Upward - Reflection

This year, I coached Upward basketball, just like I did two years ago.  Only this year, I also added "Commissioner" to my title.

And it was AWESOME.  I still don't know anything about basketball.  I still forgot to send emails, left names off the list of people I DID manage to send emails to, had to send people running in all directions to get stuff I forgot, and have a LONG list of things I will do differently next time.  But, just as in teaching, it's really not about all the details, it's about the kids.

And Lindsey and I had one GREAT group of kids.  But before I start on the kids, I need to brag on Lindsey.  She is such an awesome basketball coach.  She was patient, kind, and able to give the kids actual basketball instruction at the tender ages of 4, 5, and 6.  And, she somehow kept track in her head of how the kids did each game.  I told her I was thinking of carrying a clipboard and writing down every time a kid passed or took a shot, and then she rattled off the names of everyone who passed and took a shot.  Whaaaaaat?  How does she do that?

We had eight boys and one feisty girl.  I mean it when I say feisty - she was all over that ball and by far the most aggressive player on our team.  We had one adorable 4-year-old who was just so stinking cute, even though he couldn't dribble or shoot.  I could tell several stories about these kids, but I'll limit myself to just this one...Joey.  I'll call him that just so I don't break any confidentiality codes.  We had heard ahead of time that Joey was kind of a pain - didn't listen, wouldn't follow directions, etc, and while he never misbehaved, it was clear he wasn't into basketball.  He was glad when he got to sit on the bench, always wanted to head for the water fountain, and never really did much with the ball when he had it.  In short, he reminded me of what I would have been like if I had played basketball at his age.

At devotion time, we learned about three virtues over the course of the season - honesty, patience, and kindness.  Since music is how I best learn, I taught the kids a silly song about the fruits of the spirit based on Galatians 5:22 (the video version is slightly different than what I taught them, but you get the idea).  As the kids were preparing for Awards night on Sunday, our very last meeting of the season, the director, killing time before it was our turn to go down to the gym, asked if anyone wanted to come up and sing a song.  Joey's hand SHOT into the air.  Bryan called him up, and that boy sang the ENTIRE song into the microphone. With gusto.  And that's a lot of words for a little kindergartner.  And when he was done, he literally JUMPED into my arms and squeezed tight.  I wish I could post the video I got of him singing.  It was adorable, and it made me tear up, thinking and hoping that this song might be something he remembers after he has forgotten where the baseline is, or how to bounce pass, or to keep his elbows down when he shoots.  Because Upward isn't just about basketball - it's about loving kids, and showing them that Jesus loves them, too.

Looking forward to next year.