Hall twins make connection at ULV
Campus Times
May 9, 1997
Juniors Patrina and Katrina Hall bring Division I talent to the La Verne
track team. "I don't think family should compete together," said
Patrina, jokingly, about her sister. The Hall twins are currently training
for nationals.
by Scott Harvey
Assistant Sports Editor
It was 1984 when Katrina Hall went to the doctor's office with an ear
ache. The doctor had checked her out completely, but her ear was not infected.
One hour later Patrina Hall, Katrina's identical twin sister, entered the
same doctor's office and was diagnosed with an ear infection.
The twins were only 8 years old at the time, but the doctor visit was
the first time Katrina and Patrina had felt their special twin connection.
This past fall, the Hall connection brought the two sisters directly
from the NCAA Division I University of Oklahoma to the small and more comfortable
University of La Verne.
Born and raised in Stockton, Calif., by single mother Sherry Roberts,
Katrina and Patrina, born only one minute apart, automatically were brought
into a world where being a twin was so normal. The Hall twins, who are the
babies of the family have one older brother, Evstevie, 25, and another set
of fraternal boy and girl twins, Dale and Gail, who are 24.
Just like a typical twin mother, Roberts loved to dress Katrina and
Patrina alike and everyday the two twins enjoyed the idea of having a link
between them that other children did not have.
"It was fun dressing alike and doing the same things when we were
little," said Katrina.
Although Roberts had raised her children well and introduced them to
sports and activities, financial problems held her back from giving everything
she wanted to give them.
"We had our ups and downs, but we made it through it," said
Patrina.
Katrina and Patrina were raised in an environment that encouraged them
to get heavily involved in sports. At Franklin High School in Stockton,
both girls enjoyed a wide array of success in sports as they competed in
cross country, basketball, soccer and track and field.
Although Patrina excelled in soccer, winning the most valuable player
award, the twins true talent was displayed on the track and in field as
they brought home Franklin's first conference championship in 1993, their
senior year.
Katrina's success eventually placed her among California's best as she
excelled in sprints, hurdles, and jumps, placing sixth in the state at the
CIF Championships in the 300m hurdles and ninth in the triple jump.
"We did everything together in high school, sports, activities.
We were always together," said Patrina.
The Hall twins' accomplishments in high school track and field enabled
them to be recruited by many schools, including La Verne and Division I
institutions, but nothing could beat a full-ride scholarship to the University
of Oklahoma that the twins could not resist.
"I wanted to go to La Verne first, but my sister had bigger aspirations,
so I decided to follow her to Oklahoma," said Katrina.
After two long years at the University of Oklahoma, where they ran track
and field successfully, placing high in various events, the Hall twins made
the decision to continue their education at the University of La Verne where
head track coach Pat Widolff had recruited them out of high school.
"When I first talked to Katrina on the phone we immediately hit
it off. I knew she liked La Verne, but they (the twins) wanted to experience
the big school feel at Oklahoma," said Widolff.
Coach Widolff was more than delighted to receive the Hall twins this
year as it has been a marquee kind of season for the women's track and field
program at La Verne. The 1997 season was good enough to give La Verne a
Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship,
placing more athletes into the NCAA national championships than ever before.
Of course the twin connection has been a large part of the winning team.
"Katrina and Patrina have been two of our most consistent and well
rounded team members. They have grown academically, socially and definitely
athletically since I met them three years ago," said Widolff.
This season 5'8" Patrina, a junior criminology major, has qualified
for the NCAA National Championships as the anchor leg in both the mile relay,
qualifying in the No. 1 position, and in the 4x100 relay, qualifying No.
3 in the state.
"One of my biggest accomplishments in my life has been making nationals
this year," remarked Patrina.
Katrina also kept the connection strong on the track and field as she
qualified for nationals with her sister in the 4x100m relay and also is
No. 3 in California in the triple jump.
Both twins were also members of the SCIAC Champion 4x100 relay team
and Katrina excelled over all other jumpers in the league. She won the SCIAC
triple jump and 100m hurdles championship and most importantly won the honor
of being the 1997 women's SCIAC most valuable player.
Although their success at La Verne has made Katrina and Patrina realize
their true talent, this year has also taught them that, beyond the twin
connection, they are two strong individuals.
"I am more of a loner-type person, Patrina loves to hang out with
her friends and her boyfriend, but I mostly just hang by myself, that's
just how I am," said Katrina.
"My boyfriend Ray has supported me through a lot this year in my
academics and my track career," said Patrina.
Katrina, a junior broadcast journalism major, enjoys her time to herself
by baking pies, her favorite being peach, listening to a variety of music
and loves to go to the movies.
Katrina has genuinely grown academically at La Verne and has excelled
in the journalism program as a member of the Campus Times as a staff writer
and has commentated for the LVTV and KULV men's and women's basketball games
for KULV and LVTV.
"Academically, I have really enjoyed La Verne a lot and coaches
Will Darity and Widolff have been great to me," said Katrina.
Patrina is working with her sister at the day care center at the Fairplex
and loves to work on her 1987 Mazda truck.
Katrina and Patrina are preparing for the national championships on
their own schedules, but it is clear that the twin connection is still there.
The Hall twins have a strong belief that success definitely follows
them. From high school to college, they have always believed in each other
and encouraged each other to reach their goals.
"We will always be close, no matter which different ways we go,
we just have that natural connection," said Katrina.
"It is great to have a relationship that is so close. We really
admire each other," said Patrina.