Basketball Season Started...Two Weeks Late!

For the first time ever, we signed both Lia and Logan up to play basketball this winter.  After several practices in December, their first games happened to be on January 12th, the day we came home from the hospital with Emmett.  We completely missed Logan's game which I felt so bad about.  He even had to be driven to and from the game by a friend's parent from the team.  We got back from the hospital in time for Ron to attend Lia's game although he was half asleep from two bad night's sleep in a row at the hospital.  The following weekend, I still wasn't feeling quite up to going to their games, so Ron went to both of them.  However, I was finally able to go and watch them play for the first time at their third game today.  I was so surprised at how fast paced and intense Logan's game was considering the fact that all the players are just 1st grade boys.  Logan and the rest of his team constantly ran back and forth between their basket and their opponent's madly getting rebounds and making baskets.  Logan took several shots and even made two baskets (which he had also done the previous week when Ron was there).  It was so fun to see how quickly he has picked up the game after knowing nothing about it prior to last month.  He seems to have such a good time playing the game with the rest of his teammates who are mainly his friends from school.

Logan looking for the ball.

Listening to his coach.

Another shot of my cute boy listening during the team huddle.

Running down the court.

Dribbling the ball towards his team's basket.

Although this is not the best shot, this is the picture that I was able to take of Logan making his first basket during this game.  You can see the backside of him at the bottom with his arms up in the air while the ball is about to go in the basket.

Another shot of Logan looking for the ball.

Logan dribbling down the court again.

Fighting for the ball with a boy on the other team.

Guarding his player on the other team.

Trying to block the player's throw to another teammate.

Dribbling the ball again.

Shooting another basket.

Logan smiling for me after his game is over with his cute, little sister at his side.

A few hours later, I was able to take Lia to her game at the local junior high school just up the hill from our house.  Although I had sat in on several of her practices in December, I had never seen her team play a real game.  Since she is on a 5th/6th grade team for the first time ever, I was blown away by some of the talented, 6th grade players.  Several girls on her team are extremely aggressive with the ball and proficient at making baskets.  Since Lia's skills are not as advanced as the rest of these girls, she sadly was only able to touch the ball a few times during the game and never had the chance to make a single basket.  My heart just went out to her seeing that she has finally reached an age where so many of the girls on her team and the opposing team are much more advanced than her.  I knew that this would happen some day, but I had hoped that it wouldn't occur until junior high.  I was so proud of Lia for trying her hardest the entire game and never giving up, but we both openly discussed how this might be her last year playing basketball after the game was over.  As sad as it makes us, I think this is the right decision for her.  In the meantime, Lia will continue to make the most of this season enjoying her practices and learning from the wonderful coach she was assigned to play for this year.

Lia trying to get the ball at her team's end of the court.

Lia dribbling the ball.

Running down the court.

Defending her opponent.

Lia taking a break during the game.

Lia passing the ball to another girl.

Lia chasing after the girl she is defending.  I just love the determined look on her face.

Looking for the ball.

My brave girl giving me a smile at the end of her game.