Lehi resident hosts watch party for BYU game vs. Wisconsin

LEHI — BYU fans across Utah are celebrating tonight as the Cougars advance to the Sweet 16 after an upset win over Wisconsin in the NCAA tournament.

Among the many watch parties held throughout the state, one in particular stood out.

Dennis Hendricks, a Lehi resident, hosted a small gathering at his home to cheer on the Cougars.

Despite losing his vision to macular degeneration about five years ago, Hendricks, who is 84-years-old, hasn’t let that stop him from experiencing the excitement of BYU basketball.

“I don’t miss a BYU game,” Hendricks said. “I listen to the radio, and lots of times we turn the TV on and the radio on so I can hear the descriptive play that way.”

Hendricks relies on the sounds of the game and the reactions of his friends to stay connected to the action.

“Basically, we just have company, and the people that are here, those who watch can watch, and those that can’t can listen,” he explained with a laugh.

The atmosphere in Hendricks’ home was filled with excitement and camaraderie, proving that you don’t need to see the game to enjoy it.

“So, what is it now, 24?” he said out loud, one of many times he asked for the score, because he wasn’t able to get the radio broadcast of the game.

“Yes, we’re looking good,” replied one of his friends.

Of course, they weren’t the only ones watching the game.

The NCAA tournament brings in millions of viewers from across the country and even the world.

That is a lot of exposure for not only BYU, but to the state of Utah as well.

“You look at all the great things going on in the state of sport, as we call it, you look at what’s happening with the NHL and the Olympics, having BYU accomplish what they have so far and hopefully more just adds to a great message going out globally about the state of sport,” said Jeff Robbins, who is the CEO and President of the Utah Sports Commission. “It’s great for our state.”

For Hendricks and his friends, the real victory wasn’t just on the scoreboard, it was in the shared moments of friendship and a love for the game, showing that sometimes the best moments in life aren’t seen, they’re felt.

“If you don’t have interaction, your mind stops working,” said Hendricks, who is already excited to host another watch party this coming Thursday. “It’ll be even bigger.”