Minnesota Twins fans know this moment all too well....
World Series Game 6, Kirby Puckett hits a home run that would take the Twins to Game 7 against the Atlanta Braves and become one of the defining moments in Minnesota Sports History.
What you didn't know is that at that very moment I am one year old and as he hits the ball I am taking my very first steps in the world (this is verified by my grandparents as my parents were at the game).
Growing up I began swimming, playing tennis and hockey in high school. I initially played basketball from age 8 to 16 so switching to hockey was a bit different because back in the 90's the bballers would never mix with the hockey guys. It turned out to be the sport I loved but could not continue to play. In high school at Holy Family Catholic I played tennis and tore my right shoulder, which hindered me from playing hockey... I continued to help my team as a team manager, keeping the team stats and filming the video while always supporting my friends as they took the ice during the entire week. Being with the hockey team meant a lot as we paved the way for the eventual class of Holy Family greats like Shane Gersich (pictured below) who will be the first NHL draft pick this June in school history. Road games and traveling on the bus to other high schools stands out as some of the best moments that help me look back on just how amazing those times were.
Transitioning into college at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota was difficult. I grew up following Division I sports, particularly the University of Minnesota, and could not comprehend as a freshman that UST Tommies playing D3 were worth my time and my support. My sophomore year I knew Johnny Shaw, a defenseman from Waconia who played at Holy Family. He told me about an opportunity to help out at UST on the men's ice hockey team. I met the local legend Terry Skrypek and his assistant coaches UST hall of famer Jeff Boeser and former gopher #24 Matty Koalska (yes the same one who scored the game tying goal with 50 seconds left in the 2002 national championship game).
Many people have their own sports moments as a little kid where they remember a glorious game that eventually helped them shape their own lives into who they are today. This video below is mine.
My sophomore year was quite the change as I began broadcasting with the UST Sports Broadcasting Club. This allowed me to also meet the UST Volleyball, Baseball, Softball, Swimming, Women's Ice hockey teams and some amazing people.
I went on road trips and called over 200 home and away games for 3+ years for St. Thomas. This included national championships in baseball, lacrosse and women's volleyball. One of the better moments was the Nicaragua trip in 2013..never forget those little Volleyballers :)
I also got to work for the University of Minnesota women's volleyball team where I met Tori Dixon, Jessica Granquist and my fav of favs Daly Santana where I saw the first year of Hugh Mccutcheon take over the helm at the U. I also was fortunate enough to work during the famous consecutive national championships from Gopher Women's Ice hockey.
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| (Daly Santana #1 and Tori Dixon #6) |
After graduating from college I had to find work and begin life after college. What better place to go then a place where I could learn sports that I never knew about- lacrosse, wrestling, rowing and field hockey...in August I got the call from Old Dominion.
My first day in Norfolk was a bit different than from what I was used to in Minnesota. I wanted to help out any way I could to help programs grow and teams to win championships..so before I started working for the teams that would eventually be my new families. Therefore I had to see what they were all about.
Game one was on a brutal hot Sunday in early September. ODU field hockey was playing American. It was a tight 1-1 score and both teams played very physical and were tiring out. Then this number 10 in blue was all-of-a-sudden building a rush into the offensive zone (speaking in ice hockey terms as I watched) she went passed three defenders straight to the net, willed the ball into the net and scored the game-winner in overtime. Quite the thrill for your first field hockey game. Her name was Rosario Villagra, a junior from Argentina. She'd turn out to be one of my best friends in the area and I had just seen her win the game for the team. That Monday, the next day in fact, I met the team, the amazing coaching staff who turned out to be great friends and informed them how much I was looking forward to work for the team and that I believed in them. I wouldn't go on road trips until I made the drive to see an 8-6 ODU team take on the No. 1-ranked team in the country in Maryland, undefeated. Villagra answered first with a goal, and one more while ODU added one late goal to secure the 3-2 win and hand Maryland their first loss of the year. You can never be more proud then when you have the underdog come through with a win like that.
They went on to win against No. 4 UConn and No. 2 UNC at home on senior day. Those moments when I did get to travel with the team (The Big East Championship and the NCAA Tournament in North Carolina) were some of the greatest times of my life.
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| ODU Field hockey 13-14 |
In the spring I learned all about rowing and lacrosse in the Virginia area. It turns out lacrosse is quite popular in the local schools...something I had no idea about. Best memorable advice was to enjoy every day that I was there and to have as much fun as possible...so I did. Also during March I enjoyed helping out at the local grade school where some of the field hockey and women's soccer girls went on this trip to visit a 7th grader named Julia Baylosis...that was one of the better times where you just want to make someone's day and see them smile.
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| myself, Cata, Megan, Julia and Rosario at the event |
I went on almost every lacrosse road trip and found out how awesome the coaches and players were..a family.
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| ODU Lacrosse food drive |
They say a picture is worth a thousand words...well then I suppose a memory will just last forever.
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