UConn supported by player families in Cayman Islands
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands — The UConn women’s basketball team’s game against UCLA was the last game of the night on Day 1 of the Cayman Islands Classic Friday.
Kim and Mike Arnold had sat in the gym’s bleachers at John Gray High School all evening waiting to watch their daughter KK and the rest of the Huskies play against the Bruins.
With a quick break between the Kansas-Virginia
Tech game and UConn’s game, Mike got up to grab waters for them. What he didn’t realize was that the nearest concession stand was outside of the gym across the street. He began the trek, thinking he had time.
Moments later, inside the gym, the UConn fan section roared in celebration when KK was introduced in UConn’s starting lineup for the first time in her career.
When Mike came back — and without the waters since there was no food or drinks allowed in the gym — he didn’t realize he
missed his daughter’s first collegiate start until Kim told him. He was crushed.
Thankfully, KK, just a month into her collegiate debut, wasn’t too upset and told him not to worry.
“We got a whole four years, right? I’m sure that’s not going to be her last start,” Kim told CT Insider Sunday morning in the Cayman Islands. “Luckily somebody got it on camera. But yeah, it was a surprise for us. And they called her name first because she was first with No. 2 (jersey). I was like, ‘Wow.’ Looking back, I was thinking if I jumped up and yell, she was gonna be like, ‘MOM.’ So, I tried to stay calm.”
The Arnolds were among a handful of families to make the trip to the Cayman Islands this Thanksgiving to support the team.
Azzi Fudd had nine family members in attendance. Arnold had four while Ashlynn Shade, Ice Brady and Amari DeBerry also had family in town
for the holiday weekend.
The Fudds have become a crowd staple at UConn games, no matter the opponent or location. For freshmen parents like the Arnolds, their time as part of the Husky family is just getting started. From being welcomed to the program by the other parents to exploring all parts of the world, the priority is support their daughter both on and off the court.
“For KK to be living her dream, it’s awesome,” Kim said. “It’s not about us. It’s about us supporting her and what she wanted to do.”
Throughout KK’s recruiting process, it was important for Kim to learn about the environment of the team family of each school. She wanted to make sure it would be a welcoming and friendly atmosphere for whenever they came to visit KK.
KK’s heart was set on playing at UConn since she was in the third grade. And since she’s become a Husky this year, the Arnolds have found that warm and inviting family environment with the rest of the program and players’ families.
“It’s always been family,” Kim said. “We’ve always embraced that, because if we’re not there, right, say for instance we can’t make a game, you want to know that you have somebody there that’s also, you know, supporting your kid. Or that, you know, wants your kid to win, just like they want their kid to win. So, I think kind of seeing some of that from the outside (before this season) for us made us more comfortable as well.”
The Arnolds said the Fudds have been incredibly helpful with learning what life is like as UConn parents. The biggest advice they told the Arnolds was to embrace every moment with the team and their daughter because time in college will go by fast.
Mike wasn’t originally going to fly to Connecticut for the team’s game against Maryland on Nov. 16. He asked Tim Fudd if he was going and once, he found out he was, Mike told his boss that Monday he needed Thursday off.
“That girl (KK) has got us to see areas of the world that we would have probably never ever ever seen,” Kim said.
Mike and Kim arrived in the Cayman Islands on Tuesday and stayed through Sunday.
The trip was Kim’s second international trip with the Huskies after she joined the team for the second half of their European Tour in August. Kim said she and Mike, along with some of KK’s older siblings, are planning to attend the majority of UConn’s games this season.
Normally during Thanksgiving, the Arnolds host their kids and grandkids. Kim always makes homemade cornbread dressing, but this year the parents of four traded in the Wisconsin snow for the beautiful, sunny warm beaches of the Cayman Islands.
“I think just the experience
for us, right, was like, ‘Wow, OK, they’re going to the Grand Canyman. OK, well we’re going to the Cayman Islands too,’ ” Kim said. “To actually get to the games, to actually see the team, you know, in this environment, I think it was important for us. It was really cool.”
It didn’t matter to the Fudds if Azzi wasn’t playing (the junior guard is out for the remainder of the year with a knee injury), they weren’t going to miss a trip to the Cayman Islands to support her and the rest of the team. Cheering for Azzi’s teammates when she can’t play has become a form of therapy
for the parents.
“When I look back on my playing experiences in college, one of (the) bigger memories — you’ll remember all the games, you remember playing with your teammates and things of that nature — but one of my best memories is having representation in the stands and being able to see the joy that they had following my journey, Tim Fudd said.
“That’s one of the things I think Azzi will look back on her experiences, and it’ll bring a smile on to her face; the joy that she was able to bring to her family members, extended family members, just watching her play and being a part of her journey is something that she’ll remember for the rest of her life.”
Outside of their immediate family (Azzi’s parents Katie and Tim and her two younger brothers), Azzi’s grandparents and uncle, aunt and cousin also made the trip.
“I think first of all, we’re so blessed to just have family that’s committed. We’re huge family people,” Katie said. “And it’s nice that we have some family that feels the same way, right? So, they’re willing to take these vacations. …
“It’s nice to be able to spend time away from the hustle, bustle and hectic normal schedules to be here. And just be like, ‘Alright, what are we doing now? Let’s hangout on the beach or let’s go on this excursion.’ It just doesn’t hurt that it’s, you know, paradise here. It’s beautiful.”
The majority of the families in attendance stayed in a different hotel than where the team stayed.
Since the team had its own schedule throughout the week consisting of practices, shootarounds, recovery and games, the families snuck in time with their daughters whenever they could.
On Thursday afternoon, after the team’s practice, the Fudds took Azzi out on a private boat tour to see the stingrays and starfish.
The Arnolds spent Thursday morning with KK before the team’s practice and made sure to ride the bus back to the team hotel after games for that extra time with her.
Since the team had a private Thanksgiving dinner, the families were left on their own to enjoy the holiday.
The Fudds got barbecue, while the Arnolds had an even more non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
Kim and Mike tried to book a reservation at one of the islands nearby restaurants for Thursday night, but everything was already booked or didn’t offer take-out options.
“For the first time in my life, I had a hot dog and hamburger,” Mike said with a laugh. After giving up trying to find a seat at a restaurant, the couple settled for a local burger shack. But even then, they couldn’t escape the island’s high prices. The three hot dogs, one burger and two sodas totaled $60. “I said, ‘Happy Thanksgiving, darling.’ ”
On Saturday, the Fudds and Arnolds hung out at the beach at the Westin (the team’s hotel) together, sunbathing and swimming.
While the Huskies left the Cayman Islands with a loss, a win, and lots of question marks on offense; the families left feeling even more connected to each other and with the program.
“It’s not long enough and it goes by pretty fast, but it was pretty awesome,” Mike Arnold said. “A pretty fun time. Hopefully next year, too. I mean, we got three more years.”
Added Kim Arnold with a laugh: “Where are we off to next?”