Game one
The nerves and anticipation ran high on Saturday morning as we prepared for the first of what will likely end up being hundreds of basketball games for Aden.
He really, truly was nervous, our little Taz. But he had good reason to be. A gaggle of too-vocal family members in the stands. A team counting on him to basically be their leader. And then the other team, pawing like angry cats trying to get the ball away.
That's a lot on a five-year-old.
But he handled it with grace. And played fantastically. Played pretty good defense, ran the point like a boss, and got an assist for five out of the six buckets his team scored.
The only hiccup came when, toward the end of a melee of an offensive possession, Aden was wide open under the basket. A teammate passed him the ball and the aforementioned gaggle shouted in unison from the bleachers, "SHOOT!" Aden handed the ball to his coach and told her quietly, "I don't want to shoot today." He seemed to be a little upset, and we all feared that he might bow out after that, deciding that it was just too much pressure.
But he went back out there, team player all the way. We are so proud of our Aden.
I have since learned that he didn't want to shoot because he was afraid the ball wouldn't go in the basket. A valid fear that we will work on. But in spite of his fear, Aden found what worked to score points for his team, and he did his job. Over and over again.
So. Very. Proud.
He really, truly was nervous, our little Taz. But he had good reason to be. A gaggle of too-vocal family members in the stands. A team counting on him to basically be their leader. And then the other team, pawing like angry cats trying to get the ball away.
That's a lot on a five-year-old.
But he handled it with grace. And played fantastically. Played pretty good defense, ran the point like a boss, and got an assist for five out of the six buckets his team scored.
The only hiccup came when, toward the end of a melee of an offensive possession, Aden was wide open under the basket. A teammate passed him the ball and the aforementioned gaggle shouted in unison from the bleachers, "SHOOT!" Aden handed the ball to his coach and told her quietly, "I don't want to shoot today." He seemed to be a little upset, and we all feared that he might bow out after that, deciding that it was just too much pressure.
But he went back out there, team player all the way. We are so proud of our Aden.
I have since learned that he didn't want to shoot because he was afraid the ball wouldn't go in the basket. A valid fear that we will work on. But in spite of his fear, Aden found what worked to score points for his team, and he did his job. Over and over again.
So. Very. Proud.
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