For people growing up with older siblings, life can be a minefield of high expectations. The older you get, the more competition turns into routine and one-upmanship becomes a staple of everyday life.
It seems like even family game night can escalate into World War III after a few bad rounds of Trivial Pursuit.
But when it comes to sibling athletes, competitive nature and an older generation’s examples can be an invaluable motivational resource. In many instances, older siblings set a precedent. They pave the way for younger generations by raising the bar and pushing them to aspire to comparable levels of greatness.
“I would say there are pros and cons to having an older sibling who plays sports,” said Nate Appel, a sophomore member of the Chico State men’s basketball team. “But ultimately, my siblings are who helped inspire me in a lot of ways.”
When it comes to impressive older siblings, Appel said he has considerable experience. His sister, Jayne Appel, has achieved enormous athletic success within the high school, college and professional basketball ranks.
“My sister won the MVP of the renowned high school All-American game,” Appel said. “She went on to Stanford and became an All-American there. Now, she plays overseas and in the WNBA.”
Rather than let her accomplishments intimidate him, Appel said he uses his sister’s career as a model for the kind of success he hopes to achieve.
“It is tough sometimes to compare myself to her, but I know that she is an amazing basketball player and I have to continue to do my best and go from there,” Appel said. “If anything, I want to follow in her footsteps. I look up to what she has accomplished and want to do the same.”
One expects to feel pressure when following in their older sibling’s footsteps, but what happens when two athletes share the same university, sport and last name?
It’s business as usual for freshman Kristen Brunk, a member of Chico State’s women’s track and field team, and her brother John Brunk, a senior on men’s track and field team.
“My sister and I push each other all the time,” Brunk said. “She was always bugging me to go run and lift over the summer, and we would both try to eat very healthy. I feel having my sister out on the track pushes me because I’m trying to set a good example for her.”
By challenging one another and focusing on the positives in their relationship, the Brunks feel they have avoided any potential for pressure.
“If anything, I think it is helpful having a sibling athlete,” Kristen Brunk said. “We have both grown up playing sports and competing at the same time, making it much easier to become close. John definitely acts as a mentor to me and it encourages me to try my hardest and be the best that I can be.”
Although John and Kristen value their athletic careers at Chico State, they admit that having two sibling athletes in the family can have its share of drawbacks.
“We’re both always on the go and very busy every day,” John said. “We don’t have a lot of time for family dinners.”
“We also have very conflicting schedules,” Kristen echoed. “Unfortunately, that also means less time to spend with family.”
Through their hard work, the Brunks have given credence to the old adage “the family that plays together stays together,” fostering a unique dimension to the brother-sister relationship by setting examples for one another.
“I really love having my sister on the same team,” John Brunks said. “I get to see her every day, we get to partner up sometimes, and we have a great relationship. It’s a special bond, knowing family is out there working hard with you.”
Taylor Maddox can be reached at [email protected]
