Tag Archives: Spokane Hoopfest

Summer 2024

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Today is Labor Day and that means a lot of things to a lot of people. For our family, it always means “Return to School Eve.” Many also consider Labor Day the end of summer. So with my children heading back to St. Mary on Tuesday combined with the prevailing opinion that fall is just around the corner, I thought today marks the best opportunity to recap the summer.

It was a truly memorable summer—and not just for all the activities we crammed in. I will always remember Summer 2024 for significant life events and historical happenings. In the same way that I have recapped summers in the past, today I want to remember Reser Summer 2024 with 10 distinguishing themes/events.

Walla Walla Kickoff – Our summer truly kicked off with a mid-June weekend in Walla Walla. We ventured to “the place so nice they named it twice” for my Aunt Patty’s 60th birthday. The four of us joined my parents, my sister’s family, and my aunts/uncles/cousins for a birthday bash and so much more. The actual party on Saturday night at gorgeous Pioneer Park was the highlight but we also enjoyed a water park outing and a “welcome” pizza dinner on Friday night.

A look at the birthday party for my Aunt Patty at Pioneer Park in Walla Walla.

St. Paschal Educare – This summer, we sent both our kids to St. Paschal Catholic Church for its educare program. Although it was more or less daycare, Sloan and Beau considered it summer camp and had a blast. Sid and I felt thankful to send the kids to a safe, fun, and faith-filled spot while we worked during the summer months.

Sloan had so much fun making new friends and playing hard at St. Paschal Educare in Spokane Valley.

Hoopfest Weekend – What fun this weekend was! I volunteered to be a court monitor at Hoopfest 2024 but I wasn’t the only one from the family who was serving the community. Sidney, Sloan, and Beau volunteered, too, as they kept score during the games and performed all the extra administrative work needed to make sure a bracket runs smoothly. When action wasn’t taking place on our court, we had the opportunity to watch our friends and loved ones play in their own brackets.

Saturday afternoon, we posed for a photo after we finished the games on our court.

Fourth of July – It might have only been a day, but I feel obligated to give Independence Day 2024 its own spot. What an incredible day it was! We started with a Fourth of July parade in Coeur d’Alene, then headed to Riverfront Park to play at a carnival, drove out to my parents’ house for a cookout, and finally headed to Pavillion Park for the fireworks show. You can’t epitomize summer much better than that.

Our Fourth of July was a lot of fun. We  attended a parade, went to a carnival, had a cookout at my parents’ house, and then went to Pavillion Park for fireworks.

New Job – I will always remember this summer for taking the next step in my career. In June I interviewed for the marketing director position at Eastern Washington University and was offered the job the same month. I spent July wrapping up my tenure at WSU and on August 1 I officially started at EWU. True, a lot of this past summer was devoted to a major professional transition but I am grateful it didn’t take away from all the fun stuff I got to do with my family.

Check the ID, I am an official EWU employee.

Visit From Sid’s Parents – In July we enjoyed a special visit from “Gami and Dada.” Sid’s parents came for a week and had their stay extended (yay!) due to the CrowdStrike snafu. It was nice to have my in-laws in town to experience Spokane in its complete summer glory. We had game nights, boated on Lake Coeur d’Alene, visited a Post Falls festival, and much more.

What a blessing it was to host Sid’s parents during summer in Spokane.

The Olympics – I can’t estimate the total hours my family spent watching the Olympics except for the general assessment of A LOT. We had such a joyful time watching the different events, keeping a close eye on the medal count, and rooting for the USA. As I mentioned in my wrap up, the Olympics took place during a very memorable stretch for our family.

Sloan turned into quite the fan of Team USA and the Olympics in general.

Silverwood – During the short break I had between my time at WSU and EWU, the four of us went on our annual summer excursion to Silverwood Theme Park. We hit up the water park first and then transitioned to the rides. A magic show, bottomless soda, and some carnival games were also mixed in. It was Beau’s first trip to Silverwood but it won’t be his last.

We had a great family Silverwood trip at the end of July.

Family Vacation – This summer we traveled to Leavenworth for our family vacation. It was refreshing and relaxing to visit a new/unique place with so much charm. We stuck around our hotel for most of the time as we took advantage of the pools, games, movies, and delicious food. We also made the most of downtown Leavenworth and some lovely family dinners.

We had an amazing time in Leavenworth.

