My boys had their championship basketball games on Saturday. Two older boys on the same team, and the youngest on his own team. All three made it to the winners bracket.
My youngest son’s game was first, he dominated & obliterated I mean played a well spirited game where they won. What I have learned as my boys grew, when they were younger all the parents are on the sidelines cheering and laughing and saying comments like “aren’t they cute.” This is still true for my 9 year old, the competition has been acknowledged but parents are typically still “having fun.”
Then we enter the age of about 12 and older….
Parents are saying things like “get that ball, that kid is not better than you” you know encouraging stuff like that. Now I would never admit to being THAT type of parent on the world wide web, but on occasion during intense games the “claws” do come out. Suddenly as parents we are not sitting there saying “aren’t they cute,” now we are saying “we want blood!!!” Beat that team, and let them remember your name.
Oh goodness these sports bring out the “wild in me” where I am normally tame =) Ok back to my two older sons game. First let me preface this with, my two older boys were up early Saturday morning walking around here like caged animals. Just anxious for the game (which did not begin until 1:30…Lord have mercy!). Once the game began it became evident the two teams were evenly matched. We made a basket, they made a basket. This kept going until the last quarter. It was basically down to who will make the most mistakes. And well…we made the most mistakes and ended up losing by only a couple of points. I have not seen my 13 (almost 14 in a two weeks) tear up because of a game before, but below is the scene I saw after the game. Daddy telling him he totally understood what it feels like to lose the big game.
But I am proud as a parent, because both teams of boys were congratulating each other after the game and saying positive things. Unlike the game that got us to the winners bracket where the losing team had a relative that just went off on the guy running the league. It was sad.
I am glad my two older sons got to experience losing with grace, and my younger son having the humility enough not to rub it in that they won.
All proceeds go to charity! Order your copy today!
