On the Road to State

The Amherst boys basketball team has advanced to the third round of the playoffs this season, a game this afternoon against top ranked Marathon.  I have be delighted to watch them play.  There is something, however, about the playoffs - a precarious sense of survival.  It seems to be that one wrong step, pass, shot will send your team to the off season.  Yes, we have been blessed in Amherst to advance several rounds each year at least.  (I cannot imagine following a team that gets out in the first round.  It has just not ever been my experience.) 

And yet, we still see the frustration on the court by our guys when a clutch shot is missed.  The determination when the ball is coming down the court and gosh-dang-it, we need the steal.  This is what these players have prepared for all season!  They've practiced and played together for the past 5 months.  They know each other well.  Some plays are new and delicate while others, we have seen every game, like base-line Lutz or drive and dish Doll. 

I get nervous as a fan.  Perhaps it is because, at one point, I was a sister.  (I still am a sister, but not to varsity basketball players this year).   There is something about watching your own brother out on the court - knowing his strengths and weaknesses - having lived with him and seen his tantrums and triumphs, that brings the game to a heightened level.  You want his hard work to pay off.  You want to see him shine.  Trouble is, all of the players on the other team have families that want the same thing.  So, it is a battle. 

After watching these players all year, I've come to enjoy their teamwork.  The looks of encouragement, the shouts of praise and the helpful suggestions after a cheap foul.  I love seeing the determination in their eyes and the hustle in their bodies as they go for the ball.  There is a passion here.  I hope this passion continues, if not for ball, for something, for life. To live it well and with confidence, the same confidence that they have popping up the 3-ball when they know they are "on." 

Oh yes, can you tell I love high school basketball?  It is a tradition in our family. Going to these games makes me miss the days of high school as Sherf's Little Sister.  It makes me a little sad that I will not be present for the next few seasons of watching my "biggest/youngest" brother play for Jensen.  But for today, I'm going to cheer and enjoy these men and their excitement for a chance at Marathon!

Play the game of your lives!