Water – The mercury reached some record-breaking heights this summer so we made sure water wasn’t ever far away. From swimming in the area lakes/rivers to visiting public water parks to splashing in the private pool of a dear family friend, Sloan and Beau improved their comfort with the water and managed to stay coooooool.

We spent a lot of time at pools over the past few months.

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Thanks to my wife and kids for making Reser Summer 2024 truly memorable and FUN. I don’t know if a future summer will ever quite compare to everything that went down over the past 2.5 months but you never know. Bring on the fall. Don’t Blink.

Hoopfest 2024: All About Family

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It was a family-centered Hoopfest as we enjoyed a weekend in downtown Spokane both volunteering and having some fun.

Our 2024 Hoopfest experience started on the WSU Spokane campus as we caught the shuttle that took us to downtown. Sloan scoped out the brand new Cougar Pride statue.

Our main contribution to Hoopfest 2024 was running one of the 425 courts that comprised the event. After last serving as a court monitor in 2015, I was back to volunteer in the same capacity this year. Sidney returned as my scorekeeper and assisting her was someone who wasn’t even alive the last time we volunteered at Hoopfest—Sloan.

Saturday afternoon, we posed for a photo after we finished the games on our court.

The three of us worked together to provide a smooth experience for the adult male: over 40 years old/over six-foot competitive bracket we were assigned to. I was impressed with the caliber of play. The players who graced our court were there because they love the game and the opportunity to hoop it up with their teammates. It was genuinely fun to watch them play their hearts out while working with Sidney and Sloan to provide all players in our bracket the best experience possible.

Sloan got her photo taken with her favorite player from our bracket, Learon Mayes. Everyone at the court, but especially Learon, treated Sloan really well.

I have experienced several times the camaraderie and respect that develops between a court monitor and the teams in the bracket, but to allow Sidney and Sloan to get a taste for it was really special. The guys loved talking with Sidney and they treated Sloan like a princess. It was a pleasure going on the tournament journey with everyone placed on our court.

Sidney and Sloan pose for a photo during Saturday morning of Hoopfest 2024.

Now there was something a little quirky about our court. It was just an eight-team bracket. Because of this, we were done by 1 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday. This allowed us to experience Hoopfest beyond our court assignment on Spokane Falls Boulevard. For example, both days we sat in the shade in Riverfront Park near the food vendors and ate lunch. It also allowed us to watch other people play basketball…

We had the opportunity to watch the re-configured team I was part of last year play a game. The St. Mary Squad became an all-male team after Amy and I decided to step down this year. Ryan and J.J. returned with newcomers Jacob and Reese filling our spots. We saw them come up just short during a game on Saturday afternoon. Although I was not part of the team in terms of the roster, it didn’t stop me from acting like it as I cheered my heart out and stood with whoever the player on the bench was. My boys ended up making the consolation championship!

I was happy I got to watch the St. Mary Squad play (from l-r: Reese Polen, Jacob Bambock, JJ Nazzaro, and Ryan Andrade).

Then there was my brother. Glen’s bracket got way behind so even though we arrived in time for his 3:30 p.m. game, it didn’t start until probably 75 minutes later. No matter, his court was conveniently located right next to David’s Pizza. We were able to pop inside and cool off. Let me tell you, those couple beers I had sure hit the spot. Making it even more convenient was the fact that a large open air window peered right onto my brother’s court so we could keep track of all the action. Unfortunately they would fall in that game as well as the consolation championship game I watched them play on Sunday afternoon. Man, am I bad luck or what?

Sloan and Glen pose for a photo. Sloan is inside David’s Pizza and Glen is right outside it, just feet away from his court.

Just a couple other things from Hoopfest 2024: Beau got to come with us on Sunday. My kids collected way too much swag from the various vendors throughout the weekend. There was a big downpour on Sunday afternoon while watching my brother play. We randomly ran into people we knew throughout the two days, resulting in some awesome conversations.

Beau and Sloan are all smiles at Hoopfest on Sunday morning.

What another great Hoopfest made even more special because of the people I had the pleasure of spending it with. Put it on your calendar, folks, Hoopfest 2025 will be held June 28-29. Don’t Blink.

Returning As a Court Monitor For Hoopfest 2024

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Alright, can we just get through the next 24 hours as quickly as possible? I have Hoopfest fever and am stoked to return as a court monitor to the best and biggest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the world.

