Family affair

Tony Altobelli

The question was laid out there for Kevin Candelaria to answer. If

everything was equal in terms of size and strength between him and his

sister, Debbie, who would win in a one-on-one basketball game?

“I think she could take me,” Kevin said. “She’s got a nice, little

jumper.”

Then, after a second to think about it ...

“Nah, actually, I’d blow her doors off.”

Spoken like a true big brother.

Kevin Candelaria is a 23-year-old senior on the Vanguard University

men’s basketball team, while Debbie, a 20-year-old sophomore, plays on

the women’s team. It seems that the two have been inseparable as far back

as they can remember.

“When we were in high school and she was a freshman and I was a

senior, she was always hanging out with me and my friends,” Kevin said.

“Living together, going to school together, playing sports together, we

were pretty tight growing up. Oh, once in a while I’d get mad and explode

on her, but nothing too major. Just your normal brother-sister thing.”

Kevin, born and raised in northern Arizona, has been away from the

house for a number of years now, so the opportunity to have family close

by is welcomed.

“It’s been great having her down here with me,” Kevin said. “Having

family around is always a nice thing.”

Kevin and Debbie are the second and third of four Candelaria children,

squeezed in between Brian, 25, and Joe, a sophomore at Page High in

Arizona. The Candelaria family is based out of Page Ariz., population,

10,000.

“All the kids grew up around sports,” Kevin said. “Our dad has always

stressed to us God, family, school and athletics, in that order. We’ve

all always been a very close family.”

After a stint at Mesa Community College, Kevin came to Vanguard and

played baseball for the Lions, twice earning All-Golden State Athletic

Conference honors as an outfielder, third baseman and catcher. In his

two-year baseball career, he hit .330 with 16 home runs and 70 RBIs.

Still with one year of school work to complete, Kevin looked toward

another sport to wrap up his VU career.

“I had heard about having a fifth year of eligibility with a second

sport,” he said. “I had made a lot of friends with the guys on the team

and they encouraged me to give it a try for this year. I also spent a lot

of time with Assistant Coach Justin McIntee (a Newport Harbor High

product) and he helped me get into basketball shape.”

So far, so good for the slugger turned hoopster. Kevin is averaging

seven points and six rebounds per game for the Lions, while his play

continues to improve day by day.

“The speed of the game has taken a while to get used to from playing

in high school,” Kevin said. “The players here are so talented and

athletic, my reaction to everything on the court has needed the most

adjustment. My teammates are amazing and they’re great people both on and

off court. We’re struggling now (4-12, 0-5 in the Golden State Athletic

Conference), but we’ve just got to believe in ourselves and I have the

faith that we can turn this season around.”

Majoring in business administration and looking to graduate this

spring, Kevin also spends his extra time as a resident assistant and is a

representative of the athletic department for the university.

“After school, I might try to play professional baseball,” he said. “I

was drafted out of high school in the 28th round by the Milwaukee Brewers

and I’ve been keeping in touch with some scouts who have seen me play. If

that doesn’t work out, I guess I’ll be out in the business world looking

for a job.”

Wherever he goes, he’s definitely got a fan for life in his sister.

“Kevin is just an amazing person,” Debbie said. “I’m extremely proud

of what he’s accomplished and I know he’s going to be a success at

whatever he decides to do after school.”

For Debbie, some things just happen for a reason.

“When I was a sophomore in high school, Kevin was playing baseball at

Mesa Community College,” Debbie said. “My father sat me down and asked me

where I thought I would attend college. I told him I wanted to go where

Kevin goes and I wanted to go somewhere in California. What do you know?

Kevin ends up at Vanguard University and I followed. He’s the reason why

I’m here at this school.”

Now in her second year at Vanguard, Debbie is fitting right in with

the hustle and bustle of Orange County. “I think I’ve adjusted to

Southern California pretty well,” she said.

Hanging out with Kevin as a teenager did have some fringe benefits,

that’s for sure. “All of his friends are gorgeous,” Debbie said.

Kevin’s rebuttal: “Debbie was always hitting on my friends growing up.

It never failed. We’d all hang out and all the guys were drawn to her. I

tried to make sure she was hanging out with the right crowd, but she was

fine on her own. She’s got a pretty good head on her shoulders.”

In addition to her hoops and studies, Debbie sings in the choir at

Vanguard and is a member of a worship team that meets three times a week.

“I sing at weddings, I’ve sang the National Anthem at basketball

games, I’ve done karaoke,” she said. “My dream job would be a

professional singer, singing R&B; gospel music. When I do have some down

time, I hang out with friends.”

Debbie came from a state champion basketball team in high school and

is a firm believer that the Lions are also a championship-caliber club.

“I went from one competitive program in high school right into another

one here,” Debbie said. “We have a very talented team and I think we have

the talent to go a long way. We just need to play one game at a time and

stay focused.”

This year, Debbie is averaging 5.3 points and 5.2 rebounds per game

for the Lions (10-4, 3-2). When not on the court, she’s also known to

battle with the guys on the football field.

“Hey, growing up with three brothers, you have to know how to mix it

up a little bit,” she said with a laugh. “I also love to play

volleyball.”

Debbie might have been looking up to Kevin growing up, but both see

eye to eye now.

“The way she leads her life, she’s a great role model for me,” Kevin

said of his sister. When I’m down, she’s the first one there to pick me

up and she’s an incredible influence on everyone she gets to know.”

Both Kevin and Debbie may be developing into stars on and off the

basketball court, but both give their MVP votes to their parents, Robert

and Shirley.

“They always taught us to be respectful in everything we do,” Kevin

said. “Everything you do makes an impact on someone’s life, so make sure

that impact is a positive one.”