Shooting Hoops

I love the game of basketball.  Ever since my high school days I have loved to get out on the court and play the game.  I have so many great memories of my time with the sport and the people I have met because of it.  From high school to college, playing basketball helped me realize I was capable of more than I realized.  With enough hard work and discipline my body, mind, and spirit could withstand even the most grueling of practices.  More than that however, I realized the value and power that comes when a group of people work together toward the same goal.  Winning might not be everything, but it certainly makes things more fun.  

When I served my first church I encountered the joy of being a basketball coach to middle school girls.  Though I really didn't know what to expect it became one of the best ways to stay close to the sport and it was such a joy to watch as young ladies grew in self-confidence, strength, and love of the game.  For some throwing a ball into a hoop might seem silly, but I realized again today how much I love the game.

Northland UMC (Stanwood, MI) does all it can to offer elementary and middle school boys and girls the opportunity to play basketball.  Working with the Upward Basketball program over 300 children are placed on teams, given coaches, referees, and uniforms.  All of this is done in a spirit of faith-development and personal growth.  In the middle of our practices we have a time of devotion.  Before the games the referees pray.  The score at the end of the game doesn't really matter.  What matters most is what can be learned and gained through teamwork, discipline, and friendship.  

Due to bad weather and power outages we only had one practice before this game.  I help coach this team with one of my students, Olivia.  Neither of us knew what to expect as we approached the gym.  Would they know which basket to shoot at? Could they get the ball to their end of the gym?  Did we ever even tell them how to pass the ball in?  

Much to our surprise our 4th-6th grade gals did a great job.  It was so much fun to coach on the sidelines trying to help them learn on the spot.  I'm sure the other coaches thought we were nuts as they sat in their chairs quietly.  The scorekeeper kept messing up the score, giving our points to the other team, or something?!  We were trained as coaches not to worry about the score, but our students kept asking us and the competitive people we are, we knew it was off. 

At the end of the game we did win, but the best part came in the voice of one of our gals.  After shaking the other team's hands she said, "It doesn't matter what the score said, we know that we won on the inside."  This is the same gal who doesn't have a mean or aggressive bone in her body.  The ball could actually be within her reach, but if another girl was there she'd just let them have it.  Her heartfelt comment spoke to my way-too-competitive spirit and made me laugh.  She was right.  We definitely won on the inside.  

Basketball has helped me realize the power of winning on the inside no matter what the scoreboard says.  Faith in Christ helps me live this out. Through faith I know that no matter what the score might be according to the world, I serve a God filled with grace, mercy, and compassion.  This God is a just God, a sacrificing God, a loving God.  This God cares far more about how the game of life is played than what the score is at the end.  

I love basketball.  I need to play more often.  Not to win, but to remind myself of the power of teamwork.  I am going to soak up the wisdom of these young gals as I do whatever I can to encourage them to be winners on the inside.  I have a feeling that I will learn much more from them than they will learn from me!