Growing up in nearby Douglas, Del Arvayo never imagined he’d end up at Harvard, much less end up spending his days trying to find a way to house a horse on New Year’s Eve.
But the Chief Operating Officer of the Arizona Bowl is a larger-than-life personality with a larger-than-life story, one that has found him with a perfect role for his skills and passions.
Unfortunately, sometimes that role includes some truly strange problem-solving.
“Wyoming wants to bring its horse and pony, and my first thought is, ‘Where do we put the horse?’” said Arvayo of the particular conundrum caused by the Cowboys mascot, as the Pokes square off against the Georgia State Panthers in the New Year’s Eve matchup. “Does it stay at the stadium?”
He had an epiphany. Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort & Spa, one of the bowl’s partners, hosts the game’s cheerleaders and bands. They also happen to have horse stables. Crisis averted.
Arvayo would be in real trouble if Georgia State wanted to bring an actual panther, but odds are, he’d find a way.
This is exactly why Ali Farhang tabbed him, after all, first as a community-oriented volunteer for the burgeoning bowl, and then as COO of an emerging enterprise.
They got to know each other through their mutual participation with the Salpointe Catholic High School football program, Farhang as an assistant coach, and Arvayo first as an assistant coach and then as a jack-of-all-trades.
As a student at Douglas High School, Arvayo scored exceptionally well on the SATs, so well, in fact, that Harvard came after him. He was not going to apply because he couldn’t afford the $60 application fee. One of his coaches — standing at 6-foot-5, 230-plus pounds, Arvayo played football and basketball for the Bulldogs — said, “I’d love to see you apply, and I’ll pay the fee.”
So, Arvayo applied, and was accepted to the prestigious Ivy League school.
“It was a culture shock,” he said of moving from a tiny town in Arizona to lofty Cambridge, Massachusetts. “Everything from the weather, the school, to the culture itself. In Douglas, we were so isolated. But that was the promise of it, too. Being exposed to all these people. It was a fantastic experience. I actually loved it.”
At Harvard, Arvayo lettered one year in basketball and in crew and played freshman football. Upon graduation, he realized he wanted to coach, and his old coach said, “Go find the best program you can find, and tell them you’re willing to do anything.”
That was nearby Cambridge Rindge and Latin School — which had produced NBA stars Patrick Ewing and Rumeal Robinson, among others — and Arvayo found himself sweeping floors and tutoring the players academically.
In 2009, he joined Salpointe as a JV offensive line coach, but he’d really leave his mark on the program on the academic side.
When he realized a few years in that a number of freshman and sophomores were becoming academically ineligible, he helped launch the Priority 1 program to boost the Lancers’ academic standing. Salpointe head coach Dennis Bene asked him to move from a coaching role to an operations role, because he proved so valuable off the field.
His proudest achievement?
“The last three years on varsity, no ineligibles,” he said.
Arvayo was also tasked with launching the Lancers’ social media presence, as well as bolstering the HUDL recruiting platform. He was also tasked with arranging travel and meals, senior week and senior dinner, mother-son photos, everything.
Farhang saw all of it in action and tried to scoop Arvayo up. Roughly 18 months ago, Arvayo left his role as a consultant for Aetna for what he considers a dream job with the Arizona Bowl.
“Del is one of those teammates who you can’t have enough of,” Farhang said. “No matter what’s happening, he’s always consistent, always looking to solve problems, always looking at the big picture. We’re lucky to have him as part of the Arizona Bowl staff. He makes our game better, everything about our organization better.”
In his dream role, he’s learned that pulling off a successful bowl game is a 365-day endeavor.
“There is no separating this year and next year,” he said. “We’re growing every year, improving our processed. The game is two days away, and I’m constantly thinking about what we can do better.”
So while it may be tempting to think the Arizona Bowl officials have everything put to bed on New Year’s Eve, the real work starts later that week.
“January 2, we’re going to sleep,” he said. “We’ve been 24/7 since Dec. 1. But starting Jan. 3, we have to wrap up a lot of the finances, vendors, a lot to close down mechanically. Then we start the whole feedback process. That’s all of January.”
There’s no rest for the weary.
Now … where did he put that horse?
