Basketball and the Lessons Learned

Andrew has been playing basketball for a few years with the local Boy's and Girl's Club.  He has always liked it, but not exactly been the star player each season.  This season was a different story.  He started out playing and having fun as usual and about mid-season all the practicing seemed to show itself in his playing.  He made 5 points in his game a few weeks ago and helped push his team into the finals, and then into the championship game.  There were 8 teams in his division and his team (the Sharks) made it to the finals and played this past Saturday.  

The minute the first buzzer rang to start the game, I knew we were in for some big competition, and some intense parents taking this game way too seriously.  The fouls were being called left and right and we had many kids hitting the flour and tears flowing at times.  Even Andrew our very kind kid who doesn't like the idea of fouling, ended up fouling out in the last quarter.  Two fouls were really not fouls and he couldn't understand why the refs would make those calls.   Andrews team ending up loosing the game 10-15 but the lessons learned were the most important.  Andrew learned that in sports, it is not always fair and when a championship is on the line, you can get inspired to play harder then you ever thought you could.  It was hard to watch at times, seeing my boy get a little banged up, but he held his own, making a few baskets and some free throws.  

The most troubling were the parents after the game.  Most of the parents from Andrews team felt the other team was being coached to play too rough and they confronted the other teams coach.  The language started and they were pretty close to the equivalent of a bar fight.   We quickly gathered a sad beat down Andrew and rushed him out the gym.  We got a chance to have a long talk in the car and I discovered that Andrew wasn't as sad about loosing as he was about having fouls called on him that he didn't do.  Another chance to learn that life is not always fair, but you pick yourself up and keep moving forward.  

After a long emotional day, I asked Andrew if he wanted play again next season and his response was, YES.  I guess he has had a taste of the almost victory and is willing to go back in for more.  I am very proud of the humble fighter this 10 year old has become.  Can't wait to see what next season brings, and hopefully we can get the crazy parents to keep their mouths shut and just let the kids play.