As most of us do, I blame my parents for certain personality traits. My parents, Bay Area Natives, were among the first fans when the Warriors came to San Francisco. In my family, sports fandom was part of our daily life. We didn’t watch regular television shows like other families. We watched sports. We went to games. We spent hours playing outside with KNBR live in the background. Other than the occasional hunting show, or perhaps news expose, I grew up with the Warriors.
When it came to the Warriors, almost like religion being handed down to you — I was not given a choice. Rooting for another city would not have been tolerated. Both my parents were die-hard Warriors’ fans. Many women can claim the title of hardcore and my mom was no exception. She was the real deal. She could explain a transition offense or a fast break better than most men. It was pretty cool.
My earliest and fondest memories are from watching Bay Area sports. During and after games, we hugged so tightly. I remember my dad picking me up after a Run TMC sequence and I was not able to breathe. I remember tears coming down the side of my mom’s face. I recall my dad’s smile and his persistent kisses on my forehead. Oh, and so many high fives.
Looking back, I was spoiled in a sports-sense. From those early memories on, I went on to watch my beloved San Francisco 49ers win five championships (and continue to talk about their current struggles with @49ersfangirl Tracy on our weekly podcast Talking Touchdowns). My San Francisco Giants won three World Championships in five years, and the Golden State Warriors has created one of the best teams to ever play the game.
I am so proud of my sports heritage. My parents were amazing teachers and encouraged everything they loved. And, they really loved the Golden State Warriors.
At present, I reside in beautiful San Diego, California. I still follow the Warriors with extreme passion year after year. Instead of hugging my family and friends in Northern California, I hug total strangers in bars. It is still awesome. I could not be happier to be chosen to be the Warriors Fangirl!
