Our granddaughter, Sophia, has embarked on her first season playing basketball with the YMCA. In anticipation of her inaugural game, she and her dad logged in time practicing dribbling with her little basketball in the hallway at home. As her skills improved, they progressed to shooting hoops on the playground at her elementary school. To further introduce her to the sport, her parents took her to a Husker women’s basketball game, giving her the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of basketball with some courtside coaching.
Sophia Adds Sparkle To Her First Game Day
As the first game approached, attention shifted from practice to preparing her game-day outfit. Sophia’s usual dance tutus and tumbling tights were set aside in favor of basketball shorts, socks and athletic shoes. The announcement that the team colors would be blue marked a significant change for Sophia, who typically prefers pink and purple. Despite the switch to blue, the excitement of playing on a team with her friends helped her embrace the new look – at least while she was out on the basketball court. Even though Sophia accepted the team uniform, she didn’t completely abandon her personal style. On game day, a touch of gold tinsel woven into her ponytail revealed her flair for adding a bit of sparkle to her athletic attire and promoted the team’s name – the Sparks!
Grandparenting on Game Day: Joy, Nostalgia and No More Duties
As we drove to the game, I thought back to the days when our boys were just starting out in youth sports. The anticipation, the nerves and the pride all mingled together, reminding me of countless games and cheering from the sidelines. Watching Sophia now brings a wonderful sense of nostalgia, and I find myself appreciating the simple joy of being a supportive spectator. The good news now, as a grandparent I am relieved of the duties. I can relax and enjoy the game, knowing the preparations have now been passed down a generation!
As the buzzer sounded, the court was a flurry of action. Some players took to the sides flailing their arms at no one in particular. Others took the direct route, barreling straight up the middle, coming to a complete stop and waiting for the ball to reach them. When they did connect with the ball it was only a matter of seconds before they turned and wildly tossed the ball in the vicinity of the hoop. It was action-packed!
The buzzer sounded again, the first half was over, time for the huddle. We could hear the coach reviewing key words, watching as he demonstrated what they meant. When the buzzer rang, announcing the start of the second half, the girls charged onto the court, ready to lead the team to victory! Watching Sophia, I realized how important team sports are for children. Having little exposure to the game, I could see from her expressions and actions that she was trying very hard to learn. Her coach had assigned each girl a player to guard. Although Sophia followed her player faithfully, I’m not sure she knew exactly what she was supposed to do when she caught up with her. And then I had a “melt my heart” moment. A teammate had been bumped as they were running down the court and couldn’t hold back the tears. When Sophia saw her crying, she stopped to give her a pat and ask her if she was alright. But the real clencher came when Sophia was taking her turn on the bench and I looked over and she was waving at her fan club – Mom, Dad, Uncle Beau, Grandma Ellie, Papa Pat, Grandma M.E. and Papa Scott. All there, cheering for her and her teammates.
Wishing Sophia A Future Filled With Effort, Teamwork And Happiness
I’m not sure about her future as a basketball player, a dancer, a tumbler or any other sport she decides to participate in, but I pray she continues to focus on learning, being a team player and trying to the best of her ability. A little competition would be fine, but by far, I hope she remains excited, energized and happy as she explores the world of sports.
Ellen Beans
I served as a Director at Bryan Health for 40 years. Pat served as the Chief Financial Officer for NRC Health for many years. He now serves as the Manager for Amandla, LLC.
We have two sons, Winston and Beau. Winston is married to Emily, and they have a daughter, Sophia, 5 years old. Beau is self-employed and works diligently to assure the success of his company. He also carries the title of Best Uncle Ever!
As the author of the Grandparent blog, I’ll be writing about the challenges and rewards of retirement. I’ll focus on the roles I have taken on in life – spouse, parent, In-law, grandparent, colleague and friend, and how they have changed over the years. This is the plan for the blog, but as we all know, plans can change!
