals. Horses, cows, goats, chickens, dogs and cats always found a home with the family. Erin discovered entertainment away from the television and even now, she and her roommate go without television at their home in the Hamilton Complex.
“When I was little, I used to play outside all the time and ride my horse. You just find ways to keep (yourself entertained),” she said. “Sports are huge. That was what I loved to do. I did them all – volleyball, basketball. When I was little, I did baseball. We had T-Ball. The community is really good about making sure there’s something for kids to do.”
Sherman High’s small size, around 106 students her senior year, offered Funkhouser an opportunity to move to the varsity level as a freshman and spend four years in volleyball, basketball and track.
She filled the setter position for volleyball and point guard for basketball – both positions giving Funkhouser a large impact on the match or game’s outcome. She made an even larger impact after finding her way as a freshman.
“I love it,” Funkhouser said. “It was definitely fun. I like stepping into the leadership position.”
When time arrived to look for a college, Funkhouser looked around the state of Oregon, never thinking of leaving the state. Southern Oregon and Linfield counted among the possibilities. Her aunt lives in Eugene and Funkhouser always talked with her about Hayward Field and Oregon’s track and field teams.
Volleyball held her passion, “but I’m really enjoying (track),” Funkhouser said. “I love my coach and I love the girls we work out with. They’re great and they’ve made track a whole lot more fun for me.”
In high school, Funkhouser competed in the 800 meters, the 4×400 relay, the 400, the high jump and long jump, which she tried her senior year. Now at Oregon, she’s learning how to throw the javelin and the shot put for the first time.
“I’m still learning,” she says. “There’s just so many steps to put it all together. I’ll get good at something and forget about it and try to work on something else.”
And how did it feel, throwing these two vastly different objects for the first time?
“Awkward,” Funkhouser said. “Especially a shot put felt very awkward. Javelin wasn’t as bad. It’s more of the same motion as a volleyball spike.”
Funkhouser is finding the competition tougher, the challenges greater.
“Instead of just dominating in the smaller track meets, it’s working as hard as you can and knowing you have a lot of room for improvement because there’s so many great athletes competing right there with you,” Funkhouser said.
She earned a seventh place finish in the Jim Click Shootout Decathlon/Heptathlon two weeks ago in Tucson, Ariz.
“I think I’m getting more comfortable competing in the events. I know there’s still a lot more room for improvement,” Funkhouser said. “Some of the technique stuff is still coming.”
Erin’s sister is following in her older sister’s footsteps back home. Emily Funkhouser is a 2A 300-meter hurdle state champion for Sherman.
“Her main passion is track,” Erin Funkhouser said.
Saturday, Funkhouser is competing in long jump and the 100-meter hurdles at the Pepsi Team Invitational.
Funkhouser’s parents, who are five hours away, plan to make the trek after missing an earlier outdoor home meet because her sister’s track meet was the same day.
“They’re still splitting us,” Funkhouser said. “But it’s definitely easier for them to come watch.”
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