A Few Words About Basketball

My husband recently decided I should be into basketball. It's a surprisingly common opinion among family, friends and complete strangers because I stand at (a quarter inch shy of) six feet.

 

I am not now, nor have I ever been aware that height comes with, not only unquestionable basketball playing ability, but an obligation to participate in the sport. Truth is, I've never played- I guess I'm a rebel or this is what some of my earlier teachers may have meant by not achieving full potential.

Now, I've done the required dribbling drills and free throws my 80s public education required of me, but that's where I left it. Too much thud-thudding and shrill sneaker squeaks in an acoustically unfriendly environment. No thank you.

 

But, why let my personal feelings be the end of it? Not when I'm as tall as I am and I have a spouse who likes the sport as much as he does. Never mind my complete lack of interest in the 20+ years we've known each other. Why all of a sudden? Why is basketball now a great activity for us to not only play together, but to watch as a family...? Why deprive our tall daughter the opportunity to play just because I never did is his strongest argument to date. So, why the heck not... let's give it a whirl.

 

This is how my basketball education began and ended in under a week:

 

1. I bought a pink women's ball. If this education and activity is really to better my understanding and interest and provide tutelage to my daughter, why should we not use a pink women's ball? Apparently this was wrong. All I have to say is, if one loves basketball so much, why don't they have their own standard color man-sized ball already so the presence of said pink ball would not be so offensive?

2. I threw in some hope. I nailed the label the court diagram. Without help. This may have sent mix messages that I was interested in learning and lead to the downfall of the overall plan. In my defense, it was a bit like a test, so I did my best. I think a bit more encouragement and a bit less overall surprise would have benefitted the continuation of the plan more effectively.

 

3. I did not take our "play around" time in the park seriously. I was just trying to figure out who passed to whom and when. It seems there are base rules and court etiquette that should be followed even when one is just trying to wrap their heads around the fact that they are on a basketball court to begin with. It guess there is no giggling in basketball.

 

4. I was not serious enough about mastering play formation. When it was decided I needed a more tactical understanding before taking it back to the court, I laughed too much through my tutorial of the rules and strategies of the game. But, really, this is the visual- I find it hard to believe anyone could interpret this, let alone keep a straight face during the design phase.

 

All that said, take heart as another sport’s season begins! Though your television may be monopolized, you can still catch up on reading- or writing- over the sounds of couch-side coaching. At least hockey is back…