TWO FUN EVENTS

I attended two outstanding events this past week and let me tell you about them.

I have never been to a NFL Draft Party before. The NFL draft has really become a huge event and some teams put on a huge draft party at their stadiums. My son Brandon called me up a couple weeks ago and asked if I wanted to go to the Vikings draft party at US Bank Stadium with him and my grandson Eli. I was thrilled and said yes. We left Montevideo about 2:30 Thursday afternoon and arrived downtown Minneapolis around 5:30. The doors opened at 6pm with the party to start at 7pm.

Eli and me at the Vikings NFL draft party

We parked across from the stadium and walked to get in line. I could not believe all the people standing in line to get in! Everyone was wearing purple and decked out in Viking apparel. The line was very long and I thought there was no way we were going to get in the stadium in time for the Vikings pick. I was wrong. The doors opened and the line moved quickly through security and we found ourselves down on the field in no time.

I think I was more excited than my grandson Eli! He had a Vikings cape on and was wearing his Justin Jefferson jersey. It’s hard to describe what the draft party was like. I saw lots of families, young adults, and people my age walking around having a great time. There was lots of food and drinks and you could watch the big screens around the stadium. We snapped a few pictures and found ourselves on the big screen. When it came time for the Vikings to pick the roar of the crowd was amazing. When JJ McCarthy’s name was mentioned everyone went nuts. People were dancing and having a great time. I enjoyed watching KFAN radio guys and listening to them. I saw a number of Vikings walking around like Adrian Peterson and Chuck Forman and others. It was just a great time. Tickets were only $15 and I can’t wait until next year to go back.

On Saturday I broadcasted the very first boys volleyball match at LQPV. I had gone to both Dawson-Boyd and LQPV practices the week before. I was excited to be able to broadcast the boys volleyball matches. The Minnesota State High School League has approved the sport and it will begin next spring, so boys volleyball clubs are starting up across the state. They are run through Community Ed here. I really didn’t know what to expect on Saturday. There were three teams from the area at LQPV. The Eagles, Dawson-Boyd and Willmar Community Christian School.

Zach Stelter and Hope Schmidt helped me broadcast the very first boys volleyball match.

Helping me on the broadcast was Hope Schmidt and Zach Stelter LQPV’S Activities Director. Hope has done a fantastic job working with the Micronesian community and knew all the boys playing for LQPV. They both added so much to the broadcast. I can’t say enough about Rhonda Olson Nelson the head coach for the Blackjacks and Molly Hennen and Andrew Schmidt co coaches for LQPV. They have put their heart and soul into these boys. Rhonda got real emotional on the postgame show. You could tell her heart is really in it.