Celebration of Dad

STAFF WRITER

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We’ve all heard the cliché expressions like “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” or “he’s a chip off the old block” when referencing the similarities between fathers and sons.

Just like every person has their own individuality, the shared bonds between fathers and sons runs the gamut from enjoying the adventures of fictional characters to having the same passion in a career path.

With today being Father’s Day, here’s a look at the activities several local fathers and sons enjoy doing together.

Royce Kramer, an aircraft support mechanic at Cannon Air Force Base, and his 15-year old son, Matt, have a shared passion for all things science fiction related, but their personal favorite sci-fi topic is “Doctor Who.”

“I started watching (the series) three or four years ago,” Royce said. “(Matt) started watching it not long afterwards. He started watching all the original episodes from 40 or 50 years ago. He’s got his favorite Doctor, and I’ve got one or two I like to watch quite a bit but they all go hand-in-hand.”

For Matt, his love of science fiction rests in the creativity of the stories and while Royce wouldn’t say which Doctor is his favorite, Matt had no problem naming his.

“I like seeing what other people can come up with,” Matt said. “How far people’s imagination can extend to. The Ninth Doctor was my first but nothing will ever beat the Fourth (Doctor) for me.”

The duo just returned from a trip to Space City ComicCon in Houston, Texas, last week where they got their fill of all things Sci-Fi related.

“We both enjoyed seeing the comic book creators, super hero creators,” Royce said. “But the highlight for us was getting to meet the cast of ‘Doctor Who’.”

When not attending conventions, Matt said he and his father like to incorporate their love of Doctor Who when they’re out people watching in public.

“Commonly we’ll talk about the ‘Fez and Bowtie’s Are Cool’ memes,” Matt said. “That’s a running theme for us. Occasionally when we go to Wal-Mart we’ll see some novelty bow ties or someone actually wearing a fez, and I’ll point out, ‘He’s got a fez on! That’s so cool!’”

On the other side of the spectrum, Portales varsity and junior varsity basketball coaches Rickie and Randy McBroom have bonded over sports in general, something Rickie attributes to his sons growing up in a house where their father has always been a coach.

“We were really just what you would call a sports family,” Rickie said. “My two boys played pee wee football, little league baseball and basketball. Those were the big three (sports) for us. We tried to make it family events so we’d always be together.”

For Randy, being a coach was something he always wanted to do.

“Ever since I was little I saw the impact he had on the kids he coached and the influence he had,” Randy said. “I always loved the game. There was never a doubt what I was going to do when I grew up.”

As for special memories with his father, Randy said he’s had plenty of experiences both as a high school player in Lordsburg and as a member of his father’s coaching staff.

“Getting to coach in The Pit was a pretty special thing a few years ago,” Randy said. “As a player we made it to the state tournament my senior year. The preparation we got to spend together and the setting was a really special time for us.”

It’s been a good run for the McBrooms as both father and son coached their teams to their respective district championships this season, something Rickie is especially proud of.

“It’s just a blessing to be doing what you love to do with them,” Rickie said. “It’s a special situation, because you know it’s not going to last forever. You want to enjoy the process. You want to take the time to enjoy that experience and that relationship you have at that time.”

While Randy already has some children of his own, he’s perfectly content if his children decide to not become another Coach McBroom.

“Ultimately I want my kids to do whatever they love,” Randy said. “There’s no pressure but at the same time, sports is a big part of our lives.”