We Are (almost) The Champions

(Sorry for the poor quality photos...it's hard to take good photos in a gym!)

Second place ain't so bad...especially when your team hadn't won a game all season! Kellie-Laine had a basketball tournament this weekend against other area private schools. She played a total of four games; the last one was for the championship. We lost by 2 points.

Defeat is a hard thing to process, especially for a 10 year old. Nothing I said comforted Kellie-Laine, and to be honest, my heart ached, too. Kellie-Laine made 4 of the 6 points earned during the 8-6 Championship game, and so the defeat was painful.

Allow me to brag for one moment, but Kellie-Laine is a pretty darn good basketball player. I'm amazed at the things she can do with the ball. Her speed and the handling of the ball are her strengths. She plays point and is a natural leader on the court. Now I would never have guessed myself to be a competitive mom, but something comes over me when I watch KL play. I can't describe it...it's pure elation, joy, and a lot of nervous energy. I cheer and yell the entire game...sometimes yelling the wrong thing like, "Guard your man!" when we're on offense.

One thing I love about Kellie-Laine is that she has a strong desire to win. It really doesn't matter to her if the win is a result of her effort or not; she just wants to share in the victory that comes from smart playing and teamwork. She cheers for her team when she's on the bench, and they yell for her when she plays. She knows she's one of the better players, but she doesn't let that go to her head. Kellie-Laine simply views it as a responsibility to lead her team to a win.

Even though many tears were shed after the game, the girls gained so much experience and confidence from their playing time. I know they'll continue to be successful the rest of the season, and I am so proud the girls' effort and ability. Walking away from the tournament as "Almost" champions still felt like a victory to me.