Category Archives: sports

Oh My Bracket!

March 23, 2010life, sportsKirsetin

“MOM?!” he says very loudly. “You picked Robert Morris to win?” As is often the case, he is confused by my NCAA March Madness bracket selections.

“Yes. My cousin played football there, and he’s in the hall of fame. Plus, his wife is in the hall of fame there for softball.”

Quietly now, “Mom, that doesn’t really have anything to do with basketball.”

“I know, honey, but that’s how I pick them. There are upsets every year. This could be the year for Robert Morris.”

But it wasn’t. And the list goes on.

I picked Pittsburgh because another cousin’s wife attended, they got married at Heinz Chapel, and I have aunts and uncles out the wazoo who live there.

I picked Notre Dame because it seems like they always win in the first round, despite the fact that they were playing a school that briefly looked at me as a bball player waaayyyy back in the day. (Should’ve gone with ODU for that very reason. Of course they pulled it off.)

I chose Cornell for one game because my old boss went there, but didn’t choose them again because it’s been such a tough year on that campus. I wish I would have…first time for the Ivy’s in the sweet 16! Sweet!

And I picked Duke to win it all for two reasons: 1) I went to high school in NC and always liked Duke, and 2) I wouldn’t pick Kansas to win for nothin’.

I was right about one thing. There have been upsets left and right…it is, after all, March Madness. It’s just too bad I didn’t call the right ones.

But for now, at least, Duke’s still in the hunt. Go Blue Devils!

Everybody else? Are you wondering, “Why in the heck is she talking about basketball?” or do you have some sweet picks of your own? Do you go by the numbers or share my method of choosing with the heart? Who’d you pick to win it all?

My Coaching Surprise

February 15, 2010Midwest Parents, sportsKirsetin

When I first started playing basketball, I was in about the 4^th or 5^th grade and I wasn’t very good. The teams were co-ed, then, and I spent more time thinking about my freckled, red-headed teammate Mike Fayard than listening to what the coach had to say. It was, as my father has often said, more of a social event for me.

Several years passed before I showed much promise. I think I was quick and fairly athletic, so they kept me around. Eventually things began to sink in.

I’d forgotten this. I’d forgotten how hard it was to learn this game. I’ve played for so many years now that these concepts seem obvious. Cut to the basket. Come to the ball. Pick and roll. ROLL, people, ROLL.

I know, those words don’t mean anything to most of you but trust me, they’re fundamental parts of the game. If your child ends up on a basketball team, these are things she or he will learn.

In all these years, I have played and practiced and cheered but I haven’t coached until now.

To find out how hard it is, and why I do it anyway, see my post over at Midwest Parents today. I’ll be posting there every day this week. Be sure to stop by and say hello!

Winning Isn’t Everything, But It’s Winning

February 4, 2010Parenting, sportsKirsetin

I have a confession to make. I really like to win. Uh huh. It’s true. I have grown and travelled and learned many things, but I have still not learned that winning doesn’t matter. I know it’s not everything. I understand that no one wins all of the time. I’m just admitting that I prefer to end up on the winning side more often than not.

As a basketball coach of young kids, however, I have to put winning aside for a bit. First, the kids have to learn how to play. We have to focus on the basics. How hard can it be, right?

It’s hard.

You know the problem with coaching 10-year olds? They have never seen Michael Jordan play. Fo’ real. And there is a chance that a few really neglected ones don’t even know who he is. I know, right?

So, I’m trying. I’m trying my very best to teach the boys some basketball. We are working on some fundamentals, like dribbling without looking at the ball, and boxing out, which for ~~those of you who don’t know anything about basketball~~ most of you, means keeping the other team from getting the ball after someone shoots.

These things don’t seem that hard to teach. I mean, those guys on TV do it all the time. But man, they are. Hard to teach, that is.

Boys. Funny thing is, I wasn’t one, so I’m not always sure where they’re coming from. For example, if my coach said, “Do not shoot 3-point shots,” I would not shoot 3-point shots. Seems fairly simple. But these boys, they learn so early that shooting those shots from far away is cool. Even if you only make one shot out of like, one thousand, that one shot was cool, man. That one shot that keeps ‘em coming back for more, even when the coach is pulling her hair out on the sidelines and begging them to pass the ball. PASS THE BALL.

But I love it when it works. When they drive the baseline or make the assist or fast break for a great lay-up.

My son took this photo of his brother (who’s on the team I coach). That kid playing defense totally went for the fake, didn’t he? And, wow, that boy can jump!

I think my favorite basketball to watch, though, is still the little kids. These kids think it’s just fine to dribble with two hands, pick the ball up, and then dribble again. And in their League, it is. They’re just having fun, playing ball, and smiling.

Also, they love the dog pile.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that my big kid is playing, too. But you can see it in their faces: Forget the dog pile. These boys are like me. They really want to win.