I love the WNBA and have wanted to share an indelible memory from the summer of 2011 that will be with me for life. Until now, I never took the time to put it into words. So, here we go.
Many people are well aware of what the 2011 Minnesota Lynx did on the court, as they dominated the WNBA en route to their first ever championship. As exciting and gratifying as it was to be at the final game and celebrate with my coworkers and the team, it is an off court "win" that impacted me in an even more meaningful way. My level of respect went off the charts and cemented my thoughts about the WNBA women being life changers.
This story takes place at the Ronald McDonald House in Minneapolis in the summer of 2011. I headed over there with some other Lynx employees for an afternoon of fun and service, which included helping the children make ice cream. Now for those of you who don't know what the Ronald McDonald house is, let me give you some background. The house provides a haven for families with sick children who require long term medical treatment. These families come from all over the country, so staying there without charge enables them to stay for long periods of time. Through the gift of shelter, they have a place they can call "home" as long as needed. They have their own bedrooms, huge shared kitchens, and compassionate staff that help them with any needs that arise.
When we first arrived, we were briefed on the day's activities and then were on our way to the kitchen to start prepping the ice cream. I was assigned to crush Oreos, which were to be used as a topping. Immediately, a little girl who we will call Jessica asked if she could help me. At first Jessica spoke hesitantly, but soon was chatty and lively. She had a radiant glow about her and I felt a heart warming connection. I was so happy to see her smiling, but felt an emptiness when I thought about why she was there. The reason was because her two year old sister had a rare blood cell disease. Despite the hardship, the smile remained, and the precious eight year old was eager to help me. Jessica took over and soon we had our cookies crushed and were ready to head out to the patio to start making the ice cream. All of the kids had to take turns spinning the handle to churn the treat, so Jessica and I went over to the porch swing. As we whiled away the time and continued our conversation, Alexis Hornbuckle and Candice Wiggins arrived and were immediately swarmed by their mini fans.
Jessica was still talking to me, but became enthralled with the bubbly personality and shiny silver moon boots of Candice. She was staring at Candice and then started telling me that she loved basketball and used to play, but had to quit when her sister got sick. I asked her if she knew who Candice was and she said "no." I asked her if she would like to walk over and meet a professional basketball player. I introduced Candice to her and it didn't take long for Jessica to warm up. I stepped back and watched the two interact. Among other things, Jessica repeated that she loved basketball. Watching them together moved me to tears. It was as if time had stopped, and nothing else mattered. This was powerful, magical and something that WNBA critics never get a chance to see or experience. At the conclusion of their conversation, Candice told Jessica she would get her tickets to a Lynx game at the Target Center. A simple conversation with a WNBA athlete brought affirmation and excitement to a skinny legged little girl and is just one example of what a difference the league can make. It also reinforced my strong belief that the WNBA is a positive force.
A few weeks later, I was retelling this story in a staff meeting. As my eyes welled up I shared just how much that afternoon had touched me. After the emotion had passed my coworkers teased me with comments about never letting me forget the tears. That's alright with me. I am SO thankful to Candice and Jessica for letting me be there in that moment, but most importantly I want to thank the WNBA for such an amazing experience. I love that young girls can interact with WNBA players, who take the time to care, as their role models. The memory of that short time will always be in my heart. So, to all of you WNBA critics, please realize there is so much more to the "game" than what you see on television. Next time you criticize the league, remember, this story wouldn't have happened without the WNBA.
No comments:
Post a Comment