VINCE ALVARADO: The basketball was put into my hands
at an early young age.
Growing up with two older brothers,
I had a healthy sibling rivalry.
My dad, coaches, they helped me become
who I am, who I became on the basketball court.
I grew up in Victorville, California.
I played at Silverado High School.
I had a really good senior year of basketball, good academics,
honor roll student.
I was all-CIF first team, all-San Bernardino County,
Desert Sky League player of the year,
all-region by the LA Times, male athlete of the year.
So I thought I was going to go somewhere out of high school
and get a scholarship.
But it ended up not working out.
I just started working.
I didn't know where my future was going.
I didn't know what to do.
So I pretty much had quit basketball, quit school.
Out of nowhere, Coach Klein gave me a call a couple weeks
before Christmas.
So I came out that January and started
practicing with the team.
Chaffey College is like a second chance
that gives you the opportunity to continue what you almost
left behind.
Some of my accomplishments here at Chaffey,
several all-tournament teams.
I was also a team captain my sophomore year.
I was also a two-time all-conference.
Besides the athletic awards, I also averaged a 3.4 GPA.
Outside of school I earned my associate's degree.
I was also a staffer here at some of the basketball camps
that Coach Klein ran, as well as my high school coaches ran
in the high desert, just showing the kids the basic fundamentals
of basketball and basic fundamentals of life, really.
After Chaffey I had a few offers from different states.
But I chose Hawaii because there's nothing
like a degree in paradise.
I was on a full basketball scholarship.
I was all-conference my senior year, as well as team captain.
And I earned my bachelor's degree in sociology.
After I graduated from the University of Hawaii
I played basketball one season in South America.
It was a lot of fun.
I made a lot of friends.
I'm currently working at BNSF Railway.
I'm a conductor.
It's pretty cool to be doing 70 miles per hour
on a two-mile long train.
So being able to do that, moving America,
is pretty cool to be a part of.
Helping out the economy, and it gives me
a little bit of satisfaction.
I feel like I'm doing something for this country.
One day I hope to coach my son, as well as my daughters.
I mean, my daughters might be in gymnastics or dance,
but I'm going to have to spend some time on YouTube
learning how to dance and do gymnastics
just so I can be involved.
But I'll put in the time and work if it includes
being involved with my kids.