Basketball Tournament

Jackson girls freshman team made 1^st seed in the tournaments this season.  Tonight was the tournament game Jackson vs. Lake, a worthy opponent.

My Mariah, #25, blocks …

She is such an aggressive player! At 5’4”, they put her against the best on the other teams, which many times is a head taller, and sometimes has her by 40 lbs. 

A classic moment caught … Mariah high in the air!

The game is down to only 13 seconds on the clock, the score is tied. I look at my daughter, she is praying (she is the one in the middle) …

                                    

A precious moment captured.

The game goes into overtime, Jackson loses, but the game was unbelievable.

Parents of both teams fill the hall waiting … with loving arms and hesitation for the heartbreak.  The Jackson team comes out of the locker room last. 

Tears in their eyes, sticking close to one another, heading to the bus … we watch them walk by. 

I was talking to Mariah’s dad, step-mom, and step-sister once her team passed. In all the commotion of chattering teens, parents discussing the plays, I hear my little girls voice,  “Mom!”   Thank you God for a mother’s instinct to hear her child above the voices of 50 others at least 25 feet away.  I turned immediately to see Mariah down the hall … across a sea of people … on her toes, waving me over.  She needs me. 

I get to her quickly, my eyes on her, watching her heartbreak and the tears start to roll down her cheeks.  She ran into my arms, buried her face in my coat, and sobbed. 

Moment’s like this are cherished. Her heart is breaking for their loss. Her heart is breaking for the season that came to an end.

I whisper the soft familiar words, I’ve said for 15 years, “Shhhhh … it’s okay, sweetheart.”  I kiss her head & cheeks and hug her tightly.  Everyone around us disappears.

I’m so incredibly thankful for the relationship that we have.

Jackson’s freshman girl’s team had an amazing season!  Mariah has played basketball with most of these girls for 7 years now.  They are all best friends.

Their coach, Mr. Butch, was their 8^th grade Math teacher and coach last year.  He loves these girls.  Poor Mr. Butch is 27 years old and single.  What a learning experience he received this year coaching 15 – 16 year olds! 

Five months the team played together 2 hours a day, 6 days a week!  He learned to deal with a team full of teen girls whose menstrual cycle adjusted to the same time of the month producing extreme hormones and emotions.  He had to deal the teams opinions of not approving of his girlfriend. He lost his temper a lot.  They dealt it right back, and hurt his feelings a lot, too.

Tonight he cried with his team. He told them that he has 14 little sisters that he loves and that he will always be there should they need him.  They love him and think of him as a big brother.  What a responsibility for a young guy. He embraced his role at his young age with great maturity and was truly a great coach.

Congratulations Jackson Polar Bears for an amazing season!