the rebound guy

it's the end of another school basketball season.  jordan's team came a long way this year.  they had good plays, good communication and great team spirit.  but never won a game.  and jordan was happy as could be.

even if they lost the game (sometimes by a lot)
even if they were tired (there were only 8 players on the team)
even if he didn't make a basket
even if he sat on the bench
even if the ref "didn't make the right call"

he was happy.
he felt good.
he loved it.

i talked to his coach the other day and he told me that jordan gets basketball.  he understands the game, the plays and the method that makes it all work.  he can explain something to jordan to make him improve his game and jordan understands, that makes him a better player. and it helped that he was one of the taller boys on the team.

let's face it, jordan is not the most athletic boy in his class, but he tries.  he wanted to be a part of the basketball team in 4th grade, even though he hardly ever played before, and that surprised us.  unlike swimming, it is something that we don't have to encourage him to do.  it's something he really wants to do, and that matters more than his ability.

i remember watching him play that first year.  he could hardly dribble the ball.  whenever he got the ball he got rid of it right away, to anyone.  he looked down all the time.  but he would smile and run from one end of the court to the other.  he scored one basket all season.  and he loved it.

the next year, he got better.  that coach told us that he saw a lot of improvement. he could dribble better and defend better. you could see that he was part of the team.  jordan scored a basket that year.  and he loved it.

this year things got a little more serious.  the games are more intense.  the kids and coaches are more competitive.  they have actual plays and positions.  jord was the rebound guy.  but it's hard to teach him to steal the ball or take it away from someone when he has been taught his whole life to be polite and let everyone have a turn.  being aggressive is just not part of this nature.  but something clicked this year.  maybe he took the game more seriously.  maybe he realized that winning was important.  maybe it mattered to him. he made a goal this season to score 2 baskets. he scored three. and he loved it.

i really think he loved sitting on the bench drinking his gatorade and wearing the uniform.  you could see on his face that he feels proud about being on the team.  it's amazing what he has learned and how far he has come.  basketball is something that doesn't come easy to him.  he doesn't have that natural ability.  but he enjoys playing and that makes the effort a little easier.  i am so proud of him, regardless of the outcome, and admire his love of the game.