Basketball is back

   
   

Basketball started up again yesterday – my baby has moved into the under 18’s – wow is that different!! For starters some of the boys that my son is competing against look like men!! One boy had a full beard – what the?
Happily our boys played really well and held their own. What’s even better is that we have a coach for this season! Yay!!

It’s going to be weird playing on a Sunday night instead of the usual Saturday afternoons – but I have a good feeling about this season. 

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Basketball break up

  

I had such a great night at the basketball break up tonight!! All the boys are just lovely and I have really loved spending time with them all.

  
Because the club will only provide two trophies for the coaches to give out and because I felt that every boy on my team deserved one, I came up with the idea of buying some cheap little trophies to give the boys long with chocolate – let’s face it who doesn’t like chocolate? The boys seemed to like my idea of the little trophy and chocolates so that was good.

  
The zorb soccer which is what we chose to do as our break up was lots of fun, except our boys were more interested in knocking each other over than actually playing soccer.

  
They had 45 mins in those zorb balls and were so hot and thirsty afterwards that they were guzzling water like it was going out of fashion, then they played a couple of games of dodge ball and finally some normal soccer then it was upstairs for something to eat followed by speeches and presents.

  
 I was very spoilt, the team got me a thirty dollar Churros voucher (for that new Churro shop) and an $80 spa voucher. The boys all signed a card with lovely messages. It has been a great season and a wonderful and positive experience. One I will cherish always. 

 

Team bonding boxing session

OMG!! I am on such a high at the moment that I just couldn’t wait to get home and write to tell you all about it. The team bonding boxing night was soooooooooo good, sooooooo much fun!! I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way though. The boys seemed to have so much fun too – well all except George he was complaining that he was feeling sick, but I think he was just struggling – clearly he is not as fit as he thinks he is. 
The boxing session seemed to do exactly what I was hoping it would – bring the boys together again – by the end of the session they looked like they had resolved their issues – and if not resolved but at least looked like they had put them aside. 
The only disappointing thing was that the dad of the boy who caused the problems turned up to pick up his son (we picked him up on the way there but didn’t have enough room to take him home because had already committed to taking another two boys home.) and he seemed to be holding a grudge almost against the boys, and was giving them angry stares. I’m not going to let him spoil my mood though – I think it was a success and by the end of it all the boys were sweating and totally exhausted and still I couldn’t stop smiling!!!
The staff at the boxing gym were awesome!! And a massive thank you is due to my sister and my dear friend and Team Manager and my other dear friend who came along to support me and the boys and worked just as hard as the basketball boys. 
Tonight I am a happy coach, let’s hope the boys stay connected and we can go on to have some fun and win some games.

Tough day at the office

Tough day at the office this weekend at basketball!! The one thing the team had going for them, the one thing that gave them an edge above the competition is that they were a close knit team, kind of one for all and all for one. But in the last few weeks something has tipped the scales and the dynamics are all out. At this weeks game there was a massive blue between two of the boys, they almost came to blows!! How can we win any games when the team is bickering like this? Instead of focusing on each other’s weaknesses they should be appreciating each other’s strengths the unique qualities that each person brings to the team. 

So on Tuesday I have arranged for the boys to do a team bonding session at the boxing gym that I attend and love! I’m hoping that some time together to just have fun and work off some of those frustrations and some of that testosterone overload will helpfully help to mend the rift and gets us back on track.

Here’s hoping.

Skills, Drills and Special Plays

I attended a skills drills and special plays workshop today with Trevor Gleeson who is the coach of the Perth Wildcats and I have to say that it was really great.
He has so much passion and knowledge, the session was fun and informative and very entertaining.
My only wish was that my son had attended the workshop with me he would have found it to be so beneficial and he would have loved it. 
Some of the drills and plays would be a bit advance for the majority of the boys on my team but not for all of them and certainly not for George.

Tomorrow at training I will try and introduce some of the things that I picked up tonight, hopefully it will help us going forward in the season. 

Grading games are now over and the season is set to commence. What our boys have above the rest of the competition is that they are all great mates, and when they play they play for each other. So they may not be the best team in their division or the most skilful, they certainly don’t have the best coach, but they have a bond which gives them an edge above the competition and sometimes that’s all it takes.
Go Bulls !!!

