We are nearing the end of my second season coaching the young women's basketball team at church.
It's been kinda awesome. But not in the way I expected.
Not that I was dreading it or anything, I love basketball, and coaching is so much more fun than coaching volleyball, which I do in the fall.
I guess I wasn't prepared to learn so much?
I don't know.
First off, I didn't have to take the kiddos to practice with me this year. Last year, that was HARD. This year it was easier to run better practices. I even made them run a suicide (once) just so if I ever run into my high school coach, Ms. Lawson, I could tell her I did. Oh, how we hated the suicide.
Thomas has LOVED coming to games. He's never done that before. I couldn't coach and keep track of him at the same time. But this year it turned out that I had to take him to the first game. We got there early, during the game before us. He was really into watching it at first, but HATED the buzzer. Hated in such a way that only sensory-sensitive kiddos can. He was shaking and wouldn't uncover his ears.
Darn it. I called Aaron to tell him to swing by ASAP (after picking up the girl from dance - logistics lately has been crazy) to pick him up, making mental backup plans if he wasn't here soon enough (so-and-so can take him to walk the halls).
BUT, Thomas surprised me. As soon as my girls started showing up, he did a 180. He greeted them all, and told them to put on their uniform, showing them where the uniform bag was. He was so excited for them. When we met with the other team to do the pre-game theme and prayer, he tried to say the theme, too. He sat with the team and cheered "Go Mermaids!!! Go go go!" Then he sat with our neighbor who runs the officials' table. He brought his beloved puppy Slush and showed everyone.
When Aaron came to get him... he didn't want to leave! I was so proud of him. He overcame his sensory stuff because he was motivated to be with the people he likes. That's kinda awesome.
Each game, he insisted on going. The second game he started asking for his own uniform. He volunteered to give the theme many times (he wasn't taken up on that, but said it with everyone as best he could). He cheered. The girls loved him and called him their mascot. When we huddled, he huddled. He gave them excellent advice like 'Don't get hurt!' and 'We need to win the game!' that they thought was awesome. Once he did a funky dance for everyone in the huddle and made them laugh. He asked me several times 'When do I get to go in?'. The girls took the bench farther from the buzzer and closer to the official's table every game - for him - even though they prefer the other bench.
One game he had a hard time. He didn't want to go home, but wouldn't stay by me. Luckily, I knew there were enough people from the neighborhood there who would keep an eye on him. It takes a village, right? At one time out, he ran off into the hall, and a couple of my girls who were on the bench just called out 'Got him!' and went to bring him back. Up until that time I had been thinking how good this was for him, to socialize and all, but then I realized it was also good for the girls. And how much more did I love those girls when they loved my son? I now have a new perspective on this scripture.
The girls lost a game. "Why? Why did the white team win?" He was so sad. When I told this to the girls, they were more motivated to win the next game.
Before the last stake game, he wanted to warm up with the girls. He doesn't really have the coordination yet. He has trouble throwing and catching, and wanted to dribble, but couldn't figure it out. I think we'll be working on this a lot come summer. But he was glad to get out on the court with the team.
We lost that game. He cried. The girls were so concerned for him. We got to tell him how we still get to go to the tournament. Now he's excited every Thursday in case it's game day. And he tells everyone how 'we' are going to a tournament.
I also wasn't expecting this to be my last season coaching, as I have now been called to be in the Primary presidency (over teaching the children). I still get to coach them at the regional tournament, but then I'm done. So I made sure to make the girls cute valentines:
Cookies (that look green, ironically) that said 'Go blue' and 'U R Awesome' packaged in cello bags.
Love that boy. Love those girls! What a great time I've had, and how much I have learned!