Last night I went downtown to pick up my court monitor gear and court assignment. The forest green t-shirts are nice and the purple basketball really pops. Although I am a little puzzled about why the shorts don’t have pockets, I am thankful for anything free. The coveted shoes are now handed out after the tournament to encourage volunteers to actually show up instead of swiping the shoes and sleeping in.

I am excited to return as a court monitor for Hoopfest 2024.

As for my court assignment? Ah man, you are going to love this: This Coug is on a University of Idaho-sponsored court 😂. But it’s all good because my court location is awesome—right in the middle of the action at Spokane Falls Boulevard and Howard. I am overseeing an adult male 8-team bracket. That means my Saturday will be over after the 12:30 p.m. game giving me time to catch afternoon action featuring my friends and family.

This year’s ball definitely pops!

Speaking of family, I will have my wife and daughter helping me this weekend. Sidney is my scorekeeper and Sloan is my assistant scorekeeper. This Reser trio will make sure our court is in good hands.

This is my bracket. Come see me!

There is nothing like Hoopfest weekend. If you have never experienced it before, make it happen tomorrow. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous! If you do find yourself walking the downtown streets, don’t hesitate to stop by and say “hi.” Please pray for a safe and healthy event for all involved. Don’t Blink.

Hoopfest 2023: More Than A T-Shirt

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Going into Hoopfest 2023, I was just hoping for a win. When the dust settled on Sunday, I felt like our team scored many more victories than just quadrupling the on-court win total I was crossing my fingers for.

I felt like our team overachieved in a pretty competitive bracket. People in this photo include (from l-r) JJ Nazzaro, Amy Martin, Fr. Jeff Lewis, me, and Ryan Andrade.

How It Went Down On The Court

What an experience this past weekend was. The St. Mary Squad started off the tournament on Saturday morning with a tough 20-15 loss to the Rez Runnaz. We knew the team we played was pretty decent and didn’t let the small setback get us down. We would win our 12:30 p.m. game (20-14) and then return the next day ready for a big run.

A look at our finalized bracket. We came through the loser’s bracket to play in the championship game.

Our team notched two comfortable victories early Sunday morning and then held on for a victory at noon to successfully seal our loser’s bracket odyssey to the championship game. For the title we played our opening round opponent—the Rez Runnaz. After playing three games seemingly back-to-back-to-back we had little gas left in the tank for the team that was undefeated and had last played at 10 a.m. Although we fell short, we had secured second place and a coveted finalist t-shirt.

We brought home a t-shirt! Ryan, Amy, myself, and JJ sport our finalist t-shirts in front of the Hoopfest backdrop on Sunday afternoon (photo courtesy of Amy).

But just a little bit of context about all those victories: I didn’t have too much to do with them. My St. Mary Squad teammates and fellow Young Adult Catholic members were simply spectacular. Everything started with our lead scorer and athletic specimen JJ Nazzaro. Then we had our 2-point ace Ryan Andrade who would answer the 1-point baskets of our opponents with bombs from downtown. Last but definitely not least, we had our team’s heart and soul—Amy Martin. Because of Hoopfest co-ed rules, a member of the opposite sex must always be on the court so that meant Amy played every single minute of all six games we competed in. Not only did she have the guts to go the distance, but she was an incredible contributor on both sides of the ball and never stopped hustling.

Ryan’s flawless shooting form is captured as he drains a 2-point basket.

Me? I was the fourth man who would give JJ and Ryan breaks while trying to play some defense and pull down a rebound or two. It was an honor to share the court with my teammates.

Even though I contributed the least to our team, I am pretty sure my kids thought I was the MVP 😂

Playing For More Than Hoopfest Glory

But enough about our on-court exploits and team scouting report. Hoopfest 2023 was so special because our St. Mary team was playing for more than a t-shirt.

Our team came together because we wanted to give thanks to God, pay special devotion to our Blessed Mother, and promote the Catholic faith. Helping us with this mission was Fr. Jeff Lewis, our pastor at St. Mary in Spokane Valley. At coffee and donuts one Sunday as our team was starting to come together, Fr. Jeff said that St. Mary would sponsor us once our roster was finalized. However, our dedicated priest did so much more than just make sure that our registration and uniforms were paid for.

Fr. Jeff Lewis poses with our team after the first day of the tournament. What a blessing it was to have him as our team chaplain.

