Basketball Mom

I wish I had written shortly after the first basketball game - but alas, time has passed so my enthusiasm has gone down... a smidge. What I have found is that I have this love-hate relationship with basketball.

So when Jared announced that he wanted to join the basketball team for the high school I was happy to hear it. For a long time I know Jared has wanted to do organized sports but we felt he was either too young or, when he was a bit older we tried to find some opportunities but the few we found he decided he didn't want to try them (mostly because he either didn't know anyone, or because he did not feel comfortable because he hadn't practiced enough).

So this was his first opportunity to play a game he was interested in, had had some practice but was no where truly skilled and had some good friends who would be playing along side him.

So love... happily gung ho for my son to start engaging in something he's always wanted to do.

And the practices started. Every day after school off he goes to learn and practice and chum it up with his friends...every day. By the time he was done and was dropped back off at the school it was 5:45 or 5:50 pm...every day. Oh, except Thursdays! Thursdays he is done at around 4:30 or 4:40pm. Woo hoo! One car family, stuck at school until he's back. By the time we get home it's usually 6:10 to 6:30pm. Much later than we are used too. Plus, with it being winter and all and the nights getting shorter and shorter it's pretty much pitch black before we are home.

So hate...I want our old routine back!

Then comes the first game! We drive to a place called Bahama, NC (50 minutes away from the school, about 25 minutes from home). Jokingly I say we are heading to the Bahamas, trying to find something positive in the long drive. Though, the town itself is not called Bahama (as in the islands) but Baa-hay-ma... go figure... those wacky southerners!

We go inside the gym, settle down and the game is just about to begin (they left right after school ended to have some time for warm up, while we left later so barely got there in time for the game to start).

The other team is massive in size - junior and seniors, facial hair and all! One of them, #44, was built like a brick house - I'm sure he plays football. And here are our freshman and two sophomores ready to start the game - jump for the ball.

So quickly into the game it's obvious that the home team has done this for quite some time. They are organized and aggressive, while our team is still trying to remember the rules and are shocked every time one of the other team members pushes or shoves (when they don't have the ball) or takes the ball from them.

We did quite a few fouls in the first quarter but Jared did get fouled once and had a t wo chance free throw (as you can tell I don't know the technical terms). He missed the first sh ot but got the second - go south paw! Here he is...#1!

For the first quarter the home team was around 20 points with our team only having 3. I realized that being their first game ever that this was really just a good lesson for how this game is played - and for the coaches to see where more work was needed. But I was incredibly proud of Jared as he became more and more confident through his first game.

At some point during the 3rd quarter they started getting more organized and a little bit more aggresive and started scoring more and more. The score ended up being 61 to 20, but those 20 points were well deserved!

As I sat in the audience, cheering on my son and the rest of the team - a team of boys which, at least half of them had never played basketball before, were doing an amazing job! By the end of the game I was pumped up, proud and ready for more!

Love basketball! Go Eagles!