Have you ever been “shhh’d” before? I have. Perhaps, it’s my big mouth. Even at its lowest octave level, it can be loud. I suppose all of us have been “shhh’d” many times. In the library. At church. In class. And most recently, at my daughter’s 8th grade basketball game.
Yes. I said basketball and not tennis. I’ve never been told to shut it during a basketball game. Let’s face it. The excitement of the game can get to us. Especially when our kids are out there playing. We can easily lose ourselves in the moment. And basketball is one of those fan interactive sports. In the pros, they are expected to make the majority of their shots. Not in girls 8th grade basketball. When they score, it’s exciting. Because it actually went in the basket. We aren’t making a 100 points a game. We are lucky to get 20 points.
As a mom, I spend my life in the car driving from one sporting event to the next. Yep. Life of a mom with 4 kids who play everything from volleyball to baseball to football to hockey to basketball. No way around that drive time. None.
Even though we live in Dallas, we live in a small bubble. Less than 20,000 people. That’s considered a small town by most standards. Even tho we are surrounded by 6 million people. Yes. They actually call it the bubble. Embarrassing. But it is what it is. Not only are we small in people but we don’t account for more than a few square miles inside the very middle of Dallas.
Because we are so small, we don’t have a bus system so the kids get to school by walking, riding their bikes or their parents take them. It is what it is but it’s been that way for over 100 years. Yellow school bus? What’s that? I rode one. My children have no idea. So, when we go to school sporting events, we have to charter a bus. When all schools come to us, they ride in the yellow school bus. Not us. We show up in grand fashion in a chartered bus. The kind with a bathroom. Have you ever seen a yellow school bus with a bathroom on it? I haven’t. But we have no other choice. Sadly, we get a bad rap for it. Such a stigma. I wish there was another way but there isn’t.
Even though we are in the heart of Dallas, we don’t get the luxury of playing schools in Dallas. Nope. We have to drive 4 cities north and play them. Not exactly close. An hour each way for the away games. But we go. We make the trek. It’s worth the drive.
It’s moments like the other night that make that dreaded drive worth it.
It was a close game. The lead changed hands many times. I have come to learn that free throws really do make a difference. We were the visiting team so we did as we were asked. We were quiet when one of their players was shooting a free throw. They “shhh’d” us, remember. Even though I think it’s odd to be quiet at a basketball game, we acquiesced. We respected their wishes.
Fast forward 3 minutes and there’s 6 seconds left in the game. And it’s tied 23-23. As my daughter goes up for the lay up, she is fouled. Two shots. Only need one to win it.
And what do you think those parents did as she was standing there at that line with the pressure on to win it? Did they “shhh” us? F*ck no. They banged the bleachers and screamed their lungs out. Are you fucking kidding me? Shot one. Missed it. Now the pressure is really on. The game is tied at this point. Just need one. The banging gets more intense. The screaming louder. I’ve always told my kids, “Good athletes block it all out.” Nothing I can do at this point but hope and pray she makes it. All eyes are on her. Oh, the pressure. She hasn’t even gone through puberty yet. Bank shot and she nails it! The crowd erupts.
I couldn’t be prouder. And pissed at the same moment.
As she made that basket, she pretty much told all those parents on the other team to shut the f**k up. Of course, she would never say that. I would. But not her. She didn’t need to. For a kid to nail it with a free throw percentage barely above zero is her way of teaching them a valuable lesson.
Take your hypocrisy, your incredibly poor sportsmanship, and your epic parenting fail and take note from a pre-pubescent 13 year old who was able to make that clutch shot. Despite your pathetic attempt to throw her off of her game. Ummm…let’s put this in perspective…it’s not even the A team. It’s the B team and her basketball skills are limited. Hope you are proud of your insidious behavior.
Kudos to the Highland Park parents who showed both class and respect.
And to Lizzie. I couldn’t be more proud to be your mother.
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