Basketball Dreams Fulfilled and Dashed

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People get caught up in 'March Madness' watching college basketball all through the third month of the year, but it has actually already begun for the high school teams.  This week I've been watching high school seniors achieve great things desperately trying to keep their basketball 'careers' alive and others seeing the end of something they've loved for years.

Tuesday night watching Vianney's Mookie Valandra make two free throws with less than four seconds left in the game to defeat Gatway Tech to extend the Golden Griffins' season was as good as it gets.  However, four seconds later watching Gateway's outstanding senior guard, Kaleb Turner grieving the end of his playing days for the Jaguars was heart breaking. Turner had carried the Jags down the stretch of this dramatic 49-to-48 District Semi-Final game and yet there he laid on the floor of the Kirkwood gym floor, knowing it was all over.

We should celebrate the achievements of our young people.  The twelfth kid at the end of the bench, the super star that will play at some high level college program and the water boy are all doing something they care about and are giving their time to.  I think our teens (and tweens and 'children') all deserve our attention, praise and encouragement.

As they grow they won't necessarily remember much of what we say, but they will remember what we did, what we endorsed, what we supported.  They'll remember we were 'there.'  Our kids need to know that effort, passion, discipline are to be cheered and celebrated.  Win or lose those are valuable traits and we should enthusiastically support them.

Get to a game, a play, a recital, help with homework, brag about the report card, cheer when they win on Playstation 3, whatever they're doing, let's believe in and enjoy it!

Back to the high school playoffs:  Do you think the NCAA Tournament is exciting?  Nothing is more exciting than these games.  These young men and ladies are going at it with all they have without the perks of scholarships, training tables and chartered planes.  These kids are truly 'student athletes.'

Go to a high school basketball game the next couple of weeks.  You'll be shocked at how thrilling they really can be.

Do Good