Fr. Jeff rode the shuttle downtown with us, cheered our team on from the sidelines, and hung out with us after the games. But most importantly, he was there as our dedicated team chaplain. He led us in prayer before/after each game, had the materials in his pocket to distribute the anointing of the sick if needed, and was on-hand to give blessings and answer questions to the numerous people who approached him. Regarding prayer, as Ryan said, it was such a peaceful way to begin and end competition while at the same time drawing other people in. In fact, before the tournament was over, we had everyone praying with us from an opponent to our kids to the court monitor.

Fr. Jeff Lewis rides the STA Hoop Loop shuttle with us after the Sunday games.

This mission to put God before Hoopfest glory motivated those associated with our team to make sacrifices. Fr. Jeff gave up his Sunday morning masses to accompany us. Ryan and JJ both left their close-knit Hoopfest teams to play for the St. Mary Squad. And Amy played through serious knee issues. What selfless commitments from some truly great people.

Amy, Sloan, Sid, and Fr. Jeff walk through Riverfront Park on Sunday. Fr. Jeff hung out with us throughout the tournament.

Team Bonding

Because we were all so invested in this opportunity, it came as no surprise that we had such a fulfilling experience that went beyond the streets of downtown Spokane. Prior to this weekend, we got together for a couple of practices. We also had a lively text thread that was full of planning, joking, and anticipating (sorry for all the countdown texts, guys).

Perhaps I was a little too excited to play in Hoopfest.

Between our first and second games on Saturday, Sidney provided us all refuge from the heat by taking us to the break room of her work which happens to be in the heart of the downtown area. The four of us, some of our families, Fr. Jeff, and Fr. David Gaines took time to just relax and chat. Some of this break was spent talking about faith matters and some of it was spent talking about other things. But it all equated to some really nice fellowship.

Thanks to my wife’s connections, we had access to an air conditioned “team room” where we could find relief from the baking hot streets of downtown Spokane. In this photo, Fr. David Gaines and Fr. Jeff Lewis join the four of us and some of our families for a nice break.

Later that night, Sidney and I hosted a cookout at our house. Once again, us players and our families came together for more fellowship on a beautiful evening. In fact, do you want to know how close this Hoopfest experience has brought us together? We were all comfortable enough to play the game Stir the Pot as a big group. Don’t know what that is? Look it up! 😂

We had a team cookout on Saturday night that was pretty dang relaxing.

Finally, the icing on the cake was that when the tournament was over, we gathered for mass that night. With Fr. Jeff’s permission, we wore our finalist t-shirts to the service and he even incorporated our team’s Hoopfest success into his homily.

Holding up the number “2” after earning second place in our bracket. What a great weekend it was.

Gratitude

Before I close out this post, just a few shout outs: First and foremost, thanks to our families. Whether they were supporting us at the games or watching children at home, I know the four of us really appreciated the opportunity to concentrate on our six games we played throughout the weekend. Thanks to our spectacular court monitor, Keith Miner, and his daughter/scorekeeper, Maddie, for taking such superb care of our bracket. These fellow St. Mary parishioners always kept everything under control and applied all the rules perfectly. And finally, thanks to St. Mary for the sponsorship of our team.

Special thanks to my wife for all she did to prepare/take care of our family during the Hoopfest weekend.

I am grateful for the special Hoopfest opportunity I had this year. Amy, JJ, and Ryan…thanks for making our team work and for putting up with my less than stellar basketball skills. Fr. Jeff…you went above and beyond for us, thank you. Now, with all that said, who is sore?!

Thanks be to God. Don’t Blink.

Back For Hoopfest 2023

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I’m back! After not winning a game in Hoopfest last year, I am returning to Spokane’s signature event in search of a “W.” This weekend I will hoop it up on the streets of Spokane at the same Main and Post location I played at last year. But not everything will be the same…

I hold the 2023 Hoopfest player shirt while Sloan holds the Inlander Hoopfet guide.

This year I have a new team. With my siblings caught up in other obligations, I had to find different teammates. Luckily, I wasn’t a free agent for long. Instead of playing with my biological family this year, I am playing with my faith family. For Hoopfest 2023, I am representing St. Mary Parish and School with my good friends Amy Martin, Ryan Andrade, and JJ Nazzaro. We are bringing our love of competition and God to our bracket.

This year we are playing on the T-Mobile court. When I was downtown at Team Check-In yesterday I found our backboard. It is quite…pink.

