It's Basketball Season!

This morning I got to get up at the butt crack of dawn in order to make it clear across town to see my wonderfully new at basketball niece compete in her very first game. I walked into the gym, having missed the beginning lights spectacular thanks to my not so accurate GPS, found a seat next to my sister and her other half of the family. I look out at the court and Girlie-nuc is standing there wide eyed and humming with anticipation and well... fear. Having only had two practices before the big game Girlie was very nervous.

It was 4 on 4 basketball with a set of rules I have never heard of. You couldn't try to steal the ball. If you knocked it out of the court, you got it back, and if you didn't dribble, you got a friendly reminder. It was so... noncompetitive. At first I was taken aback by this. I understand they are really young and need to learn how to play well with others, but this is basketball. Dribbling is a must and knowing that if you hit the ball out of bounds, the other team gets the ball. I'm okay with not keeping score, and letting kids "forget" to dribble, but there was this kid, adorable I will admit, who decided to walk with the ball from one side of the court, to the other side only dribbling once. Girlie-nuc tried her hardest... and made 2 baskets!

Here is the funny part. While playing Girlie wore her grey uniform. The opposing team had on a maroon one. I'm not sure what they were thinking when they chose number colors because the maroon uniform was beautifully adorned with blue numbering. Imagine my surprise... and early morning humor... when the official began screaming, "It's blues ball!" I know. I thoroughly admit that I laughed like a 12 year old prepubescent teenage boy, but it was funny! It took the sting out of waking up on a Saturday morning with the sun still down.

Girlie's father was hilarious. Usually, he cracks jokes that you may not necessarily get but he thinks is hilarious, and we politely laugh at him. This time, in an auditorium filled with less than 50 or so people he started... the wave. All the sudden you hear him yell out... "COME ON EVERYONE! WOOOOOH!" Raising his arms up. Much to my sister's horror. However, the family quickly chimed in carrying the wave around well... a quarter of the auditorium. It was fun. She had fun. She received her "Grace-like" star to iron onto her jersey... which she was very happy with. Girlie made 2 baskets. Learned it's about having fun... regardless of how many people yell, "Hands UP! Get the BALL!" (her mother lol)... It was a fun day!