Noah's First Basketball Game

 Third grade is when kids get to start playing Biddy Basketball at our school. It's organized through the Rec Commission and is designed to be a place where kids learn the basics, play games and have fun. Noah is LOVING basketball and can't seem to get enough of it. Our good friend Pat is his coach and Noah's doing his best to eat up all the instruction he can.
Saturday was his first game and our first chance to sit in the stands and watch him play. We had a great time watching him and his teammates out on the court!
First off, they warmed up - stretching, dribbling, layups, passing and shooting.

 Game time! Noah's number 7 and got to be the one to jump for the ball at tip-off. I was way more nervous for him than I'd like to admit.

 He got the tip!

 They played Haven, and thankfully the teams were very evenly matched. There were moments when some kids were completely confused about what to do. But for the most part, the majority of kids knew what to do to keep the game moving.

 Noah surprised us with his assertiveness on the court. A couple of times he dribbled all the way from one end to the other and made a layup! He made a whole bunch of baskets - nearly all layups, just one free throw.

 He seemed to really enjoy himself and that's the important part. We want him to have fun and to learn. Winning is a bonus, but it sure does help in the fun department.

 Pat did a great job of rotating boys in and out, coaching them on and off the court and encouraging them the whole time.

There were a couple of times when Noah hung on to the ball and dribbled all around while teammates shouted to him to pass them the ball. We talked with him after the game about passing the ball and being a team player.

 In the end, the game was tied with just a few seconds left in the game. Noah ended up with the ball and scored the winning two points with a layup!

 It was an incredibly exciting game for Noah's team!

 Each boy on the team did a great job, each one showing their strengths and personalities. I'd been hesitant to bring this new activity to our life (filling up the calendar with practices and games) but after seeing them play I'm convinced it's worth the hassle.