Middle School Basketball

This week Nick's 8th grade basketball team played another team from his school. It's always fun to watch when good buddies play each other. Why is it so especially important to beat your buddies' team? The game was very close, with the outcome in doubt until the last few minutes. We won by 8 points. They all played very hard, with much stealing, diving, and fighting for the ball. All very good natured, and I think everyone had a good time. Nick is the tallest on his team, but the opposing team had two guys taller than him. At the last game I was sitting next to an opposing parent who I overheard commenting about Nick, "Look at that big kid in the middle, he doesn't even have to jump to grab those rebounds." Not true in this game. The tall skinny redhead could way outjump him! I think his arms were twice as long too! Nick is the blue-clad guy in mid-air.

Mystifyingly, in spite of his Troyer bloodline, Nick is not naturally an extremely aggressive player. Part of it might just be his natural politeness and good manners, wanting to give someone else a chance to get the ball first. He used to try to avoid fouling at all cost, but due in part to much encouragement from his mother and some from his father as well, he now regularly gets called for fouls. He had a great game last week and had four fouls. We were so proud! Since many of the basketball refs do baseball and/or football as well, his father is on a first name basis with some of them. A few weeks ago, once such ref not only warned Nick but told his father that Nick needs to quit using his behind to push people around. I'm not sure how many fouls he got for that!

Another aspect of that politeness is passing the ball off to someone else instead of taking the shot himself. I have found that bribery works very well to correct this problem. We now have an arrangement that if he takes the shots he's open for and plays aggressively enough to suit me, I buy him food wherever he wants afterwards. (He hasn't figured out going anywhere expensive yet.) I have noticed that a combination of bribery and having a certain girl as a spectator results in a very good game for him!

For some reason, he doesn't appreciate me shouting encouragement or advice to him when he's playing. I called out "You can do it" once or twice when he was shooting a free throw and his father scoffed at me, not thinking it sounded all that encouraging I guess. So I try to keep my mouth shut other than saying "Good job" "Way to go" etc. in a well-modulated tone of voice. Will gives me a look if I forget and it helps me stay in line. Not that I would get out of line anyway. I mean really, "You can do it" is not an acceptable encouragement? I still maintain that it is perfectly appropriate. But I will not be saying it as long as it is not appreciated.