I once told a friend while planning our annual boy's golf trip that which course we played didn't really matter; it was the memories we would make that we'd remember the most. Unless of course we were playing Pebble Beach or St. Andrews but you get the idea.

This morning I will be honored as an inductee into the WNMU Athletic Hall of Fame with the Pioneering Spirit Award. I spent 17 years as the 'Voice of the Mustangs' as well as serving on the Hall of Fame committee, emcee of the annual induction ceremony, and much more.

I never got paid and we never made money off of the broadcasts but that wasn't the reason I kept doing it, My wife was probably right when she said that I needed to get paid given the amount of time I spent broadcasting, traveling, attending practices and so on. But I've taken away so much from the experiences.

I've been through the highs and the lows both on the field of competition and off. I was there during the Coach Mondragon 'scandal' and the football team bus catching on fire. I've watched our teams find more ways to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory than I could have ever imagined.

And the insane amount of travel. I would regularly drive to football or basketball games, broadcast the game, then turn right around and come home. There was a time when that included a Thursday/Saturday basketball schedule. You can't imagine my excitement when the one way drive time was "only" 10 hours!

But it was worth every minute of it. The excitement of the games and seeing kids that I'd gotten to know perform at high levels was a lot of fun. Playing at Division I schools and feeling like I was a real broadcaster was amazing. Of course any time we beat New Mexico Correctional, err New Mexico Highlands University was a special bonus.

Times on the road when we'd sit around after games and talk about not only the game but sports or life in general. The discussions, arguments, laughter, and shared experiences will stay with me forever. Not to mention when I got to take my daughters on the road with me.

But without a doubt it was meeting all of the people, coaches, staff, fans, student/athletes, and the families. Names like Enriquez, Clarkson, Sumpter, Dembrowski, Cross, and so many more. Friendships that last a life time.

Those memories are what made it all worth it. That is what's important in life, making memories.