I think it is safe to say that my social media accounts are often flooded with posts about basketball. Stadium check ins, results, sharing news to gain support for basketball, how proud I am of my family involved in basketball.
I know there are probably people who see those updates and roll their eyes, or think "she's at it again"!
I'm not sorry to say that I actually don't care, and let me tell you why!
Basketball has given us so much more than just a healthy lifestyle for our girls. This weekend my daughter celebrated her 13th birthday. Even at her young age she established some amazing friendships through the sport of basketball. Incredibly she had 4 friends travel up to 5 hours to be there with her.
You see, this sport provides incredible opportunities to bond with other players in your state. From as young as 10 years old. Each year the Country NSW basketball organise a state wide event called Jamboree and kids are placed into teams with noone from their own club. This encourages new friendships to form. It was here that my daughter's friendships began with, what can only be described as life long friendships. The same kids that traveled a significant way just to spend this weekend hanging out. Seeing them all together is what prompted me to think about our involvement with the sport and how worthwhile it all is.
Because these kids have had to sleep on stadium floors for weekend basketball camps, been taught to thank coaches, staff and managers/cooks they have adapted to being independent and reinforced the great skill of always being polite and thankful. This certainly made it easier to make a decision about whether they were able to stay at our place over the weekend. Despite the house nearly bursting at the seams, they weren't any trouble at all. Not a 'princess' type amognst them!
Even adding in a couple of extras from my daughters local basketball team made for a fun time. They had all played against each other at some point so they were familiar to each other. But all molded together seamlessly. Since they've returned home they have all connected together online too. So the friendships have extended, and for girls, this can only be a good thing.
This sport has offered me opportunities to make friends too. I've always been a big believer in being a participator when it comes to things my kids are involved in. Too often parents sit back and expect that someone else is going to do the jobs that are needed. I care about the future of this sport that I love, so I give back to it at every opportunity I can. A bi-product of this is that I can walk into any stadium in NSW (and some interstate) and never be alone. I have made friends everywhere.
We are just one family of hundreds who are involved in basketball who I know feel the same way about it too.
So when you have your eyes ready to roll about 'another basketball post', just think about what this great sport gives to so many families.
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