One for the Record Books

For the past two weeks, I have been meaning to write a few things about the Ar-We-Va Rockets basketball season and their week at the State Tournament. Time has just been flying by though. It is hard to believe that week was already that long ago. Where did that time go…? Well, I know where the week of the tournament went… how about in the record books!! :)

I cannot tell you how much fun it was to be a part of that week. As a lifelong (and a long life it’s been) fan and the coach’s daughter, I could not have been more proud to walk into that arena wearing an Ar-We-Va t-shirt. It was so fun to see how excited all the girls were and to see all the attention the whole team was getting from everyone. It truly was awesome to see them after each game and see the proud glow they all put off. They all knew that they were 100% deserving of where they were, and even though they were all very modest, they couldn’t hide the fact that they knew they were good!

I do have to admit that watching them play did make me a little jealous at times. Maybe jealous isn’t the right word, but it sure did bring up some memories. The thought crossed my mind a few times about what would have happened if my teams would have made it to State. I remembered the heartbreak my sophomore year when we lost to Hinton in a close game, and again my senior year when I fouled out of the game and had to watch the end of my last game from the bench. It’s one of those things, that makes you wonder, What if? But oh well :) It kind of made me laugh during the championship game this year, when the All Iowa Honor Drill Team came out for their patriotic dance before the game, because I looked at our girls standing in front of the bench during the National Anthem and then looked at the dancers on the floor… And being one of those dancers was the closest I ever got to being on that bench. But at least I’ve got that one! Some basketball players can’t even say that ;)

Overall, when I think about the Ar-We-Va girls’ basketball team, I’d have to say it makes me think of my dad the most. I am so happy that he finally got to coach at the State Tournament. He really deserves that, and I certainly hope that it isn’t the last time! My dad is so completely devoted to being a coach and genuinely loves it. If everyone could see all of the time and effort and thought that he puts into his coaching, I think everyone would gain a new understanding and respect for him. Some of my greatest memories from my senior year include sitting in the living room with my dad and watching game film and taking stats with him. It’s almost a given that you know my dad will be up until early in the morning most nights during basketball season because he is up studying AWV’s games or scouting other teams through watching their past games that he has recorded. My dad is so smart (don’t tell him I said that) and I am so proud to have him as an influence in my life. I just wish I would have realized how smart he was earlier in life, so I could have soaked up a little more while I was at home! I remember when I was in 5th or 6th grade, that I cried a few times before basketball games because I didn’t really want to play and in my first few years of high school, basketball was nowhere near the top of my favorite sports list. But in my one quick year of having my dad as my head coach, I gained a new appreciation for it all and he promptly made basketball my favorite. Thanks to him, when I think of basketball in my high school years, it brings up happy memories, it doesn’t bring up feelings of regret or dislike in the slightest. I know, because of that, I will be one of those old ladies that talks about her high school basketball career just like it was yesterday and will pretend like the people I’m talking to care in the slightest about what happened in 2006 when I was playing basketball.

This year’s team sure did create a lot of great memories that will make for a lot better stories when they are old than mine will. :) I really hope that this isn’t the last time we get to make three trips to Des Moines in a week! Although that made for an interesting work week, I would do it again… say… next year during the first week of March!

That's all for now!

GO ROCKETS!