Site Title

but not broken (luckily!).  At the end of the game Neal had hit the floor hard 6 times, hit his head twice and was red all over.  He had to deal with taunts from the opposing team and their parents. 

There was no help from the ref (he’s a kid, I know, but he took his frustrations out on our players by not protecting them).

When I got home, I was so upset I was shaking. 

The boys are with Bryan watching our favorite college team play.  They are there without me so I can create a fun project for My Mind’s Eye. 

However, because I am frustrated, I am not feeling very creative.  I need to vent.  This hobby is therapeutic, right?  I hope you will bear with me.  I’m not exactly sure how to put into words how I am feeling. 

One thing is for sure, I feel proud.  Yes, proud – of Neal – of Bryan (for defending the kids and not swearing) – of our little team who kept working and fighting and never gave up.  Proud that my boy with tears in his eyes dribbled up the court and fought until the game was over.  Proud that our team scored.

Grateful for an uncle who came to his defense and picked him up when as a mother I couldn’t for fear of making him look like a wimp.  Grateful for grandparents who were there to support…

Happy… that when the adults were heckling Neal and Bryan was telling him to ignore them, I yelled to him (I was sitting next to “said” parents): “Yes, Neal, ignore the adults that are picking on a 4th grader”.  And, happy, that they actually stopped after that.

And happy that they scored so that it wasn’t umpteen million to 0.

Basketball at this age is not about winning or losing, it is about teaching the fundamentals of basketball.  It is about teaching these kids how to follow rules.  It is about teaching the kids how to be good sports, win or lose. 

And, I am proud that our kids were good sports.

Thank you for listening to me!