A cool thing about our team is that we are legitimately sponsored by St. Mary. Fr. Jeff Lewis made sure that not just our registration fee was covered but our uniforms too. The tops we will be sporting this weekend have the St. Mary Spokane Valley logo on the front and a different Marian title special to each of us on the back.

Amy with our Hoopfest uniforms. I am wearing the Fatima top. Amy’s top pays tribute to Our Lady Undoer of Knots.

We begin our Hoopfest quest at 10 a.m. on Saturday. You can find us on the T-Mobile court right in front of the P.F. Chang’s restaurant on Main. Depending on the outcome of our first game, we will play at either 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. and then will resume our ballin’ on Sunday. Insert our official team name (St. Mary Squad) into the Hoopfest app to follow our progress or just come watch us in-person.

This is our bracket. Come watch!

Thank you to St. Mary for allowing us to represent our faith-filled community this weekend. Let us pray that everyone participating in Hoopfest has a safe tournament. Hope to see you on the court! Don’t Blink.

Summer Honey Thursday Rundown

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Before I address the present, let me quickly look back on the past. The month of May in Spokane was gorgeous! In terms of weather, I don’t know if I remember a nicer May at any other time in my life. Alright, as we hop into my latest Thursday Rundown, let’s hope the perfect temperatures and sunny skies continue in June…

Ready For June – Speaking of June, this month is going to be bananas (in a good way)! Weddings, business trips, special visitors, end-of-school, Hoopfest, Catholic Summer Camp, and much more await our family. I don’t necessarily know if that means I will have even more to write about or if it means I will be writing less because we will be so busy but please stick around to find out.

My team will look a little different this year, but I will be back on the streets of Spokane later this month for my second consecutive Hoopfest.

Chicks – Last week, one of Beau’s daycare teachers brought in some of her chicks for the kids to hold. The pictures turned out so cute but I was drawn to something profound the teacher said when writing about how the kids reacted to the animals: They were incredibly loving and gentle toward the chicks. It was so much fun and made my heart so warm to see these children with something smaller and more delicate than even they are. That last sentence made me feel a special type of way.

Beau holding a chick that was brought to daycare last week.

Sign of Summer – That familiar tune could be heard in our neighborhood last night as the ice cream truck went up and down our streets for the first time this season. Of course Sloan couldn’t resist as she got a Jelly Belly-branded snow cone. The driver made every indication that she will be back so I will have to lay down some limitations on how many times we are going to give her our business this year…moderation is key. Believe it or not, a half decade ago I wrote about my top five favorite ice cream truck treats.

Sloan and her friends look at the ice cream truck’s menu.

Beer Purchase – In my previous Thursday Rundown, I mentioned that even though I had a Total Wine gift card it would definitely not be used on wine. Instead, I was excited to spend it on the large inventory of beer that the chain carries. After much deliberation last Saturday, I splurged on Summer Honey, a seasonal ale made by Missoula’s own Big Sky Brewing Co. When I lived in Montana this was a favorite brew of mine and when I cracked open a can several days ago it sure tasted like summer.

I love the Summer Honey cans! I enjoyed this in our backyard over the Memorial Day weekend.

Beef – I recently concluded watching the Netflix series “Beef.” I found the 10 episodes to be entertaining and clever. The series revolves around a single event at the very beginning of the first episode that ultimately intertwines two unlikely characters in an out of control rivalry. The show is meant to be funny but it deals with some very heavy themes. I thought the character development was great and if you have already watched “Beef” you might agree or disagree with me that cousin Isaac was the funniest and most engaging member of the cast. A good thing about “Beef” is that it is extremely easy to watch/follow and episodes are usually only 34 minutes long.

I thought “Beef” was a pretty decent show.

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Have a good June, everyone. Please pray for our friends Dylan and Fidela as they get married this weekend. We can’t wait to watch them enter into holy matrimony on Saturday. Don’t Blink.

Our Hoopfest 2022 Experience

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The dust has settled and Hoopfest 2022 is over. If you read my blog post on Friday, I mentioned that I didn’t particularly like our chances to make a deep tournament run. Well, I can report that the Reser Puffs ended up finishing in sixth place.

Out of six teams. 😂

Although we failed to win a game we sure had fun.

