Basketball

It's been a few weeks, but Raymond participated in our school's "junior league" basketball season.  It's a short, one month season that allows 3rd - 6th grade boys an opportunity to play a little basketball during lunch.  The high school boys coached this year and it was neat to see the interaction across the grade levels.  Raymond's team, the Knighthawks finished their season in 2nd place and we were very proud of his effort and attitude.

 

That exposure apparently lit a spark in my boy because all he thinks about now is basketball.  He wants to play ALL the time...at lunch, after school, after church and every second he has free at home is spent "shooting hoops".  I'm not complaining, far from it!  As a lover of sports, I couldn't be happier that my boy has taken such an interest in a basketball.  It's just a little bitter-sweet for me to watch him grow up and let loose those proverbial apron strings.  In fact, just recently he was asked by some high school boys to stay after school and play ball with them.  One even offered him a ride home, if he could stay.  I can't describe the feeling I had as I loaded the other two up and headed down the hill for home.  Sort of a mixture of pride and sadness, I guess.  I had to call Kevin on my way home so he could reassure me that the boy would be just fine.  I knew he would, it's just...

 

 

So that brings us to today...our boys' basketball teams are getting a jump on the next basketball season and have already starting practices in preparation for next year.  Raymond will be attending his first "official" basketball practice this evening and I must admit, I'm experiencing a bit of anxiety over it!  Will he do well?  What if he gets hurt and I'm not there?  What if he hates it?  What if he LOVES it?!  So many what-ifs, it's hard to imagine but in my mind, I guess I am still seeing that sweet little boy whose picture I have on my desk and I'm not sure how OK I am with leaving him at school, alone...or more accurately, with out me.  But, truth be told, if my baby is gonna be a baller, he's most surely going to get hurt (physically and maybe even emotionally) and I'm just.going.to.have.to. let him.