8-year-old basketball fan who wrote letter to UAA women's team meets her idols!

all right Melissa dribble pass shoot yeah basketball is big here in Alaska I didn't realize it until I got here a couple years ago uh but there is no bigger fan of the uuaa women's team than this passionate 8-year-old you're about to meet and so it all started with a letter her parents saw her writing after she had seen a Sea Wolves Victory mom took a shot she sent the letter out to the coach and the rest is hoop dreams the UAA Women's Basketball team is pretty good this year they not only score

in the court but with the fans too spontaneous dancing and baby racing look at the little Seawolf Cub go the women's action is so exciting and so inspiring in fact hello my name is Valery and I love UAA I'm a big fan this little 8-year-old SeaWolves fan Valerie Quinto was moved to write a letter to the team and Coach Ryan McCarthy unbeknownst to Mom and Dad all of a sudden I just seen her uh busy busy on the table writing she started playing basketball two years ago and um off of her coach Kian

a Engel who used to play for UAA Valerie just caught the basketball bug you see Valerie had researched the team on her own she took the initiative I wanted to send it out and I was surprised that they responded so quickly and that letter simply said I'd like to tell the team how good they are in person and if you think you can then you can try to find me and my mom and dad in the crowd and what a response from coach McCarthy it was Valerie got the VIP treatment hi there hi complimentary tickets

to this late January game against the St Martin Saints there you go GL you're here got to get a picture with the Seawolf then it was off to the good seats with the big drink and big smile shy Valerie and family parked right behind the coach and the team the game was a family affair and Valerie she just couldn't stop smiling but the best was yet to come thank you oh thank you Valerie had made chocolate lays for the entire team and got to get a picture too and she had questions mom asked and then

she wants to know what your favorite drill is for back what's your favorite drill to the girls run it depends if they've been good or or bad if valie says she wants to play for Coach McCarthy one day so he gave her some homework these are all of our plays you need to memorize all of those she may not have talked much but that smile said it all Valerie met her Heroes on this Saturday and learned the only shots you don't make are the ones you don't take nice to meet [Music] you thank you for the d

reams and wishes do come true just look at Valerie's smile I'm Dave all good and that's the all good news thank you how about that huh look look what I got huh you steal her I to a chocolate are you kidding me like I'll take one of those that's hey I worked for three hours on that story um by the way Valerie uh she gave them all she was so sweet uh she started playing when she was six a long time ago two years ago when I got here uh loves the game and her parents say she's not that shy at home s

he was very shy but she's not shy at all at home like a lot of kids right valy does say that she wants stay right here in Alaska and play for Coach McCarthy as soon as she's old enough yeah they've had a good year so far they did have a nine game winning streak but uh good for Valerie thanks for letting me hang out with you guys for a little while all right here's nor