first love

let me just go on the record now saying how much i missed playing basketball...

ever since i can remember, my dad brought both me and my brother up playing the game that he coached for so many years. as a 4 year old, i would play outside with the boys after school, sit on the bench with my dad's team, and even help keep books from time to time (i'm pretty sure that's where i learned how to add....)

when i was old enough, i started playing in leagues and teams around the area...upward until i was old enough for school ball, and then AAU (a competitive traveling team) starting when i was 12. those were the "serious days" i'd have shooting practice before school, a two hour practice after school, then when i got home, i'd have another shooting practice with my dad out in the driveway. it was a year round thing with us: camps (team and individual) in the summer time, fall ball and school ball during autumn and winter, then as soon as school season was over, AAU season would start, carrying us through the spring and beginning of summer. seriously, at that age, if you asked me what i was going to do in college, it was "play ball for pat summitt at UT" and then "become the shortest girl ever in the WNBA"

but, as always, God had a different plan for me. the summer before my sophomore year of high school, i was playing for a great school team (practice in the summer too, folks), but was really conflicted in my heart because i knew the girls that i had grown up playing with were not the best examples for me to surround my life with. then came the week that i had to choose between going to beach camp with my student ministry and a team camp for basketball. i chose church camp, thinking surely my coaches would understand... well, long story short, i was benched for a whole week when i got back because i missed that camp. when i went and talked to my coaches they told me, basically, it was time for me to choose. (sounds familiar to anyone who's recently read matthew 6?) i couldn't do both: play the sport i love, or be active serving the God i loved even more...

so after praying about it, talking to my parents about it, and shedding more than my fair share of tears about it, i resigned from my position on the team...sure that i would never play again. not at the level that i thrived on. but i knew God had better things in store for my life. fast forward over 6 years and here i am, a senior in college, and i have finally came back to my "first love" oh, i played pick up games and even coached a group of 3rd and 4th grade girls for a couple of years, but it was never enough to lace up my shoes and really go all out on the court... until last night. i was asked to play on an intramural team this year, something i had avoided for the past three years due to business, and fear that i had really lost my touch. but it took just the first play to sink back into a rhythm that felt as natural as breathing... pushing my body, not like when i run, but totally letting myself go and being a part of a TEAM again... having 4 other girls on the court with me and functioning as a unit toward our ultimate goal.

confession: as soon as tip off, i exploded....it was like everything pent up in me just moved out of my feet and hands with unbelievable force. so, i played probably a bit too rough... i made some girls on the other team not so happy with me, but it was like something had snapped inside of me and i honestly couldn't help it.

so, the team's 1-0... and we have a good chance of going all the way this year. i'll keep you posted.