Quella Persona

My son surprised me a few months ago when he came home and said he wanted to join the school basketball team. My heart paused as I took a moment to reflect on how to respond. Although he has played team sports in the past and played them fairly well as the years have gone by he seems to have settled into more individual sports like gymnastics and taekwondo. And when it came to basketball, well, if ever there were a pick-up game in the neighborhood I would always find Jay watching from the sidelines. I thought he didn’t want to play but maybe he just didn’t know how. Anyway, my next emotion was pure joy…Jay wants to play basketball!!! Of course I said yes.

A week before practice started I asked Jay if he still wanted to play and he said yes, although he was nervous. He told me he didn’t think he would be the best player. I assured him he would not be, that a lot of other boys have been playing a long time but nor would he be the worst. The whole goal would be to try it out, see if he likes it and learn the game. His first day of practice was fantastic! He left school with a huge smile on his face and has been dedicated to the team since.

This shot below is from his first game. He is number three. It’s a missed shot. Those are such a bummer!!! Every eye is on that ball…will it go in? Two points if it does, and although this is a league that doesn’t keep score, I guarantee you the players do. I loved watching Jay get out there and play. There were definitely some kids better than others. I was super impressed with how athletic some of these young kids are and how comfortable they feel with the ball. Others, well, they’re still finding their comfort zone. That first game Jay got the ball a few times and quickly passed it off. In later games when he would get the ball he’d look for the shot, maybe go for it or pass it off. Defensively, he rocked…he was on his man like glue! I don’t think any of the players Jay defended ever made a basket. But offensively, he couldn’t make them either.

Yesterday was his final game. It was the third quarter (of 8) and the coach sent Jay in. His teammates were told to “pass the ball to Nick (his real name).” Jay was told, “you get that ball, you go for the shot!” The ball was passed, Jay went for it…we all held our breath….me, the coach, and his team because we all wanted him to make a basket…miss. Passed again, shot taken, breath held…miss. Passed again, shot taken…this one a little more clumsy…breath held but not too hopeful…miss. “AAAAAAH!” after every missed shot. The quarter ended, the coach asked Jay if he wanted to stay in the game…I watched his head nod with confidence and then my son grab a drink of water…back in for another quarter. Repeat of the same…Pass, shot, breath…miss….AAAH! Then another quarter. His head sweating, face flushed, body sore, he kept after it. He guarded his man and when he had the ball he’d try for the basket…and miss. His team, kept passing him the ball and his coach kept willing it into the basket and my eyes began to swell with tears. Not tears of sadness or disappointment but of incredible love for this team that wanted him to make a basket as much as I did. I sat there in complete awe of a coach who worked more during the season to instill a concept of teamwork over winning into his players and of players who rallied behind my son. They could have ignored the coach and not passed Jay the ball or taken the easy shot for themselves and scored but they sought him out and passed him the ball. The kids on the sidelines cheered him on and in the final seconds of the last quarter, Jay had the ball…he was covered by 3 or 4 opponents and I watched as his teammates elbowed their way in to give him room for one more shot…and then just as he working up for the shot the buzzer rang. That may or may not have been THE one that went in but in my mind it doesn’t matter. What I am most proud of is that he stayed in the game and that he played his heart out.

He loves the game and wants to keep playing so we will spend our summer practicing that shot…next year will be an entirely different story, I’m sure made all the sweeter by this one.