About Valkyries United.

Where Values Take Root

I grew up in Montana as the son of immigrants. Like so many families chasing a better life, ours came with struggles.

My mom still tells me about a time when all she had was a single apple, which she cut into four pieces so there would be something for each of the four kids to eat. At one point, our situation became so difficult that we were kicked out of the place we were living and, thanks to the kindness of a good samaritan, our family was able to stay in someone’s garage. Living in a garage through the brutal Montana winter was a challenge unlike anything most families could imagine.

As difficult as that moment was, getting kicked out ultimately became a blessing in disguise.

At the time, my parents were earning about 25 cents an hour, far below the $2.00 minimum wage in 1976. Eventually, they found jobs in my hometown of Helena, Montana, where they finally earned minimum wage and were paid in cash.

My dad still tells the story of the first time he held $100 in his hands. He dropped to his knees and cried because he never imagined he could accumulate what, to him, felt like so much wealth.

Fast-forward to today, and my parents have served Chinese food to the Helena community for nearly 50 years, 45 of those years as small-business owners.

That journey was made possible by hard work and perseverance, but they didn’t do it alone. A community supported them, embraced them and gave an immigrant family an opportunity to build a life.

They succeeded because people came together. They succeeded because a community was united.

From Montana to the Bay with the Oakland A’s

My own journey eventually took me away from Montana. After graduating from high school, I moved to San Francisco for college and eventually landed what I thought was my dream internship with the Oakland A’s. That internship turned into six seasons with the organization and opened a door to a career I never could have imagined growing up.

From there came opportunities with Sonoma Raceway, then known as Infineon Raceway, and Live Nation. Eventually, that journey led to the co-founding of the Country Fastball Radio Show, a nationally syndicated program that brought together two of my passions: country music and Major League Baseball.

Before the V, Still Promoting Positivity with Country Fastball

My goals for Country Fastball were modest, or at least they seem that way looking back. I wanted to meet Carrie Underwood and Reba McEntire. Within our first year, both of those goals had already become reality.

But Country Fastball ultimately became about much more than checking a couple of names off a bucket list. It gave me the opportunity to meet and work with some incredibly unique personalities from both country music and Major League Baseball, to learn from the artists and athletes I encountered along the way, and to gain a deeper appreciation for the journeys behind their success. Most importantly, it allowed me to focus on something that has always mattered to me: celebrating the positive stories, people and communities that bring us together.

The Night Everything Changed

Then, on Friday the 13th of March 2015, my perspective on life changed forever.

I was shot in San Francisco during an attempted robbery.

Surviving that night gave me an even greater appreciation for life. The petty noise that once seemed important became almost meaningless. Things that might once have bothered me simply didn’t carry the same weight anymore.

I made a choice to focus on what matters. To appreciate the people around me. To find the positive whenever possible and, most importantly, to understand just how valuable our time together really is.

Why Valkyries United

Because every one of us has a story.

We all experience struggles, setbacks and tragedies, but our struggles don’t have to define us. What matters is what emerges from them, the lessons we learn, the strength we discover and the people who help lift us back up.

My family had someone willing to open a garage when we had nowhere else to go. My parents had a community that supported their small business for nearly half a century. Throughout my own journey, I’ve had countless people offer opportunities, encouragement, friendship and support.

Those connections are what unite us.

And that is what I want this community to represent.

The Golden State Valkyries brought us together through basketball, but this can be about something bigger than wins, losses or what happens on the court. It can be a place to celebrate the stories, personalities, struggles and triumphs that make up this community.

A place built around positivity.

A place where we support one another.

A place where our individual stories become part of something larger.

Wherever we come from, whatever we’ve been through and whatever challenges still lie ahead, we are stronger when we come together.

Different journeys. Different struggles. Different triumphs. One community. United.
Valkyries United.