Family time.

Byline: STEVE MIMS The Register-Guard

A PHOTOGRAPHER showed up at the Bellotti home on Sunday to take pictures for the family Christmas card.

The timing was right, with smiles all around.

"It was a good week for the Bellotti household," Oregon football coach Mike Bellotti said.

The Ducks had finished off Stanford 41-14 about 19 hours earlier.

On Thursday, sophomore Keri Bellotti helped Sheldon to a 2-1 win over Corvallis in the girls state soccer playoffs.

On Friday, Luke Bellotti, a senior, helped Sheldon's boys soccer team beat Newberg 1-0. After the game, he went straight to Willamette High School, where his 26-yard field goal helped the Irish football team clinch the Midwestern League title with a 10-7 win over the Wolverines.

A busy three-day stretch to be sure, but also a pretty normal three-day stretch for one of Eugene's most active families, which also includes mother Colleen and 8-year-old Sean.

"Our life revolves around sports," said Colleen, who has recently started playing city league soccer.

Colleen is usually in charge of compiling the weekly sports schedules and making sure everyone is in the right place.

This week begins with soccer playoffs today, when Keri and the Irish girls host Southridge at 5 p.m., followed by Luke and the Sheldon boys playing at Sunset at 7. Sheldon football hosts Oregon City on Friday night, the Ducks are at Washington State on Saturday, and both Luke and Keri could be playing in the soccer quarterfinals that same day.

"It is continual, Keri and Luke can have soccer games scheduled at any time, Colleen plays soccer, Sean is playing soccer, and my thing is seven days a week," Mike said. "I've got Keri and Luke's schedules on my calendar, and if I can fit it in, I will sneak over to their games when they are in town."

Mike Bellotti can usually be found at a Sheldon soccer game on Thursday nights in the fall. On Fridays, he sees the first half of Luke's football game before heading back to Oregon football meetings.

Two weeks ago, he saw half of Luke's soccer game when Sheldon defeated South Eugene for the Midwestern League title. The following night, he was there for about 20 minutes of Keri's game, as the Irish were beaten by South Eugene.

"If you don't make time, they grow up without you," Mike said. "So it is a conscious choice to say I need to be involved because their lives go too quickly and at a hectic pace for all of us."

His children understand how tough it is for Dad to find time for all his responsibilities.

"He's juggling one team of his own and our two soccer teams, so the numbers add up," Luke said.

The pace of life in Eugene has helped the UO head coach make more time to follow his family.

"Living in Eugene makes it easier," Mike said. "If I was in Los Angeles or Columbus, Ohio, I couldn't get to their games as easily. The closeness of this community allows me to sneak away sometimes, and Colleen goes to all the games whether I am there or not, so there is always a parental presence."

Of course, USC and Ohio State tried unsuccessfully to lure Mike Bellotti to coaching jobs in Los Angeles and Columbus, respectively, in recent years. He has always mentioned family among his reasons for staying with the Ducks.

"That has ultimately been the biggest factor," said Bellotti, who is in his eighth season as Oregon's head coach. "From a professional standpoint, you look at security, salary, opportunity and those type of things on that side of the table. Then you look at quality of life and the opportunity to live in a place that affords us a life where I can be involved and feel safe about where my kids go, that became the biggest factor.

"You start to realize that life is too short. You hope all your decisions are the right ones, and you never know for sure, but I appreciate what we have here and that is the biggest factor."

Whenever rumors regarding their father taking a new job come up, Keri and Luke are usually quizzed at school.

"We hear about it first inside our house," Luke said. "I've gotten used to having people ask about it and talk about issues with my dad. They ask if I have any answers, and I say that I don't. They should keep watching the news if they need information."

The fact that the Bellotti kids were turned on to sports does not surprise anyone. Mike played football, basketball and baseball in high school, while Colleen played basketball, softball and tennis.

Colleen coached Luke and Keri from kindergarten through fourth grade, whether it was basketball, soccer, baseball or softball.

"Eugene is awesome for starting kids out early in Kidsports," she said. "They were exposed to our interest in sports, not just Mike's job, but we grew up with recreational sports. We enjoy working out and the competition of sports, and they were probably interested because of what they were exposed to."

Like their parents, Luke and Keri played every sport available.

Luke has played soccer, football, basketball and baseball at Sheldon, while Keri made the varsity in soccer, basketball and softball as a freshman last year.

"I think the activity and involvement that kids have in sports keeps them going in a positive direction," Mike said. "I encouraged the kids to play as many sports as they can for as long as they can because usually it is somebody else who will make that decision for them."

Keri knows that many high school kids are specializing in fewer sports these days, but she has resisted that trend.

"I've thought about that, but realistically considering the love I have for each sport, I couldn't say which sport I would want to give up," she said. "I've always played everything."

Luke chose to play club soccer last spring rather than baseball, but is considering trying baseball again this year. He is currently in his busiest season of the year, juggling soccer and football.

"I always go to soccer practice, I never miss that," Luke said. "If football practice is earlier or later, I'll go there two or three times per week, and definitely on Thursday for our walk-through."

Sports take up a lot of time, but the Bellotti kids must also find room for other important duties.

"It is definitely a struggle when you try to balance yourself to be a good student, which they both are, and to have some sort of social life," Colleen said. "Somehow it all gets done. They are good kids, they are balanced. You look at this part of their life as parents and question, `do we put too much emphasis on athletics?'. But my feeling is that they should be involved in something, be it arts, music, dancing or something to fill the extra time. The fact they chose sports is absolutely fine with me."

