By Sam Stack, Print Editor-in-Chief
// There’s only a few who can truly be qualified as the greatest of all time in their respective fields. Michael Jordan with basketball, Michelangelo in Renaissance Art, and Physical Education teacher Chris Huber with Staff vs. Student Ping-Pong.
The Acalanes Student Body gathered in the Big Gym on September 22 at lunch to watch various faculty and students battle it out for the table tennis crown. For back to back years Huber has gone on an undefeated tear against his opponents, having never lost a match.
Huber and his partner junior Trenton Tso cruised through their competition this year; beating four opponents before taking on Math teacher Ken Lorge and Junior Jack Lattin.
“I wasn’t really intimidated by any of our opponents,” Tso said. “With Huber by my side I knew we were pretty good.”
What really sets Huber apart is his cool demeanor under pressure. It’s as if he has ice in his veins.
“Huber is a zen-master that causes you to lose your calm, while he just gets more calm,” English Teacher Ken Derr said.
Derr, who lost to Huber in the finals last year and the semi-finals this year is the most qualified to talk about the grief Huber gives to his opponents.
“We had a huge lead and then Huber went into zen mode and we were absolute dust,” Derr said.
However, some of Huber’s unlucky challengers believe that Huber is actually overrated and victory against him is attainable.
“He is beatable. If someone were to take him out all night and make so he can’t sleep so then next day he is utterly exhausted. Then you could beat him,” said Social Sciences teacher Joe Schottland.
Schottland, like Derr, has lost to Huber the last two years.
There is more to Huber, however, than just ping pong. Huber is somewhat of a pop-culture icon throughout campus and possibly every single student who has experienced his teaching can put in a good word for him.
“Huber always brought an incredibly positive attitude to class and for me, he made school better everyday,” senior Matt Burns said.
One could always find Huber at 5:30 a.m. sharp in the weight room either riding a stationary bike or using the bench press. Then Huber will go through his day, teaching multiple P.E. classes with a smile on his face. And at the end of his day he’ll drive home in his white Prius.
Don’t make fun of him for driving a Prius though, because he’s the one getting 50 miles to the gallon.
Along with that many of his famous sayings, or Huber-isms, such as “It’s another beautiful day in Lafayette, California” resonate with the Acalanes community.
But regardless, Huber resides on top of the Ping-Pong food chain until proven otherwise. Tso, on the other hand, thinks Huber is actually more than that.
“Without a doubt he is the greatest of all time,” Tso said.
Derr actually believes that the legend of Huber is currently larger than Huber himself.
“At this point, I don’t think he even competes against an opponent, I think he just competes against time and space, and the mysteries of the universe,” Derr said.