I love basketball. It's my favorite sport to play and watch. This summer we wanted to give the boys a chance to play sports because we know that once I head back to school this fall, things will be hectic, and we probably won't be able to fit any sports into our schedule for a while. Outdoor sports in AZ in the summer aren't a good idea, so we went with basketball. All the boys have played basketball before (but never all three at the same time!) In the past, none of the boys have had two practices during the week (ALWAYS just one), but this summer, ALL THREE boys' teams had practices twice a week (
Aaaaaaaah!) It made for a really hectic summer--six practices and three games a week (that's on top of two piano lessons, Cub Scouts, and Boy Scouts). But we survived, and the kids had fun, got lots of great exercise, and improved their hoops skills a ton.
Charlie's team name was the CRUSADERS, and most of the boys had never played before, so they weren't very good. They practiced and played hard, but they got killed at every game. UNTIL the last Saturday of season. They finally played a team whose skills were evenly matched to their own, and it was actually a really close game. The opposing team got a small lead towards the end of the game, but the Crusaders came back, and Charlie hit a long bucket to bring the score to a tie, sending the game into overtime. The Crusaders pulled out a win 27-26, and Charlie scored 10 out of his team's 27 points. Charlie played hard this season. He learned how to live with the frustration of losing badly to another team (week after week). He learned that most of basketball is in your head--your attitude, wanting the ball, and confidence that you will succeed. And he really improved his skills and had fun.
Carson's team name was the DRAGONS. Most of the kids on his team had never played before either, so they didn't have a lot of success against the other teams that all seemed to be much more experienced. Carson really worked hard, and hustled. He always wanted that ball, and went after it with gusto. He learned to be a great ball handler this year, as he played guard, and ran plays to get the ball into the taller guys. The last game of the year, Carson's coach kept him in the whole game, and he got a couple of buckets, several steals, and lots of rebounds. Carson's coaches gave him the best hustler award, and he really deserved it.
Cade's team name was the BULLDOGS.
Cade enjoys sports, but he kind of lacks that competitive drive that some kids have. I think he's more there for the social interaction. :) Whenever he wasn't in the game, he was talking or playing with his teammates--oblivious to what was happening on the court. And while he was playing, his main concern was helping up other kids who had fallen down. If he got a hold of the ball, he'd dribble it down, and shoot, but if the ball didn't come his way, he was content without it too. He scored his team's first bucket of the season, and scored a few points here and there, but he was happy just to talk and play with his friends on the team. I think he had a lot of fun, and it was good for him to play.
My three sons: the basketball trio. Basketball kept us busy this summer, but it was a great experience for the boys. Plus, when it was really hot out, and they just wanted to lie around inside, it forced them to get out and get some exercise. Chuck and I had fun watching them practice, and play their games. The last Saturday of the season both Charlie and
Cade had two games, so we watched 5 games that day, but we wouldn't have traded that experience for anything. That morning, Chuck said, someday we won't have three little boys at home to watch play, and we'll miss it, so let's enjoy every minute of today. And we did.
Charlie's team name was the CRUSADERS, and most of the boys had never played before, so they weren't very good. They practiced and played hard, but they got killed at every game. UNTIL the last Saturday of season. They finally played a team whose skills were evenly matched to their own, and it was actually a really close game. The opposing team got a small lead towards the end of the game, but the Crusaders came back, and Charlie hit a long bucket to bring the score to a tie, sending the game into overtime. The Crusaders pulled out a win 27-26, and Charlie scored 10 out of his team's 27 points. Charlie played hard this season. He learned how to live with the frustration of losing badly to another team (week after week). He learned that most of basketball is in your head--your attitude, wanting the ball, and confidence that you will succeed. And he really improved his skills and had fun. 
Carson's team name was the DRAGONS. Most of the kids on his team had never played before either, so they didn't have a lot of success against the other teams that all seemed to be much more experienced. Carson really worked hard, and hustled. He always wanted that ball, and went after it with gusto. He learned to be a great ball handler this year, as he played guard, and ran plays to get the ball into the taller guys. The last game of the year, Carson's coach kept him in the whole game, and he got a couple of buckets, several steals, and lots of rebounds. Carson's coaches gave him the best hustler award, and he really deserved it. 
Cade's team name was the BULLDOGS. Cade enjoys sports, but he kind of lacks that competitive drive that some kids have. I think he's more there for the social interaction. :) Whenever he wasn't in the game, he was talking or playing with his teammates--oblivious to what was happening on the court. And while he was playing, his main concern was helping up other kids who had fallen down. If he got a hold of the ball, he'd dribble it down, and shoot, but if the ball didn't come his way, he was content without it too. He scored his team's first bucket of the season, and scored a few points here and there, but he was happy just to talk and play with his friends on the team. I think he had a lot of fun, and it was good for him to play. 
My three sons: the basketball trio. Basketball kept us busy this summer, but it was a great experience for the boys. Plus, when it was really hot out, and they just wanted to lie around inside, it forced them to get out and get some exercise. Chuck and I had fun watching them practice, and play their games. The last Saturday of the season both Charlie and Cade had two games, so we watched 5 games that day, but we wouldn't have traded that experience for anything. That morning, Chuck said, someday we won't have three little boys at home to watch play, and we'll miss it, so let's enjoy every minute of today. And we did. 
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