“4G Basketball” is the league name for “4th grade girls”
Our team The HORNETS consists of 8 current (and 1 former) students with BIG Hearts of Julia Green Elementary.
With multiple years of Coaching, co-coaching, assistant coaching, & parenting 2 daughters & 1 son-players through Spring and summer soccer and Winter Basketball, Debbie and I have seen the full gambit of teams and talent.
Each team has its own dynamic personality . . . and each season offers a micro-slice of “Real Life” . . . complete with the highest of highs, disappointments and frustrations, and plenty of reasons to celebrate at the end.
The Military man within me always feels the need to “close the operation” with an AAR (After Action Report) and summarize the experience.
What went right?
What were the surprises?
How did we react/respond?
Did we learn something?
How was our communication flow?
Did we grow together?
Did we accomplish the mission?
If not, what could we have done better or more efficiently?
Where from here?
In the interest of expediency, I’ll spare the details here . . . but this season was nothing short of phenomenal.
This group of girls had not played basketball together as a team before this season. We enlisted the help and guidance of a fantastic coach (David Marmelejo) who had coached our girls On our soccer teams previously . . . The first RIGHT thing we did was to ask David if he would consider coaching basketball 🙂
Our practice schedule presented a real challenge and we were tied to it because of insufficient gym/court space in the area . . . Practices were on SUNDAYS – the day AFTER the games and 6 days before the next game . . . Not ideal because the team had nearly a whole week to “forget” what they learned in practice before facing competition.
Raw talent kept us IN virtually every game we played. Final scores were always close . . . but we ended the season win-less.
2/3 through the season, we secured a 2nd practice time on Friday afternoons . . . THIS move is just what the doctor ordered . . . The team began to blossom.
The players started “Getting” the plays, and raw talent began shifting to teamwork and coordinated play. Each successive game had more AMAZING “High Achievement” moments of brilliance . . . this team was gelling as we neared the end of the season.
Our regular season was win-less . . . Now it was TOURNAMENT TIME . . .
Last week, we scrimmage a team and WON masterfully on Wednesday . . .
Thursday, we did it again (Won another scrimmage)
Saturday was the tournament . . . Our girls WON TWICE.
Yesterday . . . Lost . . . then Won . . . Then Lost . . .
5 WINS in 5 days . . . and placed “Runner Up” (2nd) in the tournament.
WOW!
The best part of it?
If you were to ask any of those girls how the season was, I have no question that the response would include: “We had FUN!” with a large smile.
Consistent persistent of these players with heart, their oh-so-supportive parents, and guidance from a phenomenal coach created a WINNING experience.
Y’see . . . We don’t have to win EVERY game to accomplish the mission.
It often boils down to how we handle the surprises, defeats, let-downs all the while sustaining camaraderie and SMILES.
Just sayin’
Hoping you have a great week!
Best,
b