Friday night at the Anaheim Convention Center we were waiting for the first group of potential draftees to arrive for the red carpet for going to their seats, and hopefully, having their name called on stage by commissioner Jessica Berman. The first to arrive on the carpet was a little nervous but very excited about the night, and she listened and made her way down the carpet before joining a large number of family members who also arrived for the special night. Her name was Laveni Vaka, and like several of the others who seemed a little anxious as the night started to unfold, I gave her some simple advice. When you walk out there, make a mental picture of the moment, because it will never happen again. She thanked me and we moved on to the rest of the young stars on the way in, not knowing that a few hours later, Laveni, a star at BYU hailing from the Bay area, would remind us all why the moment in sports is so special when you embrace it.
As the night wound down and most of those who walked the carpet earlier heard their name called, most in the gallery were heading home, or were awaiting for the four rounds to complete so they could get their jobs done and head out. Then with the second to last pick, expansion Bay FC called their final pick of the evening…Laveni Vaka…and the room exploded. This young woman rose to the stage in tears, talking about her hopes and dreams and the pride she had, along with the anxiety of being there and seeing so many go before her while hopping that the clock would not strike midnight and she would have been left as first to come, last to leave, without a mission accomplished.
Her family and friends joined her for pictures and selfies back stage, all celebrating with a relived and overwhelmed young lady who brought life to the end of a long evening, just like she had brought excitement to the literal kickoff of the event on the red carpet.
The most cynical and bored checking their watches looked up, smiled and got a jolt of late night joy that was welcomed and served as the bell ringing reminder of the power of sport, through the eyes of a young woman whose moment had come right before the final gun sounded.
Then there was Saturday morning. Being an early riser, I headed down to the restaurant at the Anaheim Hilton to read and prep for a travel day. I was put into a part of the early morning dining area with several young, somewhat bleary eyed families with kids looking to experience some Disney Magic just down the street at Disneyland. Having been there in both Anaheim and Orlando, I could sense both the excitement and the pain of long lines and character chases Disney and experience like nothing else on earth.
To my right was a young couple with a small boy, obviously getting ready to head home from the house of Mouse. They had a big balloon with them. Three tables away was a family all dressed ready for Disney, princess dresses and smiles all around, the dad and the little boy getting ready to leave…Parker…got up, walked over to the other family who was readying for their day in the park, and Parker game the kids his balloon so they could take it with them, the dad explaining that balloons and planes don’t mix well.
The little girl screamed with delight when she got floating Mickey, and again, the grumpy and cynical around them exploded into cheers.
Two different unexpected emotive experiences that served at the unlikeliest of times to serve as reminders that being in the moment, showing up and experiencing the world around us, sports or Disney, has a payoff that is immeasurable if we allow ourselves to enjoy, and maybe at the right time, pay it forward.
Now who knows what the future holds for Laveni and for Parker and his parents, but I was happy to have been there for their moments, ones they will never forget, and neither will I.
And now back to business as we hit mid January…
Still A Winter Favorite, Pinewood Derby Continues To Take Shape…