Watching our women's team go in three groups of
approximately 4-5 to half a dozen kindergarten through 3rd grade
classrooms at Whittier Elementary School (the local Sioux City
school that had adopted our team) and interact with kids who asked
such questions like:
-
What kind of food do you eat?
-
Do you travel all over the world to play
basketball?
-
Do you miss your mom and dad when you're
away from them?
-
How come your parents let you go so far
away?
Our women were engaged, encouraging, and joyful
with these kids, their teachers, and the principal. A great
outreach experience for all! We came back with more and more
posters (all w/snow-capped mountains in the background!) and
decorated lunch sacks of candy bars and other goodies for each team
member.
Watching games -- where it's hard not to reflect
on how much better we believe we are than what we think we're seeing
on the court. Cheering for the underdog(s) and watching in awe
at the incredibly good sportsmanship shown in blowouts as well as
remarkably close games.
Visiting the VIP Hospitality Tent with Coach
Anji and Assistant Coach Mike Weissenfluh (her dad) and realizing
after Anji and Mike left (I lingered longer to chat with some of the
hosts/volunteers), that the hosts thought I was Mike's wife!
Finding connections with "strangers" that again reflects
that this really is a small world after all!
Seeing the Parade of Champions, similar to the
Olympics Opening Ceremony, at Tyson Center last night where the
athletes from the 32 teams were introduced by teams (announcer made
a pretty big deal about us coming from "way over there in
Oregon!"), and then all lined up to spell out "NAIA"
across the court, and then after rousing applause (especially for
the host, home team Morningside College), be instructed to "now
exchange gifts." Each team had been lined up to stand next to
their opponent in the first game and each team member exchanged a
small gift that reflected their home institution. Our team
gave large EOU-monogrammed drinking glasses and EOU keychains; they
received from Dominican (San Rafael, Calif. and our opponent for
7:15 p.m. PST today) a T-shirt with the Dominican logo on it.
Hearing EOU sophomore guard Ashley Jones' name
called out and watching her walk forward to be applauded as one of
32 players picked by their respective coaches as representative of
the team's character, attitude, and sportsmanship.
Joining for a late night BBQ rib dinner (team
members' meals compliments of La Grande's Harry Hunt who drove here
for the Tournament) and approximately 20 more family and friends of
the EOU Women and seeing, hearing, and feeling the loving support
given by these individuals to their daughters, sisters, cousins,and
girlfriends. Many toasts were raised to this special group of
women, their coaches, and their trainer, for their success, their
sportsmanship, and their character. These parents are
intensely proud of their daughters and of the education and
experiences they have had at EOU. When they find out I'm the
interim president, they offer up a lot of thoughts and information!
Meeting up with the Warner Pacific coach at our
motel (they're all staying here at the same motel as we are) and
hearing EOU Athletic Trainer Stana Landon unselfishly volunteer to
tape the Warner Pacific players as needed before their game
today. Warner Pacific wasn't able to bring their own athletic
trainer to the tournament.
Answering my motel room door (and finally just
putting a shoe in it to keep it ajar) late into the night as the
women returned from really late night games (10-midnight!) and
needed to check their email, send messages to their faculty, or just
let down a bit before going to bed. Special connections here
which will stay with me forever!
Today's the big day... we will watch #1 and
two-time national champion Hastings College of Nebraska (28-3) play
against Warner Southern of Florida (20-12) as well as cheer on the
Warner Pacific team (20-12) when they take on Dakota Wesleyan
(26-6). Then if I correctly... get the radio feed money to the
right people, many of you and all of us will be cheering on the
Mountaineers at 7:15 p.m. your time (9:15 p.m. ours) as they
"Return To Dominance" and "Eliminate Dominican."
At least, that's the cheer that we're proclaiming!
