The Drake Relays have become a tradition for a family in Pella.
The Pingel siblings – Wade, Jordan, Kiki, and Annika–the older three Pella alumni, and Annika a Pella High senior, are all participating in the 109th Drake Relays. Their mother Kari is a long-time assistant coach with the Pella Lady Dutch track and field team, and tells KNIA/KRLS News it is a special moment for her family, and she’s thankful for all the support they’ve received to make it back to the famous Blue Oval, including the many athletes that competed with her children over the years, as well as the coaches and community members who volunteered their time to help shape them.
Kari says she and her husband Eric met while they were both at Central College, and after Eric finished competing at Drake during his senior year of college, he proposed to her at Drake Stadium.
“I guess now it’s kind of all comes full circle, and here we are with all the kids getting to compete,” she says.
Their children are all multiple-time qualifiers for the prestigious event, with at least one Pingel competing in eight of the last nine years.