In terms of balancing academics and athletics, Luke said it was actually tougher last spring when he wasn't playing a school sport.

"When I am going to two practices a day, I have a lined-up schedule and I know what I am doing," he said. "When I have free time, I put that toward homework, and I think it is easier to get it done when you are involved with sports."

Sundays are often the only day when Luke and Keri don't have their schedule filled from morning to night.

"Sometimes I'd love to say back off and let them be kids," Mike said. "Colleen often becomes the voice of sanity because there are practices and overlapping schedules the entire year. Luke also had a job for two years, and I felt bad for him. I felt like he was already on a schedule like a college student, and I hoped he wouldn't get burned out. I think every once in a while you need to take a deep breath."

Speaking of college, the family has been fielding questions lately regarding whether or not Luke will kick for his father at Oregon. The answer is ...

"Right now it looks like I will go to Oregon and probably walk on and see what happens in the future," Luke said. "I would like the opportunity to kick in college, and I think I will have the opportunity to try that here."

Mike encouraged his son to look at many schools, including Oregon.

"I want his decision to be for the right reasons, and if he wants to take the challenge, and I think he does, then I am up to it," Mike said. "It is a big challenge and a great opportunity. He will have to compete against people who are good, and he is really good. He may or may not play depending on who is the best kicker, but I'm excited about him coming into the program and competing for the job."

As Luke considered becoming a Duck, Mike recalled a conversation he and Colleen had nine years ago.

"She said that half of our life with our son is over because when he is 18, he will leave," Mike said. "Now we are approaching that time, and I deal with a lot of parents who have tears in their eyes when they talk about their kid leaving home. Maybe we get the best of both worlds because he will be where I can see him. It's scary on one hand because it is your son, but it is also exciting because you don't have to lose him for four or five years."

Luke didn't begin seriously kicking until his sophomore year at Sheldon, but it was a natural fit.

"There were always footballs and tees lying around in the backyard," Mike said. "He had the aptitude for kicking because of his soccer background. I really haven't helped him a great deal. He did most of it on his own."

As kids, Keri and Luke were hanging around Oregon football practice. Keri would often take a soccer ball along and kick with her father following practice, while Luke preferred a football.

"I think back to all of those Duck practices, Luke would go to the end of the field where the team wasn't practicing and get a tee and ball and kick it through the uprights," Colleen said.

Added Mike: "(Assistant equipment manager) Ed Garland probably chased more footballs from Luke Bellotti than anyone else when you add up playing catch and kicking for an entire practice."

Luke has been a key to Sheldon's back-to-back league football championships, kicking 87 extra points and nine field goals during the past two years. He has a school-record eight field goals this year, including a 45-yarder against Marshfield that was also a school record.

Mike watched some of the Marshfield game, but had to leave just before Luke's 45-yarder against the Pirates.

"I turned on the radio when I left and heard the 45-yard kick, and it gave me goose bumps," the coach said. "I have a good enough visualization, hearing it was good enough for me."

From the moment they arrived at Sheldon, Luke and Keri Bellotti were known primarily for their father. As a senior, Luke has begun to get away from that link.

"Now that I am finishing high school, I think people look at me more as my own person and not Mike Bellotti's son," he said.

That process is beginning to happen for Keri as well.

"I still think the whole Mike Bellotti thing comes up when my name is being said," she said. "I have to keep building my own identity with school and sports, and that will eventually taper off."

Both kids have heard catcalls from opposing crowds, although nothing too severe. Keri heard some chants in basketball last year, while Luke hears them almost every time he comes out to attempt a field goal.

Luke and Keri have both proven themselves as prep athletes.

Luke was a first-team all-state kicker last year and was recently selected as a first-team all-Midwestern League soccer player. As a freshman, Keri was a second-team all-league soccer player and received honorable mention in basketball and softball.

"What has been nice is that initially when they went to high school, I think people questioned `So they are the Bellottis, what does that mean?' ' Colleen said. "They both have gotten a chance to prove who they are and what they are all about. They are what they are because of themselves, not because of the name they have. That was a hurdle and a challenge, but I think they are stronger people because they had to do that on their own."

At 17, Luke is about 19 months older than 16-year old Keri. Sean is half their age, but currently playing indoor soccer and becoming involved in as many sports as possible, too.

"He is following in their footsteps," Colleen said. "He asks Luke and Keri to play catch, or kick the ball, and he gets frustrated because they don't always have the time. It's interesting because Luke and Keri don't remember, but they always had each other growing up, and Sean is always looking for someone to play with."

It's a time crunch that Sean will learn to get used to as part of the Bellotti family.

CAPTION(S):

The Bellotti family lines up for its annual Christmas card portrait. The family stays busy keeping up with the sports exploits of Sheldon High standouts Luke (left) and Keri (second from left), while 8-year-old Sean (right) also participates. PAUL CARTER / The Register-Guard "I encouraged the kids to play as many sports as they can for as long as they can because usually it is somebody else who will make that decision for them." - MIKE BELLOTTI, Oregon football coach WAYNE EASTBURN / The Register-Guard Luke Bellotti (left) and his younger sister, Keri (right), have earned all-Midwestern League honors while playing football and soccer for Sheldon High School.