Church Basketball

Michael here. Our church basketball tournament was yesterday. Our ward was the last seed. We'd only won one game during the season. We were supposed to play to the top seed, but they didn't even show up. So we moved on to the next round by forfeit. Then we lost by 30 or so in the second round. It was frustrating to play, not because we lost the game, but because the way the other team was playing. But as I reflect on my time playing basketball, much of it has been in playing the Church league. I would much rather play pick up ball, JPI, or just play one-on-one with dad. Still there are a few things that I have learned in my many seasons of Church ball:


1)As you get older you still feel like you can play like the 17 year olds. I watched 17 yesterday. It was quick, and agile, fresh, and never seemed to tire. I'll bet that 17 year old didn't look like an old man getting out of bed this morning.

2)Old injuries always seem to come back and haunt you. My knee, which I sprained when I was 16 gives me grief now when I play a lot of ball. And I don't recover quite like I used to.

3)You can't play one game once a week and expect to run all day without tiring. The Word of Wisdom says you will run and not faint. It's true, despite my pain yesterday I didn't faint, but I did pass out last night as my head hit pillow.

4)Score and Referee seem to bring out the beast in even the most mild mannered priesthood holder. Why is it? When you have refs, and keep score, and have a tournament, guys seem to tap into some primeval source. Angers flare, tempers rage, and words are spoken that normally we would suppress and control. Maybe that's why not many wives and children attend these games; it could get ugly.

5)There are decent and honest players. Yesterday I almost fell over when the guy who was guarding me fouled me and then told the ref he did it (the ref didn't see it). I admire him and his integrity. It made me enjoy playing that much more. Granted, most are like this, but for some reason the bad ones always stick in your mind.

6)Playing Church Basketball somehow gives you the chance for glory that you missed when you were in High School. There are a lot of guys in my experience that I feel want that second chance to prove they could have been something great. I admit that I feel that way sometimes, only because I think my skill level now is what it could have been back in high school. I'm a slow learner I guess. Still, there are guys who just love to play the game.

7)You can love the game, and not have to worry about winning. Especially when your team is 1-6 for the season. I think our ward was supposed to learn humility and the importance of losing gracefully. Or something like that.

Well, I know it's not much but those are my thoughts about church ball. Excuse me while I go ice my knee.