First loss for the season

So today we had our first loss in basketball and I have to admit it was disappointing! Even though we are still playing grading games, we still want to win.

The team we were up against today has beaten all the other teams they have come up against by an average of 50 points so we were expecting a tough game and I guess a loss.

The first half though our boys were awesome!! Half time scores were tied, our boys were on fire the opposition did not know what was happening, but then one of our players got injured – that’s the third player in three weeks to get hurt – and we were all out of subs.

The second half of the game, the opposition came out firing and got a few quick shots, our boys seemed to panic which lead to mistakes, which lead to the opposition getting ahead by quite a few shots. To the boys credit they didn’t give up and the final score was 23 to 42.

After the game the opposition coach came over and was just lovely – he could obviously see I was new to this coaching gig and offered some helpful advice which I am very grateful for.

So three weeks into the season, still grading games the tally is  two wins and one loss and three injuries. 

Victory!!!!!

First game of the season, first time as coach and first win!!! Woohoo!!! I’m feeling very pumped!! The boys were awesome they played like a team, each and everyone of them stepped up and performed at their best. 

Their shooting, which is what has let them down in the past, was really good.  They backed themselves and the result was a great win. The first of many more I hope.

I don’t think I did much as coach, but it kind of felt like the boys were aware of my nervousness and were stepping up to help me out, to make it easier for me, and for that I  am really grateful and very proud.

My husband and my sister and nephew as well as  my twins all came along to support me and the boys, which was just wonderful, and this just added to the awesome experience. 

So a big thank you to all the parents and a great big thank you to my family and most of all  Well Done Bulls!!

  

Feeling relieved!!

Well today was my first night as basketball coach for my sixteen year olds basketball team. 

I have been having many sleepless nights worrying about my crazy decision to put my hand up to be coach this season.

After much researching last night I finally put together my training plan which I meticulously went over with my son. 

But anyone who has every spent hours putting together a plan, any sort of plan, will tell you that things just never go according to plan!!

Tonight things went better than planned, better than I was expecting!! I am a lucky girl that’s for sure. My dear friend (who incidentally put her hand up as team manager to support me) turned up tonight to help out with her son who also plays basketball and is wanting to get into coaching, so did one of the other dads along with his son also a basketball player. 

Together the 5 of us took the boys through various drills and had lots of fun as well. So tonight I feel so optimistic!! All that stress has been washed away!!  I feel hopeful that the boys are going to have a good season. First game is on Saturday, the thought is no longer terrifying. What a relief!!  

Winter sports

Winter is my least favourite season of the year. Cold dark nights and wet and windy days are not my idea of fun at all.

This year winter appears to have set in earlier than ever. Technically we have only just embarked on the last month of Autumn, and yet it already feels like hibernation time. In a another life I could totally have been a bear. The whole idea of sleeping through winter appeals to me on so many levels.

Unfortunately most boy sports are actually winter sports, so tonight I will be braving the elements as I sit and wait for my son to finish his soccer training. Once he is finished I will rush him home only to pick up the other son who also has basketball training tonight.

Luckily last years Mother’s Day gift from my daughter was a cute travel mug which I plan on taking along with me tonight. I think a nice steaming cup of tea is just what is in order.

Basketball Grandfinal

Today my eldest had his basketball Grandfinal!! Wow what a game!! A real nail biter!!

With 8 seconds to go our boys had finally managed to get ahead by 2 points, but then the other team got the ball and for a split second it looked like it might all end as a draw.

Luckily our boys were able to get the rebound and win the Grand Final.

It was a very emotionally charged day. I was so proud of all the boys but especially proud of my son who played an awesome game and was clearly the man of the match.

The coach, who by the way happens to be my nephew, was awesome!! He has managed to lead the team to victory with his perseverance and dedication.

Many of the boys had never played basketball before joining our team but thanks to the coaches efforts they were all able to step up and get to where they are today.

This day will stay with them forever as it will with me too.

I love watching my kids play sport. I enjoy it so much more than watching the professionals play and to get to see both my boys (son and nephew that I love as my own) was a double bonus. Well done Bulls