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Former NFL star from Clark on ‘Survivor' - By Amber Peabody
This document was published online on Thursday, October 27, 2005
What do the NFL, the TV show “Survivor” and the Clark area have in common?
Gary Hogeboom.
The former NFL quarterback is part of the new season of “Survivor: Guatemala” on CBS.
Hogeboom, 47, lives in Grand Haven, Mich., and is currently developing property in Clark.
He started coming to Clark a few years ago when some good friends from Michigan moved to the area.
“He loves it,” said his daughter Kasi, 18, a college student in Los Angeles. “We all enjoy hiking and the outdoors. He just went on a big hunting trip there not long ago.”
Last year Hogeboom started looking for property and bought part of the Moonshine Ranch.
“He's not building right now,” Kasi said. “But eventually he'd like to have his own place there.”
The 11th season of Survivor kicked off Sept. 15 with Hogeboom as one of 18 contestants. The entir e season has been filmed and episodes are now airing. But Hogeboom, who is home in Michigan now, is prohibited from talking about the show until he's either voted off or wins.
“I was so excited,” Kasi said. “I'm a big Survivor freak. We had a huge Survivor party back home.”
While a big fan of Survivor, Hogeboom never planned to try out for the show. But he was asked to after he and his sisters applied for the “Amazing Race” show but didn't make the cut.
“They wanted to do Amazing Race Family Edition but we didn't make it,” Kasi said. “But they called dad and asked him to try out for Survivor.”
It didn't take much to convince Hogeboom. He and Kasi have watched all the past seasons of the show.
“My dad and I have always been big fans,” she said.
Before Hogeboom left for Guatemala, he increased his workouts from one to three per day. He also studied survival books at the library.
“He did a great deal of research,” Kasi said. “I think everyone who goes on the show does, and he's always worked out but he kicked it up a notch.”
He also planned his strategy with Kasi's help.
“We talked about whose strategies were better and who made mistakes. Then we pulled pieces from each.”
Currently part of his strategy has been to deny his NFL background and focus on being a real estate developer. He has even been going by the name “Gary Hawkins.”
“I didn't know that was coming,” Kasi said. “It's been interesting. He has to watch every move he makes.”
Early on his identity was called into question by Danni Boatwright, a sports talk show host from Kansas City, who confronted him about his past, a fact which he continues to dispute.
“I'm grinding my teeth every show hoping he doesn't stick out too much,” Kasi said.
Not revealing his identity is nothing new. Hogeboom is humble about his past in the NFL.
After playing quarterback at Central Michigan University, Hogeboom was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1980. He played with them for six seasons.
His best game as a Cowboy came in the 1983 NFC Championship game against the Washington Redskins.
Hogeboom came off the bench in relief of an injured Danny White and threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter to rally Dallas from a 17-0 deficit.
But the Redskins held off the Cowboys 31-17 and advanced to the Super Bowl.
He also played three years with the Indianapolis Colts, followed by a year with the Phoenix Cardinals and one last year with the Redskins.
“We live in a small city so everyone knows who my dad is,” Kasi said. “If people ask for an autograph then he'll talk, but he doesn't just tell people who he is.”
Since retiring from the NFL, Hogeboom has become a real estate developer and landscaper. He also serves as a volunteer coach for high school football, basketball, tennis and soccer.
He and his wife Kristi have four children, Heidi, Jake, Kasi and Jami.
With eight episodes left, Hogeboom is one of 11 contestants still on the show. Survivor airs Thursdays at 7 p.m.
“I'm excited to see what happens,” Kasi said.
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