Playing to Win

Reading Genuine's post, Will You Play With Me? reminded me of the simpler more laid back days before my child was old enough for competitive sports.

Today was Colter's last b-ball game of the season. His team lost to the best team in the league, but all of our players held their heads high. They are winners. They kept the game close until the last quarter, and they did it without throwing an elbow.

I learned three things about basket ball today :

1: The louder the other team yells, the more they are afraid of losing. At the start of the season, the other teams fans barely clapped as their team scored at will against us. But today, heading in to the finals, a three point game saw their fans on their feet screaming at the top of their lungs.

2: Even the most level headed fan can get sucked into the mêlée, and want to take a chair to the opposing team's coaches, especially after you witnessed the coaches teaching their kids illegal moves. When you see your child playing a fair game, and he gets decked by and illegal and aggressive pick, it could be hard to hold back. But then to see the other coach pleading with the ref to call touch fouls on your team, it's just about too much.

3: There is an empty spot in my heart that will not be filled until next season. I'll miss basket ball. I'll miss watching my son and his team mates grow into decent hard working players, and I'll miss the sense of pride that I get when my son stops a fast break, or runs down a loose ball. I'll miss celebrating all of the small victories in the face of defeat, and bonding over an ice cream after the game.

Okay four things: I learned that I miss the days when Colter was young, and couldn't throw a Frisbee well, and I had to run after each one. Then bonding over an ice cream on the front pourch.

Comments

[Robin P]

Sports are fun for kids and spectators when parents and coaches don't spoil the game.

Lillianna LOVES basket ball so I will have to start her in some type of league soon,I guess. She's really good at it too!