SportsFootball

Stork makes double delivery to football players

Junior linebacker Tim Lopez and his wife Gina proudly display their newborn daughter Brittany Danielle. Gina commented on Tim’s fatherly duties. “He gets up, changes diapers and feeds her. He’s great,” she said. / photo by Jeff Leard
Junior linebacker Tim Lopez and his wife Gina proudly display their newborn daughter Brittany Danielle. Gina commented on Tim’s fatherly duties. “He gets up, changes diapers and feeds her. He’s great,” she said. / photo by Jeff Leard

by Rosie Sinapi
Sports Editor

When the football season started for senior linebacker Tim Lopez and junior wide receiver Parrish Jones, they had more than just winning the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletics Conference to look forward to, they were patiently waiting for the birth of their babies. So in the same week when most players were watching tapes of old games, Lopez and Jones were watching the births of their baby girls.

When they returned to practice after summer vacation, both announced the upcoming births of their children.

“Me and Tim were always saying it (the births) would be the same night or close,” said Jones. “It was funny, though.”

The babies were not born on the same day, but close. Lopez’s wife, Gina, gave birth to Brittany Danielle on Nov. 1 at 4:03 p.m. While Julie Rappola, the mother of Jones’ baby, gave birth two days later to Jordan at 10 in the morning.

“She was fine. It took her only seven hours,” said Tim Lopez.

“She’s a wonderful 6 pounds, 12 ounces and 18 inches,” said Gina Lopez.

Not only was Brittany the couple’s first child, but also the only girl born into Tim Lopez’s family for almost two decades.

“It was the first time a girl was born into my family in 18 years; in between, there have been 11 boys,” he said.

The criminology major admits that having a child has changed his outlook on life.

“I think it’s changed me. I’ve got a responsibility to my baby and wife,” said Lopez who admitted later that being a father is not all glory.

“I’ve got to limit my going out. Anything that I do wrong ruins my career in law enforcement and my family,” he said.

For Jones, he is already familiar with fatherhood. He has a 8-year-old son by the name of Parrish Jones Jr., but he admits having a daughter is a different experience.

“I knew it was coming, but the baby is more than I expected,” he said.

The one and only wish he has for her is “if she can make it then it’ll be wonderful.”

The baby weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces and was 20 inches long at birth. Although his mother may be partial, she is proud to say that Jordan is beautiful.

“She looks just like him with a full head of hair and a lovely smile,” said the proud grandmother, ULV Payroll Supervisor Brendia Arnold.

For these football players and fathers, it is not all work and no play. Despite both having children last week, they played well in last Saturday’s game against Claremont. Lopez saw equal time on the field, only being pulled when he received a blow to the knee by a Claremont Stag, while Jones picked up yards on several big plays.

“I’ve been in the military. If you can’t perform, you’d get killed. I know how to rise to the occasion,” said Jones.

Rosie Sinapi, Editor in Chief
Rosie Sinapi
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Jeff Leard, Photography Editor
Jeff Leard
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