Giving Thanks for….basketball?

My boys have played basketball since they were five or six years old.  (Number 33 and 41 are mine, and number 3 is one of their best friend s and I consider part of him mine too) Tonight is the opening game of their senior year. I am still slapping myself upside the head wondering how they got to be seniors!

Here are just a few things I have learned from going to a zillion ballgames over the years  (well, maybe not a zillion but close)

1. Bleachers hurt. Whether they are metal or wood, they hurt. They hurt your back and your bottom and if you sit on them long enough you will get what I call “bleacher butt burn.” Ouch!

2. Most of the time the kids are well behaved, but I can’t say the same for the parents. You don’t go to as many games as I have and not witness embarrassing displays of behavior. You can learn a lot about a person by the way they behave at a ballgame.

3. Concession food is fattening and if you eat it often (all season long) you will gain weight.

4. Athletes now are not like athletes when I was in high school. They are expected to excel at levels we never dreamed of when I was young. Most of them train year round, lift weights, practice, go to camps and invest huge amounts of time and energy into their games. Whew! Makes me tired just thinking about it!

5. Girls are no longer left off the court. The year after I graduated was the first year my high school had a girl’s basketball program. I wouldn’t have played anyway, so I have no regrets for myself but I had lots of friends who would have played if given the opportunity. Girl’s rock and so so the Lady Hornets!

6. It’s good for teenagers to be actively involved in sports. Being a part of team teaches them many things and keeps them busy and in shape.

Here’s to a great season on and off the courts. I have to find my bleacher chair today….it’s somewhere in the attic, maybe beneath the Christmas tree? If I can’t find it I’ll just take a pillow. Go Hornets!

One more thing before I go….

Today I am thankful for many blessings (including my twins and their athletic abilities) but especially my son, Nick. Today is his  birthday. Happy Birthday, Nick! We love you!