From left, Brandon Standridge, Uncle Alvie and Cody Standridge in front of iconic Yankee Stadium.
I have been fortunate that athletics have been an integral part of my life since elementary school. From playing sports in high school and college, to coaching and now as an athletic director, there have been many experiences and memories that I cherish.
When asked to narrow down memories to “a favorite,” the one that keeps popping up in my mind first is the week I was able to take one of my biggest heroes to Yankee Stadium.
My uncle Alvie was someone who has helped raise me; taught me how to hunt and fish, throw and hit a baseball, and how to make a jump shot.
Growing up there wasn’t a weekend that I didn’t spend with him doing something outdoors, or playing card games inside when it was rainy. He was someone who helped pay for my school clothes, bought me all of my sporting goods and even gave me a pickup truck to drive in high school. He has also been a lifelong Yankees fan who loves baseball.
One of the things that my younger brother, Cody, and I talked about for a couple of years was taking him to watch a baseball game in Yankee Stadium. So finally, in the summer of 2017, along with my wife Stephanie, the three of us took Alvie to New York. I was able to plan out a week where we were able to go to a Yankees game, the baseball and basketball hall of fame complexes, and a Red Sox home game. I was lucky enough to keep him from paying for a single thing for once in my life!
I figured that since we were on the east coast, we might as well show him Fenway Park even though he’s not a Red Sox fan one bit. It is such a historic stadium I knew he’d enjoy at least being there!
All in all, it was so rewarding to give back to him in a way that growing up I would have never thought possible. To see his face when he entered Yankee Stadium was one of the best memories of my life, and I was so glad to be able to give that to him.
– Brandon Standridge,
CHS athletic director
