Shoot Out

For at least 2 years now, Ben starts his day with the Sports Page. The day ends reading stats in his Sports Trivia book that he tucks under his pillow borrowed from the St. Aloysius Library at night. There should be a rule about how many times you can re-check a book. At St. Al's, that time limit is apparently a year. The entire school year. Bonus.

His hobby borders on obsession. He knows the scores, players of the games, field-goals, assists... and wants nothing more than to succeed like his idols: Klay Thompson, Robert Sacre, Steven Gray.
This basketball season started out a bit tricky for us. Ben wanted to continue with his AAU basketball team, playing up a year (5th grade- read between the lines = intensity), coached by an incredibly classy and talented athlete. And we knew going it to it that the team was "in it to win it" which meant less playing time for Ben, but we thought some playing time, on the court- with his teammates. After the first tournament where Ben maxed out 5 games with about 4:19 total to show on the court Mick and I had a heart to heart. It seemed our parenting handbook has some chapters left out... namely tough decision making ones regarding expectations and fairness and competing and feeling "not good enough." In fourth grade. Insane. He's 9.

So we called another classy athlete who had asked Ben to be on the St. Al's YMCA team, and at that time with 5 sports coinciding the thought of another round of practices and games made want to groan and throw up simultaneously. So I had said nope- not even asking my player his thoughts. But Ben's comments about loving the game and just wanting to play brought us full circle back to basics and Ben was lucky enough to join late on the YMCA team. After much deliberaition involving a written outline (Again, insane. I was a bit nervous) and with Mick traveling on the East Coast, I begrudgingly called Mr. Stockton and attempted to gracefully exit stage left fron the AAU team. For Ben's sake and John's sake. And he'd have nothing of it. I said, "You've probably never been in this situation having a kid on the bench..." and he begged to differ (with his 6 kids there was some bench-riding) and quoted the lessons to be learned from practicing hard and determination and attitude. He would know. I said, "I know you want to do what's best for the team, but I want to do what's best for our son." And he said "What's best for your son is to keep trying and I see potential." So Ben dogged on. Teasing aside. Bullying by the better players aside at school. Just loving the game. Gaining confidence from both coaches and starting as point guard on the other team. One game at a time. One practice at a time. Tracking the college games and stats and dreaming big. And somehow, it happened for him.
Last Sunday he came home from practice and said "I DID it! I'm the 3-point shooter for the team. I won the 3 point contest!" To which I smiled and congratulated him and surely said how proud I was all the while not really understanding what that meant.
It meant a big deal. So today he lined up with the best 3-point shooters from each of the teams in the leauge and shot 15 balls from around the court in a minute. 5th graders mind you. Shooting one at a time with the timer going in front of a full gym of parents. He started out making 2 of the 3 practice shots... and then made 5 from around the court in a minute. He rocked it. Didn't win, but jeez he was there with everyone watching and the timer going and just shooting the lights out of that basket. For the love of the game.

And his confidence and attitude were contagioius. I told William to give Ben some good "ju ju" before he started and Will said "Well--- how do I do that?" A wish and a prayer. Whatever it was, it worked. Ben, I'm so proud of your determination and attitude. You're inspiring. And you rocked it. Some day, I have the feeling I'll be reading about you in the Sports Page. One basket at a time.
love,
Mom