Tenacity

With the end of the baseball season, Noah set his sights on a new sport for the winter.  He asked if he could play basketball.  We debated as to whether he should play with county parks and rec or whether he should play with the Upward organization.  Knowing one of our very favorite coaches was coaching Upward, knowing we might need transportation help, knowing Noah had never played organized basketball before, we decided on Upward.

Noah came home from practice one evening and mentioned he felt embarrassed as he was the only one on the team who had never played organized ball before.  Noah's basketball experience had been confined to our driveway, playing against the neighborhood kids and his brothers.  And since those opponents ranged in age from 12 to 17, he had a hard time getting a shot off over them.  He did however learn to play great defense and scramble for the ball.  There were days though when he would come storming into the house, shouting that he hated being the smallest one.  (And for the record, telling him that he would one day be taller and eventually catch up to the others doesn't go very far with him even though it's true.)

I love this boy.

Lucky number 13

He also soaks up sports knowledge like a sponge.  He and I were watching a college basketball game on TV after his first practice, and he turned to me and said, "They did a pick two." I was confused at first. Then I realized.  I turned to him. "Oh, you mean a pick and roll."

"Yeah, Mom, like Coach Alan showed us.  You put your hands down in front of you, stand still, and let your team mate run around you."  

And so the day of his first game arrived.  Noah isn't a superstar.  What he does have is tenacity.  I could not count the number of times that boy was on the floor scrambling for loose balls and creating jump balls.  I really don't think the cleaning people needed to wipe the floor.  Noah and his uniform did the job for them.

I have watched him improve his ball handling skills, even in the short time he's played.

Shooting a foul shot.

I have watched him hustle down the floor on a fast break.
(And yes, sometimes there is a size discrepancy.

And yes, that is his tongue hanging out of his mouth.

I live in constant fear he will take and elbow to the chin and end up being tongue-less.)

Yesterday, he played his second game.  At the start, his ball handling was a little, um, wild.  By the game's end, he had led two? three? fast breaks down the court and made the lay up. The game was a lot rougher than the previous game.  At one point, Noah took an elbow, went sliding across the floor, picked himself up, and kept on running.

And this is what I love about Noah. He isn't the best ball handler or shooter out there.  But he is determined. He's tenacious.  He doesn't quit.  He constantly is pushing himself to learn more, be better, go farther,

I'm not sure, Noah, where God will lead you or what He will have you do.  But I have no doubt that your tenacity and stubbornness will serve you well.

And Noah? I want to be like you. 

I love you.