There has been lots of fun in town for those who enjoy basketball. Phoenix Mercury had two Open House events, one in March and another in April. Also, this year Phoenix was the host for the NCAA Men’s Final Four, and April 5–8 there were many fun events. I have been so lucky to participate in a Mercury Open House, to be part of the Men’s Final Four Dribble event presented by Buick, and to go to the Men’s Final Four Fan Fest presented by Capital One.
On March 5, I went to the Phoenix Mercury Open House. There were on-court activities and even locker room tours. It was exciting to play basketball on a WNBA court with my dad. When my family and I went on the locker room tour, we took pictures in front of each Phoenix Mercury team member’s locker. The best part of the Open House was meeting and interviewing Brittney Griner (center #42). She told me that her favorite moment in her career has been winning a championship. Her message to all kids is to get out and play! She says it doesn't matter if it is basketball or soccer, volleyball or baseball, any sport! Get out, have fun, play and enjoy what a team sport can do for you!
On April 7, I participated of the NCAA Men’s Final Four Dribble event in which 3,000 Arizona kids joined at the Heritage Square. From 8 to 10:30 a.m., families could participate in a great variety of activities, such as science experiments, T-shirt spray painting, face painting and more. Mascot Sparky and the ASU band were there. After a morning of activities and music, all children who were registered in the event received a free T-shirt and a Wilson basketball. All of us dribbled down Monroe St. toward the Phoenix Convention Center where the Fan Fest was held.
Fan Fest was exciting with lots of activities in which to participate and celebrities to meet. Among the NCAA sponsors were Capital One, Coca Cola, and many more. Each partner had a booth with games and prizes. I liked shooting buckets and winning prizes. I won sleeves, towels, and even a free haircut from Great Clips! Also, I received glasses from AT&T, and free chips from Ritz. At the Turbo Tax booth, I met Armando Bacot, center/forward for the North Carolina Tar Heels. It was a day of fun and new experiences!
Spring is the time to enjoy the outdoors and the many great events around town. I hope every family finds opportunities to be active and to spend time together creating great memories. I will always remember the moment I was talking to Brittney Griner, I admire and respect her so much. I love the time with my family exploring and enjoying events together.
