guess what? my oldest son has played a LOT of basketball over the years! pulling together this post made me realize how much he enjoys a game of hoops! interspersed with seasons of soccer, flag football, and running (both track and cross-country) ~ but, through it all, it is
*b a s k e t b a l l* that he loves to play. i'll show you just how much . . . .
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| winter 2002 ~ around age 5 |
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| age 5 |
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| about age 7 in 2004 |
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| eying the basket ~ age 7 |
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| conferring with his long-time teammate (ages 7 & 4) |
after many years of play on his home court
(at least two years),
he made the bold move to play on a recreational team.
#41 was a formidable player!
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| #41 ~ age 7 or so |
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| about age 9 in 2006 |
there was a brief period of time when, for some inexplicable reason, this basketball player's mother decided KNEE SOCKS were the way to go. the mother recalls no protest or counter-offers or evasive tactics in response to this bold fashion move. the socks just appeared in the basketball player's dresser drawer, one supposes. however, given some number of years for further reflection, the basketball player has raised the issue of the KNEE SOCKS and wondered WHYoWHYoWHY his mother did this to him. having zero memory of the decision-making process, said mother can only offer extremely belated and heartfelt apologies.
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| in 2007, age 10 in green at center court ~ with the dreaded knee socks |
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| #23 . . . or the one in the knee socks |
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| knee socks successfully hidden |
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| accepting his individual award (which was NOT 'Best Socks') |
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| 2008 ~ age 11 or so |
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| back on his home court ~ age 11 |
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| guarded by the J-man |
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| age 11 or so, with one of his biggest fans |
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| a much-loved jersey, age 11 |
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| a serious moment, age 11 (he is second from right, kneeling) |
rec basketball teams generally span 2-3 years as far as players, so sometimes you're the biggest & the oldest . . . and other times you're one of the youngest & smallest. it's kind of a nice change of pace, both ways.
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| 2009, age 12 or so ~ one of the youngest that year (standing towards the back of the pack) |
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| 2009 ~ age 12 |
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| 2010 ~ age 13 |
one of the big gifts at Christmas when he was 13 was a brand-spanking-new basketball goal!
he was just a little bit happy about that.
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| Xmas 2010 |
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| Xmas 2010 |
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| keep-away in 2010 |
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| 2011 ~ about age 13 ~ #22, back row at far right |
we live in ACC country & are, generally speaking,
a Carolina House.
every now & then, we get to go to a game at the coliseum.
this was one of those times ~ one happy guy!
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| spring 2011 ~ age 13 |
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| #11 making a free throw during warm-ups for the All-Star game |
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| summer 2011 ~ almost 14 |
the summer between seventh and eighth grades, he went to the Carolina Basketball camp with a few good friends ~ it was a residential camp, & he had a fantastic time!
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| Just Do It |
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| Just Do That, Too |
in fact, he became such a proficient basketball player
that he won a massive Jamaican Banana
at the State Fair!
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| 2011 ~ what you win when you ace the un-aceable |
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by 13 . . . he was in size 13 shoes and wanted THESE!
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| 2012 ~ 15yo & swoooosh! |
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| age 15 & on his daddy's old goal |
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| 2012 ~ another swoooosh! |
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| the only mother to make them pose after losing the championship game. to smile or not to smile.... |
2012 footage
high school brought lots&lots of school work, as well as cross-country and marching band, so there was a necessary slow-down in the pursuit of basketball . . . but he did keep playing! this spring was, sadly, his last season ~ he will age-out of youth basketball at the end of the summer when he turns 18. hard to believe.
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| 2015 ~ age 17, in light blue shorts on right |
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| #31 on far right |
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| age 17 |
during practice
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| fun on the home court, age 17 |
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| no hands? nah, no feet! |
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| hook shot wind-up |
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| :) game face :) |
not an end.
just the end of an era.
