Mark Hopkins — Villard High School Class of 1971

Going back over a half century, the late sixties and early seventies are considered by many as the golden age of athletics at Villard High School.

For young athletes involved in Villard sports in the mid-1960s, a shooting star arrived on the scene in teacher/coach Jim Galvin. Galvin was a real difference maker. He was a great teacher of fundamentals and a tremendous motivator who really cared about the small-town athlete. Galvin’s arrival and a wealth of talent would usher in a period of unprecedented athletic success for the Green and White from 1968 through 1971.

During that time, the sports of football, basketball, and baseball won 93 games against only 22 losses for an amazing 81% winning percentage. Of the talented athletes that graced the halls of VHS during that era, perhaps no one was as dominant as Mark Hopkins.

Mark grew up within a block of the school on main street in Villard. Like many youths at the time, he looked up to the older kids, especially those who were successful athletes. Having a strong, husky build would serve Hopkins well as he began his career as a three-sport athlete in football, basketball and baseball.

Mark made the varsity baseball team as an 8th grader in 1967, signaling the beginning of a stellar athletic career. As the years went by it was clear that Mark would succeed in all three sports as he developed into a quick, strong, explosive athlete by utilizing the strength training of the times; tossing rocks in the spring, hay bales in the summer and a lot of swimming at Torfin’s resort.

It was on the gridiron where he found his greatest success, becoming a starter for three years at linebacker and two years at tailback. At nearly 190 pounds, Hopkins enjoyed delivering contact to opponents on both sides of the ball. During his final two years on offense, Hopkins rushed for 1,758 yards, and 347 receiving yards for a total of 2,105 all-purpose yards. This did not include kickoff or punt returns, two additional duties of Mark’s for which statistics were not kept at the time. 

While carrying the football, he averaged 7.2 yards per rush, and scored 210 points while scoring 32 touchdowns and nine two-point conversions. In the era prior to the state football tournament, Villard football teams lost only one game, winning the Little 8 Conference title three straight years. As a senior, the 7-0 record would be the last undefeated football season in school history. Following his senior year, he was named Little 8 All-Conference and selected as a member of the 1970 All-State football team.

On the hardwood, Mark was a two-year starter and two-time all-conference selection. He averaged 23.1 points and 10.7 rebounds per game as a senior. The Mallards won the conference title during his junior year and finished runner-up to Evansville during his senior season. Although only 5’10”, Mark was a strong jumper who could dunk a basketball.

On the diamond, Mark was the starting catcher his final two seasons. No one else wanted to get behind the plate, so Mark volunteered. It made sense to him to get behind the dish since a catcher’s glove was the first mitt his dad bought for him as a boy. The Mallards were Little 8 champions two times during his varsity years and also won the school’s only sub-district championship.

Of those who played with him during those glory years at Villard, Dave Walker, a teammate and one of his closest friends recently said, “Mark was an outstanding leader.  However, he was not of the ‘rah, rah’ style. He led by example. In current ‘coach-speak’ Mark had a ‘high motor’. He practiced and competed at a very high level at every opportunity. He was an elite athlete in the Little Eight Conference at a time when multiple conference schools had strong all-around athletic programs. Mark was very humble and he would be the first to credit his athletic success to those coaching influences, as well as the impact of his teammates during those years. He took great pride in winning for his coaches and teammates at VHS.”

For his part, Mark’s modesty deflects much credit to coaches Jim Galvin, Bruce Neros and Gary Gilbert and to all his teammates. He recently noted, “Everything came together at Villard in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Great coaches, great athletes, great friends and tremendous community support! We were all really blessed to have grown up in the era we did.”

Following graduation, Mark would go on to Willmar Community College where he played both football and basketball. From there, he moved on to Jamestown College in North Dakota to play both sports until a knee injury derailed his career and limited him his final two years. 

After graduating with a degree in education, Mark moved to Alaska where he worked in the oil fields doing a wide variety of jobs including a great deal of work along the Alaska pipeline. He and his wife Julie would return home to Minnesota in 1999, although he would spend six more years working seasonally in Alaska. 

Today, he lives in Hopkins.  He and his wife have one daughter, Jennifer. He has three grandchildren who all inherited Mark’s athletic prowess. His granddaughter, Gracie, was a multiple state track and field champion in North Dakota and ran collegiately for NDSU. Grandson Gavin was an outstanding three-sport athlete and three-time state football champion, while grandson, Jake, was also an excellent track athlete and state meet entrant.

Congratulations to Mark Hopkins, 2023 Minnewaska Area Schools Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee!