Young girls skip school with their parents to attend Valkyries' early WNBA Finals watch party

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Sika Lopez took 11-year-old daughter Kendra out of school Thursday to be part of the early morning watch party outside Chase Center cheering for the Golden State Valkyries.

Lopez grew up in Los Angeles watching Lisa Leslie and the Sparks, and believes being present can impact Kendra chasing her own dreams — so they joined several thousand fans gathering on the plaza at Thrive City outside Chase Center to support Golden State in Game 6 of the WNBA Finals at Atlanta.

“This is such a monumental moment. The Valkyries have worked so hard. When I was her age this wasn't even possible," Sika said between clapping along with the others.

“Lisa Leslie growing up, she was larger than life.”

Hundreds of hands raised when energetic in-arena host Ari Waller asked if fans had taken a day off work or school to attend the violet-clad watch party, where fans received rally towels upon entry.

Kendra missed a day of sixth grade in the East Bay to root on the Valkyries and her favorite player, Kayla Thornton.

“It makes a big difference because the Valkyries are such a young team and to be able to support them so early means something to me,” Kendra said.

Joshua Padilla from Santa Clara felt the same way, bringing his two daughters to San Francisco — 15-year-old high school sophomore Mariah and 10-year-old Malia, who is in fifth grade.

Both girls told their teachers they had doctor appointments — along the lines of what point guard Veronica Burton had suggested when she noted after Game 5, “Call in sick, I recommend it.”

“It's just really special. I'm happy to be here with my sister and my dad, we never really get the quality time,” Mariah said. “I think this is a great way, something we all connect with and we love the Valkyries.”

Despite the early hour and some frustrated supporters about the early tipoff time at 9:30 a.m. PDT, “Ballhalla” braved commuter traffic to be in place for this moment and watch the game on the big screen, which is 74 feet wide and 42 feet high. Though the Valkyries were down 46-26 at halftime, the moment was bigger than the score.

For Padilla, he knows how important it is to expose his daughters to powerful, athletic women not to mention all of the diversity in the Valkyries' fan base. They considered it a special day no matter who won.

“That's exactly why I wanted to have them come out here, women's sports is thriving right now and it's becoming bigger,” he said. “I actually have four daughters, so being able to come with two of them and support the women and women's sports it just shows them that it's up and coming and there's something to strive for later on down the road.”

See AP’s full WNBA coverage here