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Mar 1, 2012

Basketball Tournaments

Today is the start of our Women's Church Basketball tournament. In past years when we've been pretty competitive, I've been very excited about this day. This year I'm just dreading it. Maybe it's my age or maybe it's just that I'm pretty heavy, but the idea of playing a bunch of 20-something-year-olds is just not all that appealing.

As luck would have it, our first game is with the very best team in the league, Daybreak A. We only have 7 players from our entire stake. They have three full teams (at least!) that made it to the playoffs. Now I don't want to sound like I'm complaining, because this is not what I wanted to tell you about. I wanted to talk about another basketball tournament when I was a little younger...OK, I was a lot younger...

That's me on the left...the humble one.
It was 1979. I was 14 years old and it was about this time of year. We didn't really have youth basketball except what was sponsored by 4H. My dad was all about basketball, so I thought maybe he would like me a little better if I decided to enter the tournament. I showed up early in the morning at the Activity Center ready to compete in the one-on-one tournament.

I was excited and nervous. I had played some church ball and playground ball with my brothers, but I had never been on a team. I pulled on my shirt and headed for the gym with a girl named Robyn who was a year younger than me. We messed around for a bit, shooting hoops and waiting for the other girls to arrive. She was a much better shooter than I was...

After about half an hour, it became evident that no one else was coming. The 4H ladies crowned us the champs and the newspaper snapped our picture. Robyn and I just sort of looked at each other. Winning had been a little easier than we had expected...

The next weekend we were scheduled to play with the champs from the other towns in our area. The girl from Gunnison had about 6 inches on me and she had actually PLAYED basketball. I didn't stand a chance. In fact, I'm pretty sure I went down scoreless. Nothing like a big dose of humility...

I'll have to remember that lesson later tonight.
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6 comments:

  1. TracieMarch 1, 2012 at 9:11 AM

    Church Ball, the brawl that begins with prayer. I love sports, my favorite is volleyball though. I wish are stake would take more of an intrest in it.

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  2. Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam & Dylan TooMarch 1, 2012 at 11:07 AM

    I enjoyed reading your story! Good luck this year!

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  3. Theresa MahoneyMarch 1, 2012 at 12:53 PM

    Good this this year! Just because they are younger, does not mean they are better :)

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  4. LeAnnMarch 1, 2012 at 3:39 PM

    How fun is that?? I love basketball and I wish we had a woman's group in our Stake. I used to play a lot as a youth. I do know how to make a really good lay up. Through the years our children and now my grandchildren don't believe I can beat them and they laught a lot when I do. However, do to my weak ankle now I don't get to play much! Thanks for the memory today!

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  5. LOVE MELISSA:)March 1, 2012 at 4:50 PM

    That is so awesome that you do this basketball tournament- coincides with march madness! I hope you do great! So fun!

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  6. Arkansas PattiMarch 1, 2012 at 6:12 PM

    Work on them mentally. Toss around the fact that you were once a champ and have pictures to prove it. That ought to shake them up.

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