A Special Day with My Granddaughter

This past Saturday wasn’t just about basketball; it was a precious “Grandpa-Granddaughter” date. My oldest granddaughter, Adelyn—who is currently enjoying her senior year at Montevideo High School—and I set off for Brookings, South Dakota. We were headed to South Dakota State University to witness a huge Division 1 women’s basketball showdown between the top two teams in the Summit League: the NDSU Bison and the SDSU Jackrabbits.

The real heart of the trip, though, was supporting Adelyn’s friend, Avery Koenen. Avery is a graduate of Montevideo High Shcool. She is truly one of the most phenomenal college players in the country right now, and we wouldn’t have missed the chance to cheer her on for the world.

When Adelyn told me earlier in the week she’d love to go, I knew tickets would be hard to find. Sure enough, only “standing room” was left online. I wanted this to be a comfortable, special experience for her, so I reached out to my friend Steven Bruce, a true Jackrabbit fan. Being the “basketball junkie” and kind soul he is, Steve connected me with a gentleman who had two great seats to spare. It’s moments like these—where friends help friends create memories—that remind me how lucky we are. With the tickets secured on my phone, I couldn’t wait for Saturday to get here.

The Journey to Brookings

After finishing the Coaches Show on Q-92 Saturday morning, I hurried to Dawson to meet Adelyn. The weather wasn’t the best, so her other grandpa, Lonny, kindly drove her halfway to meet me. I love how our family works together to make these moments happen.

Notice the SDSU band just feet from the visiting bench. Timeouts must be tough to hear your coach giving instructions with the band playing.

Our first stop in Brookings was Pizza Ranch, which is Adelyn’s absolute favorite. Watching her enjoy her lunch and chatting about the game ahead was the perfect start. When we finally walked into Frost Arena, I was so impressed with the facility—and even more so when we found our front-row seats in Section 215. The SDSU basketball arena is really nice, great atmosphere for college basketball. We even made the video board at Frost Arena! I couldn’t believe they posted us with NDSU apparel on. We both had a good laugh that we made it on the jumbo-tron.

Adelyn and I made it on the video board!!!

Green Jackets in a Sea of Blue

There we were: two proud NDSU fans decked out in green and gold, surrounded by a literal sea of SDSU blue! I’ll admit, I expected a little good-natured heckling, but the kindness of the people around us was overwhelming. When I mentioned to Adelyn that I’d love a program, a gentleman sitting nearby—wearing blue, no less—overheard me and went out of his way to go get me one. It was such a reminder of the sportsmanship and goodness in people.

Cheering from the Heart

When the game started, Adelyn let her Bison pride shine! She was so loud and enthusiastic, clapping and cheering every time Avery scored. I kept whispering to myself “Take it down a notch, honey, we’re in Jackrabbit territory!” but she didn’t care—she was there to cheer on her friend. To my delight, our neighbors wearing Jackrabbit blue sitting around us just smiled. The guy sitting next to Adelyn kept saying to her, ” the Jackrabbits will win!” Well he was wrong.

Montevideo family and friends supporting Avery.

Avery was nothing short of spectacular, scoring 26 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. But the “pinch-me” moment was watching her score her 1,000th career point. I watched her play for Montevideo, and even broadcasted some of her games, while I knew she was gifted, seeing her dominate at the Division 1 level is amazing to watch. She has grown into a truly elite athlete.

A Role Model in Action

The most moving part of the day happened after the final buzzer. A huge crowd of Montevideo folks and Avery’s family gathered to celebrate with her. Seeing Avery take the time to talk to every single person—especially the little girls who looked at her with wide-eyed wonder—warmed my heart. She is so patient, kind, and humble, signing every autograph and taking every picture.

I had a chance to visit with Avery’s parents, her brothers, and her grandmother (who is undoubtedly her #1 fan). You could just feel the love and pride radiating from them. We even managed to get a group photo with people who traveled from the Montevideo area to support her!

Memories to Cherish

Avery made sure to find us for hugs and photos, which meant the world to Adelyn. I had originally planned a radio interview with Avery a few weeks ago, but an unexpected trip to the emergency room got in the way. Avery was so understanding, and we’re looking forward to catching up for that interview next week.

As I drove home, I realized that while the game was exciting, the true highlight was simply the quality time spent with my granddaughter Adelyn. We share a deep love for sports and a mutual pride in our family, friends and community. It was more than just a Saturday; it was a day of connection with her that I will hold close to my heart for a long time. I need to do this with each of my grandchildren going forward.