Usually, I have a specific subject in mind for my weekly blog, but this week was different. I couldn’t settle on just one topic—which is pretty rare for me! Instead, I wanted to share a few meaningful things that happened over the last few weeks.

​Faith and Fellowship at LQPV

​I am so excited about what is happening at LQPV High School. A Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Huddle is starting up! It’s a student-led organization focused on Bible study, prayer, and following Jesus. I was honored to be asked to serve as one of the adult leaders.

FCA is a fantastic organization, and we will be meeting Wednesday mornings before school. I know Canby, Marshall, and YME have very active huddles, and I’m actually headed to speak at the YME FCA huddle in a few weeks. I’m really looking forward to sharing my faith and my story with those students.

​More Than Just a T-Shirt

​Another highlight was handing out a “Player of the Game” (POG) T-shirt recently. I want people to know just how much those shirts can mean. A huge thank you to Deb Farmen and Tanya Theising at Neon Needles in Dawson—it was their idea years ago to start this tradition.

​Recently, after I named a player of the game and handed over the shirt, the athlete was incredibly appreciative. A little while later, an assistant coach sought me out to thank me personally. He told me that the student had been going through some very difficult times lately, and receiving that recognition was a huge, positive turning point for them.

​It reminded me of a time years ago when a mother I didn’t even know approached me in tears, hugging me and thanking me for naming her daughter POG. Her daughter had been struggling, too, and that gesture made her day. It goes to show that a “Player of the Game” shirt is so much more than just fabric.

​A Trip Down Memory Lane

​This week, the Western Guard newspaper in Madison ran a story on my radio career in their “Golden Pages” section. It was written by Ryan Feiock, who interviewed me about a month ago.

Talking with Ryan made me realize how much I truly enjoy reflecting on my career. Seeing all those stories on paper made it sink in: I’ve met a lot of incredible people and broadcasted over 5,500 games on Q-92. I guess I’ve been around the block a few times—which is probably why they put me in the “Golden” section!

​The Magic of Section Basketball

​Finally, it’s section basketball time! This past week, I was in Granite Falls and Montevideo broadcasting games. I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the crowds this year.

The girls’ game between Central Minnesota Christian and MACCRAY at YME was unbelievable—the gym was packed! With two of the top teams in the state and great players on both sides, the atmosphere was electric. Saturday’s quadruple-header of boys’ playoff games in Montevideo was equally fun. I just love that setup.

Pies, Pigs, and Passion

​It was National FFA Week, and I had a blast visiting LQPV, Dawson-Boyd, and Canby schools to interview FFA officers and take part in their local activities.

​On Friday, I headed over to Canby High School. The FFA chapter there had been running a fundraiser all week, and they had a “Pie-in-the-Face” incentive: if they raised enough money, they got to toss pies at Ag teacher John Dessonville and principal Dr. Bob Slaba.

​The students definitely delivered! The whole school gathered in the cafeteria to watch the FFA members pie each other, their teacher, and their principal. It was pure chaos—lots of laughter and a stage covered in whipped cream. Dr. Slaba ended up getting pied seven times, and the chapter raised over $1,000! It was so much fun to watch the school come together for such a great cause.

​Barnyard Visits at LQPV and Dawson-Boyd

Over at LQPV and Dawson-Boyd, the chapters brought in barnyard animals for the week. There is nothing quite like watching the elementary students’ faces light up as they get to pet farm animals.

​Beyond the fun and games, I interviewed several FFA students throughout the week. It’s clear that these young leaders have a genuine passion for farm life and the future of agriculture.

​I could go on, but I’m already over my word count! Thank you so much for reading and following along. I truly appreciate it.