Powerhouse Basketball

Charlie got invited to play on a club basketball team called Powerhouse Hoops this spring.  Their coaches hand-selected some of the best freshman high school players in the east valley to play on this team.  Luckily, they needed a big man, and Charlie's teammate (and superstar who led the Varsity in points this year as a Freshman), Jordan Lee, was on the team so Charlie had an "in".  Jordan's dad was one of the coaches of the team, and since he knows us (and Charlie) from Skyline, he invited Charlie to play with this team.  We were told it would consist of practice twice a week in Tempe, and then 3 tournaments:  one in-state, and two out of state.  We quickly agreed that this was a great opportunity for Charlie to up his game.  We had been wanting Charlie to play on Skyline's volleyball team during the spring, but after attending a couple of practices (at the volleyball coach's request), Charlie really didn't like it.  We asked him to pray about it, and he felt like he didn't need to play volleyball.  Within a couple of days of making that decision, he got the invitation to be on Powerhouse, and we all felt like this was the right path for him to go.

Charlie is blessed to be a tall kid.  If he wasn't 6'5" (at the time), he would not have been invited to even try out for this team.  But they really needed a center, so he was given a spot without even having to try out.  Charlie loves basketball so much that this was an incredible opportunity for him.  He was excited about the custom-made uniforms, Nike backpacks, Jordan warm-ups, and matching Nike Hyperdunk shoes the team members received.  Soon after joining the team, we were informed that all the boys had to sell 200 raffle tickets to help fun the team's tournaments--yikes!  Charlie sold about 76 tickets, and we had to fund the rest---grrrrr.  I was still in school and doing internship at this point, so Chuck had to drive him to most of the practices in Tempe.

Once the season started, their head coach, Glen Mayberry, got very ambitious, and entered the team in a whole bunch of tournaments.  Suddenly, Charlie was having to travel about every other weekend to tournaments out of state.  At first, we took the whole family and traveled together (like our trip to Disneyland was part of his tournament in Palm Springs).  But we quickly realized that it was way too expensive for our whole family to travel to every tournament.  So Chuck and I flew alone to his Oakland tournament (while Jennie watched our younger kids).  Then we let him go alone with the team to a tournament in Anaheim.  Chuck took him to the first tournament in Las Vegas while I stayed home with the kiddos.  My mom and sister were in town for the tournament in Glendale, so they got to see him in action (and my mom took all these great pics).  The tournament in Tempe wasn't too far, so Chuck and I both went to that one.  Then we took the whole family to Las Vegas for the big Adidas 65 tournament in July. 

So the season ended up being a lot more of a time and travel commitment than we signed up for.  The team payed for Charlie's travel expenses (except food), but if we went along, we had to pay for our own transportation and hotel.  And just getting into the games was crazy expensive.  It was typically $10 per person, per day.  So if we took our other three kids along, it cost us $100 to go to two days of games.  CRAZY, huh?  After that first tournament in Palm Springs, we rarely brought all the younger kids to the games.

The good thing about the season was that Charlie was playing against some really tough competition, and it made him step up his level of play quite a bit.  He had to get in there and play hard against some really big and scary and good teams.  He gained a lot of confidence and began to play at a whole new level.  His game improved leaps and bounds in a short period of time.  He also got to be good friends with the boys on his team, and was able to be a good example for them.  On the trip he made to CA without us, the team ended up going to a rated R movie on a Sunday night.  Charlie was the only member of the team who stayed behind at the hotel.  He was a little nervous about how his teammates would react when he told them he didn't see rated R movies, and he didn't go to movies on Sunday anyway.  But his teammates were all really cool about it, and they said that they admired him for sticking to his beliefs.   And in Vegas, Charlie steered the team away from going to a teen club, and they had a lot of fun hanging out and eating pizza instead.  Again, his teammates said they respected Charlie for living his beliefs when his parents or other Mormons weren't watching.

Here are some pictures of a game at the Glendale tournament.  These were actually taken on the day of my graduation.  He had two games in the afternoon after my graduation ceremony.  My mom, sister, and brother-in-law came to watch the games, and we went to Carrabba's to celebrate my graduation in between the two games.  My mom took all these great pictures of Charlie in action.

Gettin that rebound!

Charlie and Jordan Lee

Coach Bob, in the black shirt, was the "big man" coach.  He worked with Charlie individually on post moves at practices while the rest of the team worked on shooting drills. 

Charlie listening to some encouragement from coach Glen

Graduation!!!!

Waiting for the ceremony to begin

May 2, 2012: Graduation Day at last!!  I graduated from Arizona State University with my Master of Counseling degree.  Yipee!  My mom, sister, and brother-in-law flew out from Florida for the special occasion, and it was really nice to have them here to help me celebrate!  What a bittersweet day.  School was so, so, so very hard.  It was a huge relief to be done.  But it was also an amazing, life-changing experience that made me a better person in a hundred ways.  I met the most amazing people, and made some life-long friends.  My very limited perspective of the world was widened by a huge margin.  I was able to help the most amazing clients make some positive changes in their lives.  And each person who allowed me into their life, changed and bettered my life.  In a lot of ways I was really sad for it to end.  But mostly, so relieved that I survived, my family survived, and I am done with school!!!

My sweet family, who stood by my side and supported me these last 2  1/2 years

Chuck supported me 100% even though this whole school thing was hard on him and the kiddos (and me).  He quizzed me for exams.  He listened to all my griping and complaining.  He went to MC parties where he didn't know anyone.  He encouraged me when I'm sure he didn't feel like it.  He trusted me that this was the right thing for me.  Man, I love this guy!!!  What would I be without his love and support?

Instead of going to the general ASU graduation ceremony, or even the graduate student graduation, I just went to the hooding ceremony for my Counseling program.  Only about 33 of us were graduating, so it was an intimate ceremony.  I asked Dr. Arciniega to "hood" me (above). 

They opened up the mike to any graduates who wanted to say a few words.  I hate speaking in front of crowds, but I got up to express appreciation to my sister and her husband for financially supporting me through school, and to my mom and Chuck for emotionally supporting and loving me through it.  :)

Me and my sister, Dina

My mom, me and kiddos.  Charlie 15, Carson 12, Cade 10, Cheyanna almost 8

Me and my friend, Katrina.  We were in the same practicum together, and then worked together at the same internship site. 

When we got home, I opened my cards and gifts.  Chuck gave me a new computer (our old one was dying).

My mom gave me a very generous amount of $ to put towards a down payment on a new car.

Scott and Dina also gave me some money for a new Honda Pilot.  Their generosity totally made me cry. 

Scott, Chuck, me and Dina

Me and my mom

Here's almost the whole graduating gang.  I'm in the back row in the very center.

Dina, Mom, Cherene

WaHoooo!  We're done!!