Our Favorite Basketball Player

Amara said she would like to participate in the city's Jr. Jazz league, so on a whim, I paid the $30 and signed her up.  She's never played basketball.  Never ever.  So, I really hoped she would have a fun time with it.  The teams are coed and when we got her team's roster I found out she was the only girl on her team.  I was feeling a little anxious for her and the season hadn't even begun.  I hoped the boys would pass to her.  I hoped she wouldn't hate it. 

Well, she's had a couple games and it turns out that she loves it.  Whew!

The first time she played I discovered that the kids hardly ever pass.  There are very few "rules" for their league (thank goodness).  Kids can travel, double dribble, and there are no fouls or free throws.  There is a 10 minute practice at the beginning of each game and the game is two 15-minute halves.  They are encouraged the whole game by their coach that spends his time on the court with his team directing them and refereeing.  It's so fun (and sometimes funny to watch- Steve especially laughs when a kid passes the ball to another teammate that is literally 3 feet away by passing it directly into the other teammate's face, which has happened every game so far).  

The coach is a good coach.  He encourages his team to "Pass to Amara!"  And he'll even catch the ball and give it to Amara so she can go try to make a basket.  The first game Amara felt pretty confused and she definitely looked lost out there, as she would follow around the person she was supposed to be guarding like a puppy and it's mother.  It was okay though because the other kid was just as lost following the crowd.  We kept shouting from the sidelines for Amara to watch the ball (for fear she may get face-passed to while not watching).  We are happy that she's having a good experience and she enjoys going out there- plus she's figuring things out and improving in only 2 games time.  You should've seen her guard her guy this last game.  When he was trying to make his shot, she jumped up and down with her arms up and moving- and she was between him and the basket.  Improvement!  Even more awesome than that was after the game when she came up to us and said, "Did you see me guarding that guy?  My hands were up and I did a really good job!"  She was so proud of herself and it made me happy to see her having so much fun.

Amara "practicing" with her team.

Half-time practice

Not bad, Amara!  See Grandma's face in the background?

Amara's coach had forgotten her jersey at home for the first game, so she got one at her next game.