There is nothing better than watching your little girl sink her first free throw. The excitement on the court, your precious little angel with the ball in her hands standing in an awkward stance. Dribbling nervously in staccato, knees shaking, then the moment comes; the ball slipping off of her fingers in an awkward wobble. The arc through the air is straight and true, with not a single deviation from the net. It bounces on the edge of the rim in a sickening thump, bounces up and forward, softly swishing through the net. The fact made better by a custom Moneyball uniform with her name on the back.
Its Up To Us
We teach them about teamwork and we teach them that giving 110% is not only the way you play the game, but the only way to live life. We try and instill the best possible values into our children as a way to make them a bit more bullet proof against the world. Sports brings those values to the surface in real competition, real heartbreak and real pain. On the court, the opponent is real and can fight back. In the real world, the only opponent may be seen only in the mirror. As a parent it is up to you to make them safe and secure in their own skin. Whether basketball does that for your child is not important, what is important is the sense of accomplishment that comes with sinking a basket from the freethrow line when you are still under five feet tall. The excited cheer of her parents and a big hug of encouragement are enough to keep the demons away for now.
So get out and play with your kids, heck get out and watch your kids play. Adults seem to forget about how much fun it was to play. It’s all bills not thrills for most of us, but take joy in the children and lift them up.