We failed to make it into the win column this past weekend. That’s not to say the games weren’t close. We actually surprised ourselves by being competitive. We lost our Saturday games by scores of 17-14 and 20-13. Our Sunday morning game was even tighter as we fell in overtime, 17-15. That final contest was especially agonizing to lose as we wanted to make it over the hump and take home those consolation champion t-shirts. But it wasn’t meant to be.

And that’s okay.

It’s okay because it was never our goal to win a championship or even a game in the first place. Rather, we were more focused on making family memories and taking part in an incredible community event. Check and check.

Even doing little things like taking the bus downtown with my family was something that made Hoopfest memorable.

Playing with my brother, sister, and sister-in-law was an awesome experience. It means so much when you are competing with family. Being out in the heat together trying to make baskets and doing our other family members proud was a bonding experience I wouldn’t trade for the world.

To play in front of our children was something we didn’t take for granted.

But it wasn’t just the actual action on the court that was so rewarding. For the past few weeks, the four of us had our own text message group where we would hype ourselves up, share weather reports, and iron out details. The excitement and camaraderie we shared was special. We went together to pick up our Hoopfest packets on Thursday and on Saturday night we had an epic Reser Puffs BBQ at our house. On Sunday morning, after we were eliminated, we ordered a round of beers at a downtown restaurant. The tournament brought us together for an extended period of time and we loved every minute of it.

The Hoopfest experience extended far past the action that took place on the court. Our team BBQ on Saturday night was relaxing and a lot of fun.

Hoopfest is an amazing event and I am honored that I had the opportunity to take part in it. Seven years removed from being part of the event and 15 years from actually playing in it gave me renewed appreciation for how unique this tourney truly is. To be one of the 14,000 people shooting jumpers on the downtown Spokane pavement this past weekend was a true pleasure.

The four of us after our final game on Sunday. I really enjoyed playing with Miranda, Glen, and Carrie.

Thanks to Glen, Carrie, and Miranda for playing with me this weekend. Thanks to my wife, my kids, parents, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew for watching us. Thanks to the teams who played us (all great sports) and our court monitor (Keith Miner) who ran a smooth bracket. The soreness I feel throughout my body and the massive blister on my foot were all totally worth it. I am already excited for Hoopfest 2023. Don’t Blink.

Here Come the Reser Puffs

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This could get brutal. Exactly 15 years since I last played Hoopfest, I am lacing up the sneakers to play in the tournament again. You might be asking, why the hell would you do that to yourself? Well, my brother asked me to…which leads to another level of insanity…

For the first time ever, I am playing in the family bracket. To balance out the testosterone of my brother and I, we will be joined by my sister-in-law (Glen’s wife) and my sister. Oh, boy. The Resers are in no way known for their basketball prowess. In fact, some of us have very little experience just dribbling a basketball. This could get interesting to say the least.

I went with Glen and my sister-in-law, Carrie, to pick up our Hoopfest packet on Thursday night and I snapped this photo of them at team check-in.

But no matter how bad we are, I am still really excited to play for several reasons…

1. I have never been on a team with my siblings in any type of organized competition before so this will be unique and fun.
2. The weather is going to be beautiful.
3. I will complete the Spokane trifecta of Bloomsday, the Lilac Parade, and Hoopfest.
4. My wife and kids will be cheering me on.
5. Nothing beats the atmosphere of downtown Spokane during Hoopfest weekend.

This is what the 2022 Hoopfest player t-shirt looks like.

Now, if you want to watch some comedy, you are more than welcome to watch the Reser Puffs play this weekend (yes, we are called the Reser Puffs). We are playing right in front of P.F. Changs on Main and Post on the F5 Networks #5 court. If you are crazy and want some bad basketball to start your day, you can catch our first game tomorrow at 8 a.m. Feel free to track us on the Hoopfest app, just simply go to the loser’s bracket.

When we went downtown to pick up our packets yesterday, not only did we see the location of our court but we saw the actual backboard as well.

What an opportunity to do something fun with my favorite people! My court monitor tenure was a great experience but I am ready to switch sides again. Watch out Spokane, here come the Reser Puffs. Don’t Blink.

Summer Is Here Thursday Rundown

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Summer is here! With the official first day of the season this past Tuesday, the weather has definitely reflected it. We have avoided the brutal heat wave that has hit a large portion of the country and enjoyed extremely pleasant temperatures. Let’s get started with the Thursday Rundown…

Throwback to 2007 – I decided to squeeze in a #TBT for this blog post for a particular reason. This photo is of me playing in Hoopfest the last time I competed as a player. Although I volunteered for Hoopfest for several years after the 2007 event, I have not hooped it up myself for 15 years. That streak will end on Saturday but more on that tomorrow.

