Yesterday, Alden and Linda Esping attended a special event at my home, marking a significant moment in our shared history. Alden, ever the charming host, immediately praised my house and continued to delight our guests with his engaging conversation for the next two hours. As my mentor, it was heartwarming to see him enjoying himself, especially as I reflect on my career, now nearing its conclusion, much like hiswas when he brought me along for the journey.
From a young age, I knew Mr. Alden Esping and his wife, Linda, through their leadership at the Anaheim YMCA camps. Attending camp was a rite of passage in our community, and my journey began when I was eight, intertwining our stories forever.
Alden Esping’s teaching career began in 1959 at Madrona Elementary in Seattle, Washington, where he taught 6th grade. In 1963, he and his friend Gerry Aust embarked on an adventurous drive in a VW bus to Anaheim, California. There, Esping started teaching at Ball Junior High, where he served in multiple roles: Chair of Special Education, Student Activities Director, Speech Advisor, and overseer of the school newspaper, yearbook, and student store.
Despite his extensive involvement at Ball Junior High, Esping dedicated significant time to the YMCA, directing boys’ camps in the San Gorgonio Mountains and co-ed sessions on Catalina Island with his wife, Linda. This marked the start of my lifelong connection with the YMCA and the Espings, evolving from camper to leader, director, and advocate for the Anaheim YMCA. During the 1970s, I attended Ball Junior High and participated in Alden’s second-to-last boys’ YMCA Club, “the Y Kane’s.” Our annual fundraising efforts culminated in a memorable trip to San Francisco in 1979, igniting my lifelong love for the city.
As Ball Junior High transitioned from a 7-9 grade school to a 7-8 grade school, these trips ended. The shift led to a decline in community spirit within the Anaheim Union High School District, as 9th graders moved to high schools, losing the sense of being the “big shots.”
In 1990, Esping moved to Loara High School, leading the Health Department and serving as the lead Activities Director. This transition rekindled our connection. Esping insisted that if he were to be the activities director, I would work alongside him. This collaboration marked the beginning of my journey as an Activities Director, with Esping running the class and me managing after-school and nighttime events.
Esping’s influence extended to the California Association of Directors of Activities (CADA) from 1977 to 1985, where he expanded the organization’s reach from state to national levels. As a CADA Ambassador, he pioneered the use of themes for conventions and played a key role in developing CADA Leadership Camps. During his presidency of CADA (1982-1983), Esping held the convention at the Red Lion in Sacramento, bringing in student leaders to speak, demonstrating his commitment to fostering student leadership.
Esping’s career is decorated with numerous accolades, including Warren E. Shull Awards (state, regional, national), CADA Hall of Fame, Jack Moore Award, Area F Outstanding Activities Program, 1980 Orange County Teacher of the Year, and various presenting roles throughout California
In Anaheim, Esping has contributed extensively, working with the Anaheim YMCA, the City of Anaheim, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, and the Leadership Association of Student Councils (LASC). His active participation in student activities began in junior high and continued through high school and college, holding positions from Freshman Class President to Dorm President.
When I became President of CADA in 2011, he was one of the first to congratulate me and has continued to support me throughout my career. The Espings have been alongside me since 1973, when I started as a camper, through significant milestones in my career, and they continue to be a source of inspiration and guidance.
When he was teaching, every summer you’d find the Espings in front of Dukes on the Island of Oahu sitting in a lounge chair, enjoyins the sounds of Hawaii. In recent days you can find him at one of two spots consistently, either at the family owned eatery Mama Cozzas, once featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives, where the owners all went through Ball and Loara, or at The Anaheim White House, (pictured here) owned by the charitable Bruno Serato, who runs Catarinas Club and feeds many of the students at Ball Junior High. Alden and Linda have become the local favorites at both establishments and if you pop in he may just buy your a drink.
Upon retiring from Loara High School in 1996, Esping left behind a powerful message: “Involvement Together … The Key to Success.” This phrase embodies his philosophy and lifelong dedication to education and community service and is a key reminder to all of my students as it is painted in large letters on our wall as a reminder of what it takes to be a leader.