This was me playing in my last Hoopfest in 2007.

Funny Answers – If you have a child, most likely they have filled out a form about you like the one below. It is almost a rite of passage for parenthood and sometimes the answers can get pretty wild. I would say Sloan was rather tame with what “she” (her teacher) wrote below. I will give her a special dessert or something for saying that I am 16 years old.

Sloan filled out this form for me. It was good for a Father’s Day laugh.

It’s Summer – Last night I took the kids to Discovery Park in Spokane Valley. They immediately gravitated toward the splash pad. The parks in both Spokane and Spokane Valley boast these impressive water attractions. Last summer I wrote about the mystique of splash pads and included photos of some of the best ones we have visited in the area. If you live in Spokane and have kids who would like a fun option to cool off during the summer, this blog post is a must-read.

This was Beau last night at the Discovery Park splash pad.

Coffee Shops Unite – The espresso stand that is just a couple minutes from our house suffered a traumatic experience yesterday. Its truck was stolen! Th owners of Swell Coffee woke up on Wednesday morning to find out that their branded truck had vanished. It was about 10 hours of anguish before law enforcement tracked down the vehicle 49 miles away in Smelterville, Idaho. The carjacker fled the truck when pulled over. What I thought was really cool about the whole thing was that the million other coffee shops in the Spokane area expressed their relief on Instagram that their competitor’s vehicle was found…pretty classy!

A photo of the Swell Coffee owner with his truck after it was located in Idaho on Wednesday evening.

The Proposal – It was seven years ago on this date that I proposed to Sid (she said “yes”). I popped the question on the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk, the location of our first date. My wife always tells the story about how I inhaled my dinner at the restaurant we ate at prior to the big moment. She just could not figure out why I was in such a hurry. The truth was that we were losing daylight after our food took way longer to arrive than expected. The photographer taking photos of the event needed me to get Sidney to the proposal location before it got too dark. If you want the long story, tap here.

That magic moment.

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Thanks for stopping by tonight. I will be back tomorrow with a rare Friday blog post. Until then, enjoy summer! Don’t Blink.

Back Again for Hoopfest 2015

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After a one-year hiatus, I am thrilled to participate in the world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament once again. I am back to serve as a court monitor at Hoopfest, the signature event in the city of Spokane. This tournament is so big and so distinctive that ESPN is in town and Sportscenter will broadcast LIVE from Hoopfest for three hours tomorrow.

This weekend will mark my seventh time volunteering as a court monitor. From 2008-2013 I labored on the streets of Spokane helping to keep order on various courts. Each year brought different challenges and different memories. I can’t wait to see what 2015 has in store.

This is me wearing the 2015 Hoopfest t-shirt and shorts while holding the 2015 Hoopfest ball.

This is me wearing the 2015 Hoopfest t-shirt and shorts while holding the 2015 Hoopfest ball.

To be honest, this year has already been memorable. This morning when we went downtown to pick up my court monitor equipment and gear, Sidney and I were interviewed by Grace Ditzler of Spokane news station KXLY. She told the tale of a “Hoopfest Love Story” in which Sidney and I traveled all the way to take part in this marquee event, making it our first major activity since our engagement. The report turned out awesome. Click here to watch it.

Sidney and I on the news this evening. KXLY interviewed us this morning. The report turned out great.

Sidney and I on the news this evening. KXLY interviewed us this morning. The report turned out great.

This year my assigned court monitor post is once again in the Main and Washington area of downtown Spokane. My court backboard is Langenhorst & Self CPA’s. I have an adult male court so you can be sure that the competition will be hot and contested. And believe me, I am not kidding about the “hot” part. The forecast calls for tomorrow to hit 104 degrees and Sunday to reach 106 degrees. The hydrating for me starts right now.

2015 Hoopfest court monitor t-shirt with my bracket book, the ball, and shoes.

2015 Hoopfest court monitor t-shirt with my bracket book, the ball, and shoes.

To anyone in town for Hoopfest, please don’t hesitate to stop by and say hi. I am so excited to be back in town for one of my favorite events and I can’t wait to share it with Sidney who will serve as my scorekeeper. Enjoy the weekend and I hope to see you on the streets of Spokane. Don’t Blink.